Category: MLS

~ Photo credit: San Jose Earthquakes

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ San Jose kept their playoff hopes alive with an even 1-1 score against the Vancouver Whitecaps Sunday.

The Quakes now sit in sixth place, as they spoiled the Whitecaps’ attempt to clinch first place in the Western Conference with just their second positive result on the road.

Vancouver’s Yordy Reyna scored in the first half and San Jose’s Valeri Qazaishvili aka “Vako” scored in the second half.

The Quakes have scored in each of their last three outings with all different results. The Whitecaps have also had different results in their last three matches.

San Jose held most of the possession time, 59% to 41%.

Goalie-wise, the Quakes’ Andrew Tarbell had five saves, facing six on target including three against Fredy Montero. Vancouver’s Stefan Marinovic had four saves, facing five on target including three against Vako.

The remarkable saves started in the 26th minute with Tarbell facing Brek Shea.

A full field play initiated by Montero opened up scoring with multiple great passes from Cristian Techera and Jakob Nerwinski to Reyna up front in the 29th minute. Reyna has scored in his last two 90 minute games played and has points in his last three of the same length.

San Jose’s stay in the hunt goal came by way of Darwin Ceren and Chris Wondolowski. Vako has goals in his last two MLS games and points in the last three. Wondolowski also now has points in his last three games.

Game notes: The Quakes won both of the two regular season series games. San Jose’s Decision Day matchup will be next Sunday at 1pm versus Minnesota United FC.

AP Photo: San Jose Earthquakes players celebrate a victory over the Portland Timbers at Avaya Stadium in San Jose on Saturday night

By London Marq

SAN JOSE–It’s usually good when the games throughout the season continually get more important. For the San Jose Earthquakes that has been the case this season. A rocky start to their campaign led to a midseason coaching change. They have since played a higher quality of soccer and climbed themselves into the playoff hunt. After two consecutive losses, in both of which the Quakes allowed four goals, they are on the outside looking in.

Tonight, they play the first of the final three games this season and they need every point they can get in the standings. Darlington Nagbe and the second seeded Portland Timbers come into Avaya Stadium as a formidable opponent. Not only a chance to for San Jose to prove they belong to be mentioned with the best despite their early season shortcomings, but also a chance to be proven wrong and knocked out of the hunt.

The Earthquakes came out of the locker room with fierce energy, striking for the goal immediately after the opening whistle. In the 16^th minute, the Quakes opening salvo came from Valeri Qazaishvili. His third goal of the season. The crowd exploded and nearly blew the top off the stadium. Unlike we have seen in the past, San Jose did not ease up after the first goal. Wondolowski, Bernardez, and Hyka continued to push the issue. It paid off in the opening minutes of the second half, when Wondolowski fed a beautiful cross to Danny Hoesen who put a far post shot into the bottom left corner.

After San Jose obtained a two-goal lead, the match became more physical and two yellow cards were dealt out. One to Bernardez of San Jose and one to Andriuskevicius of Portland. The Timbers fought hard to make it a game but never got into a rhythm as the San Jose Defense kept them off balance. They would score in the 87^th minute of the foot of Blanco, but it was too little too late. The game would end six minutes later 2-1.

A win tonight not only improves the Earthquakes standing from 8 to 7, but it should also be a confidence boost signaling that they have the talent to compete with anyone in Major League Soccer. The final two games are crucial to the team’s playoff aspirations. The next match is against the West leading Vancouver Whitecaps 16 days from now on October 15.

sjearthquakes.com photo: San Jose Earthquakes Danny Hosen (9) boots the ball in the loss to the DC United in Washington DC 4-0 on Saturday night

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, September 23, 2017

D.C. United striker Patrick Mullins torched San Jose with a four-goal match Saturday, leading United past the Earthquakes 4-0 in MLS action at RFK Stadium.

The Quakes were outshot 14-10 as San Jose entered the match trying to stay alive in the MLS Western Conference playoff hunt in a battle with FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake. San Jose is seeking its first postseason appearance since 2012.

Mullins scored his first goal of the season in the 57th minute, and finished off his hat trick over the next 11 minutes.

In the 88th minute, Mullins finished off his big night by scoring on a free kick. His 31-minute scoring spree was the fastest in league history. In order, Mullins scored his goals left foot, header, right foot, free kick.

It was D.C. United’s first victory against the Earthquakes since 2014, when they defeated San Jose at RFK. An announced crowd of 25,229 watched Mullins’ exploits.

Mullins tied the D.C. record for scoring three goals in a game with three other players, and it was the first time in team history that a player scored four goals in a half.

The Earthquakes had chances early, as they tested D.C. keeper Steve Clark with seven shots in the first half. Clark earned a shutout in his first start for United.

The Quakes return home for their next match on Wednesday, when they host the Chicago Fire at 7:15 p.m.

Photo: Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle The Dynamo (10-10-8) failed to score for a second consecutive game – the first time that has happened this season in the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 shutout of the Dynamo at Avaya Stadium in San Jose on Saturday night

By London Marq

SAN JOSE–As the long season draws to a close the matches are getting more crucial for the San Jose Earthquakes. On a cool night at Avaya Stadium the Earthquakes hosted the Houston Dynamo as they fight for playoff positioning. With 36 points entering play, they sit one point out of playoff contention.

Not surprisingly the Earthquakes came out firing early. They need to when at home if they want to be taken seriously. After missed shots by Vako and Urena, it looked as if it might be a long night for the Quakes, but they were relentless. Ball movement in the scoring third was solid and proved fruitful. An accurate cross came into the box from Sarkodie on the right side and found Hoesen. Hoesen, in traffic, very accurately slotted it into the bottom corner. The Quakes fought hard and did their due diligence to hold off Houston from equalizing. At the end of the 90 minute mark, they would walk off with a much needed, well deserved win 1-0.

