New stadium brings Quakes 3-2 win over LA

John Marshall, San Jose

With a new season a week away, pending the CBA being finalized, the Earthquakes closed out their preseason with a 3-2 win against the LA Galaxy. After finishing last season on a 15 game losing streak, new coach Dominic Kinnear has a tall task ahead as he tries to turn the team around.

The starting lineup today could be a look at the day one lineup for Kinnear. Newest designated player, Innocent Emeghara, was out with a right shoulder sprain and certainly the team will be looking for him to get healthy for opening day as well. Also out of the lineup was defender Clarence Goodson although the team claims its nothing major.

There are a few players missing from last years squad, notably Jason Hernandez who went to NYCFC in the expansion draft and Jon Busch whose contract ran out last season. Busch recently signed with Chicago while San Jose looks to be going with Generation Adidas keeper David Bingham.

The first 15 minutes saw both teams with chances, the best being a ball cleared off the line by newcomer Paulo Renato after an Alan Gordon chance. The Quakes looked unsettled early but eventually got into a groove and were able to hold LA at bay.

Two chances came San Jose’s way in the 21’ from some nice runs up the right by Sanna Nyassi but poor passes into the box let him down. Minutes later though a similar run by Shea Salinas came through the left and his attempt to put the ball into the box came off of Gordon’s head and nearly made it on goal.

LA would have their own chances in the 34’ and 37’ from Omar Gonzales, who was barely out reached by keeper Bingham, and Robbie Keane, whose shot was blocked by Victor Bernardez’s head.

The breakthrough came in the 42’ for San Jose, albeit in unusual fashion, after an own goal by Gonzales. Salinas set the score up with great footwork in the box to get enough space to put in a cross, which found Omar’s head, for the first goal in Avaya Stadium.

The first change came at halftime when rookie Fatai Alashe came on to replace Jean-Baptiste Pierrazi. The young midfielder out of Michigan St. held his own against the likes of Keane and Gordon, and put his stamp on the match by earning a yellow in the 53’.

San Jose would score again in the 58’ from a rocket by JJ Koval. A cross by Matias Perez-Garcia into the box found Chris Wondolowski who fought off two defenders to control the ball and leave it off for Koval by the penalty spot with a wide open goal. Koval would later come off for Adam Jahn in the 64’.

LA began to mount a comeback with a goal from Jose Villarreal in the 65’ after a nice pass from Robbie Rogers found Villarreal one-on-one with Bingham.

The comeback was short lived though as 2 minutes later Adam Jahn came flying near post to head home a corner from Perez Garcia. The 6’3” forward used all of his height to get up for the cross, and his header came off of keeper Brian Rowe’s hands and into the back corner of the net.

Next came a slew of substitutions for San Jose with Salinas, Wondolowski, Renato, Nyassi, and Garcia all coming off to be replaced by Leonardo Barrera, Tommy Thompson, Ty Harden, Cordel Cato, and Khari Stephenson between the 71’ and 81’.

Robbie Keane would bring the Galaxy within one in the 82’ with an assist from Ishizaki but as the rain, and hail, began to come down, Jahn’s goal would serve as the difference as the Earthquakes finished off the preseason with a win.

 

Kinnear after the game emphasised that the team will keep a fluid formation come the regular season and that while he felt the team was prepared for the regular season, he feels that the need to keep improving as the season progresses is paramount.

 

Summary:

Goal SJ Gonzales (og) 42’
Alashe for Pierrazi 45’
Yellow card Alashe 53’
Goal SJ Koval 58’ assist Wondolowski, Garcia
Jahn for Koval 64’
Goal LA Villarreal 65’ assist Rogers
Goal SJ Jahn 67’ assist Garcia
Barrera for Salinas 71
Thompson for Wondolowski 73
Harden for Renato 73
Cato for Nyassi 76
Stephenson for Garcia 81
Goal LA Keane 82’ assist Ishizaki