sjearthquakes.com photo: Quakes forward Chris Wondolowski (8) is the only player on the team who has played in all of the Earthquakes’ nine matchups against the Union. The Danville-native leads the Quakes with three goals and two assists against Philadelphia from those nine appearances

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE–When you are fighting for a playoff berth you will take any points that you can get. The San Jose Earthquakes salvaged a point with a 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union thanks to a penalty kick with one minute left in stoppage time by forward Chris Wondolowski at Avaya Stadium.

Wondo’s heroics wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for midfielder Shae Salinas making like a runaway bull as he stormed into the box eluding defenders before being tackled before his crossing attempt that resulted in the penalty.

The Quakes got off to a quick start like they had wanted as Valeri “Vako” Qazaishvlli opened the game with his second goal of the season in the 3rd minute after dribbling around three Union defenders and shooting the ball past Union goalkeeper John McCarthy.

Vako, who was picked up by the Quakes just two months ago, made the most of his first start with his new team as he could have had a hat trick in the first half if it weren’t for a point blank save by McCarthy in the 37th minute and a shot that just sailed wide of the goal in the 30th minute.

The Union got on the board in the 35th minute to tie the game when defender Jack Elliot scored his first goal of the season off a set piece where the ball danced around in the box and Elliot pounced on the loose ball and put it in the upper right corner of the net.

They would take the lead in the 55th minute of the game when after another set piece Union midfielder Roland Alberg was left alone on the left side of the goal and easily put in his 5th goal of the season into the left corner of the net.

“It’s about mentality as it about anything else”, Quakes Head Coach Chris Leitch said about his team needing to be better on defensively set pieces. “Taking some pride and making sure your guy doesn’t get up front.”

With the tie, coupled with Vancouver’s 2-1 win over Houston, the Quakes now find themselves 1 point out of a playoff spot as the drop to 7th in the Western Conference with nine games remaining.

NOTES:

-Wondolowski’s 10th goal of the season was his 8th consecutive MLS season with double digit goals. His all-time career goals of 131 puts him just 14 shy of the MLS all-time mark which is held by Landon Donovan with 145.

-The game got chippy in the second half as there were 4 yellow cards called. Two each by both teams.

Not as rare as an eclipse but rare enough: Two Philadelphia pro teams played in the Bay Area on Saturday night of course the Union were in San Jose playing the Quakes and the MLB Philadelphia Phillies were in San Francisco playing at AT&T Park against the Giants all on the same night.

-Next up for the Quakes: Wednesday August 23rd at Real St. Lake.

Marko is a talk show host at 1170 KLOK San Jose