The ex-Tottenham Hotspur playmaker made it three goals in two games on Saturday night as the Galaxy beat Real Salt Lake 5-2 at the StubHub Center.
While the LA Galaxy are currently missing Robbie Keane through injury, Giovani dos Santos is certainly doing an excellent job of filling his former Tottenham Hotspur teammate’s scoring boots.
The 26-year-old Mexican grabbed two goals and an assist in last week’s 4-1 win at the Houston Dynamo, and he was once again on the scoresheet last night as Bruce Arena’s men thumped Real Salt Lake 5-2 at the StubHub Center.
The Galaxy got off to a bad start when Steven Gerrard’s sixth-minute penalty kick was saved by Nick Rimando after Dos Santos was fouled in the box, before RSL opened the scoring 10 minutes later through Juan Manuel Martinez.
The hosts equalised only three minutes later, however, when Gyasi Zardes netted a sublime effort from the edge of the area, before Mike Magee put them in front in the 26th-minute after finishing off Emanuel Boateng’s low cross from close-range.
Boateng then added the third in the 41st-minute, latching onto a Zardes through ball and firing into the back of the net, before the Ghanaian winger teed up Dos Santos to make it 4-1 just before the half-time interval.
The 90-times capped Mexico international collected a pass from this fellow attacker on the left-hand side of the box, turned and lofted a spectacular left-footed chip into the top right corner.
It was a goal reminiscent of his finish past Tim Howard in the 2011 Gold Cup final, when Mexico ran out 4-2 winners over the US national team, and the former Tottenham forward even acknowledged the similarities himself after the final whistle.
“Yes it reminded me of the goal in 2011,” he told LAGalaxy.com. “I think it was practically the same, only it was on the different side. When the ball went in, that goal [from 2011] crossed my mind immediately.
“The truth is it was pure joy. I think it was a beautiful goal. And as a forward you want to be in the score sheet and contribute to the team’s success as I’ve said before.”
RSL had previously been the only unbeaten team left in MLS going into Saturday night’s clash, having taken four wins and two draws from their opening six games of the season, but Dos Santos’ wonder strike on the stroke of half-time forced them into damage control over the second period.
They did manage to pull a goal back with 20 minutes left when Yura Movsisyan was fouled by Daniel Steres in the box, allowing Javier Morales to convert from the spot, but Gerrard restored the hosts’ three-goal cushion in stoppage-time with his first strike of the campaign.
The result means LA now sit third in the Western Conference on 14 points after four wins, two draws and one defeat and have scored nine goals in their last two games.
After a quad injury hampered his start to the season, Dos Santos’ dynamic displays have been a key reason for their success over the past two weeks, but it remains to be seen what will happen when the injured Keane returns to the side.
Despite playing together at Tottenham between 2009 and 2011, the pair noticeably struggled to connect on the pitch during last season’s run-in after the ex-Barcelona man’s summer arrival, and it will be interesting to see how head coach Bruce Arena tries to accommodate the pair of them in the same line-up in the near future.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
