San Jose Earthquakes get a shutout in a late evening friendly match at Pay Pal Park in San Jose over Cruz Azul (photo from @SJEarthquakes)

by Marko Ukalovic

The San Jose Earthquakes scored two goals in the second half as they shutout Liga MX’s Cruz Azul 2-0 in an International friendly on Thursday evening at Pay Pal Park.

Cruz Azul has a 2-1-3 record and is currently in sixth place in Liga MX’s Torneo Apertura 2021, the first of two championships during the 2021-2022 season. The historic club won the most recent championship (Torneo Clausura 2021) after finishing with a league-best 13-2-2 record and winning all three of its playoff matchups.

Cruz Azul has won nine Liga MX championships, with its title earlier this year the club’s first since 1997. Additionally, Cruz Azul has won six Concacaf Champions League titles, four Copa MX titles, three Campeon de Campeones championships, one Supercopa MX, and one Leagues Cup.

Cruz Azul is the only Mexican team to ever win a treble, lifting the Liga MX, Copa MX and Champions League trophies in the same season (1997).

There wasn’t much action on the scoreboard in the first 45 minutes as both teams went into the locker room at halftime deadlocked at 0-0.

However, these two teams played like bitter rivals as tempers flared late in the first half.

In the 37th minute after a foul, both teams were pushing and shoving one another inside the Quakes defensive zone. As the teams began to separate from the melee, a fan, under the influence of liquid courage, jumped from the stands onto the field and rushed the players.

Quakes goalie Daniel Vega, who made his first start this year, was the first one to confront the fan. MLS all-time leading scorer and Quakes captain Chris Wondolowski was able to get the fan, who had been wearing a blue lucha libra wrestling mask, in a headlock and drive him down to the ground before security arrived on the scene to escort the fan out of the stadium.

Cruz Azul’s star forward Jonathan Rodriguez and the Quakes top fullback Nathan were both ejected from the match for their involvement in the melee as both teams finished the rest of the match each down a man.

San Jose broke the ice in the 58th minute when Paul Marie blasted a shot from 20 yards out into the upper right corner of the net beating Cruz Azul goalie Jose de Jesus Corona.

Cruz Azul’s best chance to score came in the 62nd minute. Santiago Gimenez sent in a shot from the right wing but Vega made a diving save to the left. The rebound by Pablo Aguilar was also sent away by Vega for a corner kick.

The Quakes put the game away in the 72nd minute when they doubled their lead. Jeremy Ebobisse, who came in as a substitute in the second half in his first match action in two months, serviced a ball from left to right over to Cristian Espinoza. The ball was misplayed by Roberto Alvarado that sprung Espinoza on a breakaway. Espinoza dribbled in from the right wing, around a defender, into the middle before firing a shot past Corona right down the middle of the net.

GAME NOTES: San Jose now holds a 12-11-11 all-time record in international exhibitions, and a record of 2-8-4 against teams from Mexico.

The Earthquakes now hold a 1-0-1 record against Cruz Azul and a 2-8-4 record against teams from Mexico. Tonight’s win marks the first time the Quakes have defeated a Liga MX team since Sept. 6, 2012 (W 1-0 vs. San Luis FC).

UP NEXT: The Earthquakes return to MLS action on Saturday, Oct. 16 when they take on LAFC at Banc of California Stadium. The match kicks off at 12:30 p.m.