A truly momentous victory, the win moves them from sevnth place in the standings to fifth. The Quakes, since acquiring new manage Chris Leitch midseason, have proved to have resilience. While they have had their losses, the Quakes are matching up well with other teams in playoff contention. This is experience that they will need if they want to make a run in the playoffs, and maintain their strength in the seasons to come.

The playoffs are not a guarantee. With five games left in the season anything can happen. The schedule is on the Quakes side, with three of those games taking place at Avaya Stadium. Marco Urena stated before the match, “If we want to make the playoffs, we have to win at home”. He’s not wrong and they will have their chance. If nothing else, remainder of the season will be filled with drama.

The next match will be on September 23rd, an away game against D.C. United.

~ Photo credit: San Jose Earthquakes

~By Pearl Allison Lo

~ CARSON– San Jose ended their six game losing streak on the road with a 2-0 shutout over Los Angeles Sunday in the 2017 finale of the California Clasico.

It was head coach Chris Leitch’s first road win with the team as Andrew Tarbell also got his first MLS shutout, as he made three saves. Two of them came 31 seconds apart.

What made this game different, “today we had just the mentality that we weren’t going to let any obstacle set us back. We were going to overcome this thing…a bigger desire to win,” replied Quakes’ Shea Salinas.

San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski now has the league record for most goals on the road. He was also called to the U.S. National Team today.

With an announced crowd of 19, 237, meanwhile, the Galaxy continued a 10-game winless streak overall and at home.

Pele van Anholt had to leave in the first half due to a right knee injury and Los Angeles went down a man in the second half due to a red card.

The Galaxy started off with the shots, but they were all off target. The Quakes’ Tommy Thompson intercepted a pass on one side of the field and sent it forward to Marco Urena with only goalie Jon Kempin before him, but Urena shot the ball wide in the 8th minute.

The game’s first shot on goal went to Vako in the 15th minute followed by the game’s first blocked shot in the 16th.

Before Urena’s shot, which was on goal this time, he had a collision with van Anholt, who had to be carried off in a stretcher in the 26th minute.

Los Angeles’ first shot on goal came in the 38th minute.

Galaxy newcomer Jonathan dos Santos nearly had a goal in the 45th minute when he hit the crossbar.

Two minutes of stoppage time were just what San Jose needed as Salinas’ corner sailed over several players’ heads and bounced to Vako. Vako made a swift left kick and the ball went over Kempin for a 1-0 lead. It was Vako’s second goal in three games.

Los Angeles got a chance to recover from the break when Joao Pedro was awarded a penalty kick. However, video review called it off.

Chances got even dimmer when Nathan Smith, who came in for van Anholt, was given a red card. Smith was the only one with 100% accuracy for in the first half.

Less than a minute after entering in the 71st minute, the Quakes’ Danny Hoesen had an attempt on net.

In the 80th minute, Urena’s goal trickled in for San Jose’s second goal after he and the ball passed a sliding Kempin, who came off his line. Jackson Yueill got his first MLS assist. On how he felt, Yueill responded, “It was awesome. It was a great team win, and the assist was just a bonus…excited that Marco made a great run and I saw him.”

Urena, who had a game-high six shots, had his game-high fourth shot on target in the 91st minute.

Wondolowski capped the scoring with his 92nd minute goal.

Game notes: Post game, the LA Galaxy Special Olympics Unified team won 4-0 over the Earthquakes’ side. San Jose completes their long three-game road trip Saturday against Toronto FC at 2pm.

Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports: The San Jose Earthquakes get shutout by Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night 4-0 behind the help of Albert Rusnak who scored a goal and had two assists

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ Real Salt Lake scored three goals in the second half, as their keeper Nick Rimando had a 4-0 shutout over San Jose in his 100th game with the team Wednesday.

The Quakes went a man down in the 61st minute, before Real Salt Lake’s second half scoring started. However, Joao Plata technically scored in the 50th minute, before his goal was overturned.

Real Salt Lake could have gotten a lot more goals though, as three players’ attempts all hit the far post in the second half.

Albert Rusnak had a goal and two assists amidst a game-high five shots, as Real Salt Lake outshot the Quakes 23-9. Five of San Jose’s shots came from second-half substitutes Jackson Yueill (1) and Danny Hoesen (4).

The match result ended a San Jose five-game unbeaten streak versus Real Salt Lake, as the Quakes continued on a six-game road winless streak. The contest also was contrary to a streak, where in the previous nine of 10 games, the scoring margin was limited to at most a goal.

After taking the ball from the other side, Man of the Match Luis Silva and Rusnak connected for the second straight game in the 29th minute, as Real Salt Lake took the lead. Silva’s third goal in as many games, went in between Victor Bernardez and goalie Andrew Tarbell.

Tarbell had a scary short clearing kick straight to Silva near the end of the first half.

In the second half, as a result of video review, Plata’s goal got taken away after the previous challenge between Tarbell and Silva. Tarbell had both hands on the ball.  

Both teams got more damaging yellows a minute apart. Kyle Beckerman’s will result in a next game suspension. This preceded Anibal Godoy’s second yellow of the game, leaving San Jose  a man down.

Jefferson Savarino gave Real Salt Lake back their Insurance goal on a well timed curve in the 68th minute.

The Quakes went down another goal in the 80th minute. Rusnak, who had hit the post earlier, and Plata combined for the 3-0 lead.

Finally, Yura Movsisyan capped the scoring, as he converted his second try on net in the 93rd minute.

Game notes: San Jose will try to get back on track versus the Los Angeles Galaxy Sunday at 4pm as Quake Supporters #InvadeLA.