Real Salt Lake’s Maikel Chang battles with San Jose Earthquake’s Jamiro Monteiro at Pay Pal Park on Saturday JUL 30, 2022. (MLS)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE— It was deja vu all over again for the San Jose Earthquakes.

For the second consecutive game, San Jose failed to hold on to a lead in the second half as Jefferson Savarino scored the equalizer in the last minute of stoppage time as Real Salt Lake earned a point in a 2-2 draw on Saturday evening at Pay Pal Park.

San Jose has not won in three consecutive matches. Real Salt Lake have points in two of its past three matches.

Real Salt Lake (9-7-7) escaped with a point in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Justin Meram crossed the ball over to the right side and Savarino one-touched the ball before blasting a shot through the hands of ‘Quakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski for his team leading fifth goal of the season.

“Right now, all of us are very frustrated and sad because they scored on the last play,” said interim ‘Quakes head coach Alex Covelo. “Those are three points that would’ve helped us. We have to recover and recover mentally; soccer provides you with opportunities. We play Wednesday against Inter Miami CF which is an important game, and we have to stand up and fight again with the mentality to win the game because we have done it before, and we can do it.”

San Jose (5-9-8) drew first blood early in the first half. A hand ball inside the box by Justen Glad resulted in a penalty kick for the ‘Quakes in the 10th minute. Two minutes later, Cristian Espinoza had RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath head right before depositing the ball into the lower left corner for his sixth goal of the season.

RSL came back in the 21st minute. Andrew Body dribbled between two ‘Quakes defenders before lofting the ball over to Jasper Löffelsend who chipped the ball over the head of Marcinkowski into the right corner of the net for his first goal of the season.

The Earthquakes regained the lead in the 62nd minute. Espinoza intercepted a telegraphed pass from MacMath from 30 yards and found Jerermy Ebobisee unmarked inside the box. Ebobisse slid the ball past a diving MacMath for his team leading 12th goal of the season.

Ebobisse ranks tied for fourth in MLS with 12 goals this season and he has now set a new single-season career-high.

“Clearly, we need to be a little bit more intelligent when we are winning and play with that nervousness from the other team especially when playing at home which is what all teams do in the league when they have a lead,” Espinoza said.

Marcinkowski finished the match with three saves on six shots on target. MacMath made two saves on four shots.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished with five corner kicks. Real Salt Lake had two.

San Jose is now 9-16-5 all-time vs. Real Salt Lake, including a 7-5-4 record at home.

San Jose is one of just nine teams in MLS with two or fewer home losses this season (4-2-5).

Espinoza is one of three players in MLS with 6+ goals and 8+ assists this season (Luciano Acosta – CIN, Carlos Vela – LAFC).

Defender Tanner Beason made his 50th MLS appearance, starting and playing 90 minutes. Beason was selected by San Jose in the first round (12th overall) of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft.

The match was also a Women’s Soccer Celebration. It featured a pre-match women’s leadership panel, a women’s resource fair, a ceremonial first goal by U.S. Women’s National Team legends Brandi Chastain and Aly Wagner, and a halftime recognition of local collegiate women’s soccer teams.

UP NEXT: San Jose hosts Inter Miami on Wednesday 8/3 at 7:00pm at Pay Pal Park.