Photo credit: @SJEarthquakes

By Marko Ukalovic and Alexandra Evans

SAN JOSE — In a season where the San Jose Earthquakes (2-9-3) have often been donkey kicked in the gut losing on late goals, it was LAFC’s turn to add their name to the list of heartbreaking losses. LAFC (7-4-3) scored two goals past the 90th minute for a 4-3 comeback victory on Saturday evening at Avaya Stadium.

The Quakes would draw first blood in the 11th minute when captain Chris Wondolowski, who would be involved in three Quakes’ goals, fed a ball over to forward Danny Hoesen along the right corner. Hoesen then crossed the ball right into the center of the box where Vako would one timed the ball past LAFC goalie Tyler Miller into the back of the net for his third goal of the season.

Adama “Dio” Diomande would answer back for the expansion LAFC just four minutes later at the 15th minute. Quakes defenseman Kevin Partida made a bad clearing attempt with a header that went right over to Dio and he wasted no time heading the ball into the back of the net past Quakes goalie Andrew Tarbell for his second goal of the season.

LAFC kept pouring on the pressure as San Jose would be haunted once again by an ex-player. This time Steven Beitashour was the recipient off a ball played in that was deflected off Quakes defenseman Nick Lima that went right on to his foot and scored into an empty net on the far right corner in the 19th minute for his second goal on the season.

In the 39th minute, it looked like the Quakes would get the equalizer when Vako received a ball 25 yards out from goal. In one motion, he turned around and fired a shot on goal that Miller made a brilliant save knocking the ball over the goal to preserve the 2-1 lead heading into halftime.

In the second half, the Quakes gained the momentum back just seven minutes in when Wondolowski received a long ball from Florian Jungwirth just past midfield and dribbled down the left side of the pitch before stopping, putting a deke on LAFC midfielder Benny Feilhaber and chipped a perfect ball into the lower right corner for the equalizer in the 52nd minute for his third goal of the season.

Wondo wasn’t done scoring when Miller had a mental blunder and dribbled the ball past the defensive box instead of picking up the ball. Wondo was able to pickpocket the ball off of Miller’s foot and shot the ball into a wide empty net to give the Quakes a 3-2 lead in the 63rd minute. The gift from Miller was Wondo’s fourth goal of the season and his 138th career MLS goal. He is now just seven back of Landon Donovan, the all-time leading goal scorer in MLS history with 145.

“I love scoring goals more than many people here,” said Wondo. “But winning, nothing beats that. I will score zero goals all year if we win.”

Wondo would be forced to come out of the game at the 72nd minute due to a stomach illness that was bothering him throughout the game. He was replaced by Fatai Alashe.

“I was feeling a little under the weather and all of a sudden my lunch came up,” said Wondo. “Almost all over Walker Zimmerman’s shoes. Especially after the third time it came up, I decided it was better (to come out of the game).”

LAFC would not go gently into that good night. In the 90th minute they kept the pressure inside the Quakes zone. Beitashour crossed a ball in from 30 yards out over to a sliding Zimmerman where his initial shot was saved by Tarbell. However Dio was able to crash the net and tap in the equalizer.

LAFC would break the hearts at Avaya Stadium in the seventh minute of stoppage time when Latif Blessing took a ball just to the left of the goal. He crossed the ball back into the middle of the box where Joao Moutinho’s one-timer deflected off Quakes defenseman Jimmy Ockford and past Tarbell into the right corner of the net for the game-winner. It was Moutinho’s first goal of the season.

“This is the hardest defeat of my MLS career,” said Quakes head coach Mikael Stahre, who was obviously frustrated. “It was absolutely crazy (of an ending).”

Despite the Quakes winless in their past five games, Stahre said he was proud of the effort and execution on the offensive side of the ball his team displayed throughout the game.

“I’m really proud of the players commitment and energy,” said Stahre. “They really followed the game plan, especially in the second half.”

GAME NOTES: The Quakes were down a man in the final minute of stoppage play when Partida would earn his second yellow card of the match, resulting in a red card and automatic ejection. He will miss the next match.

Zimmerman and Moutinho earned yellow cards for LAFC.

This was the first ever match between the two clubs as LAFC is playing their inaugural season in the MLS.

The win snapped a four-game winless streak for LAFC. They now have 24 points and are currently in 3rd place in the Western Conference.

The Quakes are in 11th place with only nine points on the season.

Quakes players Anibal Godoy and Harold Cummings missed the game as they are getting ready to play in the World Cup next week in Russia for their native Panama.

LAFC was also were missing four players due to international duty at the World Cup. Omar Gaber, Marco Urena, Carlos Vela, and Laurent Ciman are in Russia playing for their respective countries.

UP NEXT: The Quakes face off against the New England Revolution on Wednesday, June 13th at 7:15 pm PDT at Avaya Stadium.