Chicharito responds to clown banner with 2 goals for Galaxy

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Javier Hernández scored twice after San Jose fans unfurled a huge banner calling LA “clowns” and he mocked the fans for their display, leading the Galaxy over the Earthquakes 3-2 on Saturday night.

Before the game, fans in the crowd of 44,200 at Stanford Stadium displayed a large banner that said: “The LA circus — same clowns, different costumes” and included a picture of a pair of clowns below the words.

Chicharito then got two goals to raise his season total to 17 and give him 10 in his last 10 games.

After scoring the game’s opening goal in the 12th minute, he ran toward the stands, pointed to the fans, put a hand with fingers splayed next to each ear, stuck out his tongue and hopped from side to side while mimicking a clown. He repeated the celebration after this second goal in the 69th minute.

Hernández scored his first goal off a cross from Julián Araujo, taking a touch around Rodrigues and beating goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski to the far post.

Gastón Brugman scored on a 22-yard shot that went in off the crossbar in the 42nd minute, and Hernández made it 3-0 for the Galaxy (13-12-7) when he took a pass from Efraín Álvarez while sprinting into the penalty area and slotted the ball under Marcinkowski’s outstretched right arm.

Cristian Espinoza converted a penalty kick for San Jose (7-15-10) in the 74th after he was knocked over by Raheem Edwards while rounding goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.

Nathan got San Jose’s second goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time with a header that deflected in off the foot of Derrick Williams after Miguel Trauco flicked Espinoza’s corner kick into the penalty area.

San Jose outshot the Galaxy 13-11, but LA had a 4-3 advantage in shots on target.

These teams take to the field again Saturday, with the Galaxy hosting Real Salt Lake while the Earthquakes host Minnesota United.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.