Photo by Heather Hendricks
By John Marshall
After 90 minutes under cloudy skies, Quakes fans left Avaya Stadium disappointed after their team gave up a 1 goal lead to their opponent for the third straight game at home. A first half lead thanks to Chris Wondolowski was eliminated by a Montreal side playing much of the second half down a man thanks to a Kyle Bekker shot and David Bingham error. Chasing the 6th and final playoff spot and playing against a Impact squad missing several starters, the Quakes needed to take all three points on Wednesday night and leaving with only one was a massive let down.
Wondolowski put the Quakes ahead in the first half
It was a very similar lineup to the one trotted out on Saturday night against Seattle save for coach Dominic Kinnear starting Matias Perez Garcia in place of Cordell Cato. Garcia was extremely instrumental to the Quakes attack, helping set up the first goal as well as numerous chances later. Perez Garcia played wide for the Quakes, a position he’s rarely been in with the club but one that he was clearly comfortable playing.
Both sides got chances in the first 15 minutes although Montreal was making more of their chances than the Quakes. Both teams had 2 shots in the early going but neither of San Jose’s ended up on target while Montreal did force David Bingham into saves albeit easy ones. The Impact seemed content to pass the ball through the midfield to create chances while the Quakes looked to capitalize on the counter attack. Having Garcia back in the lineup helped with those counters as the midfielder managed to make a number of nice turns in the box but none of his touches translated to a Quakes goal.
It wasn’t until the 30th minute that the Quakes had a real chance on goal as Marc Pelosi made a nice turn at the top of the box to get space in the box and then made a pass back to Quincy Amarikwa at the top. Amarikwa didn’t seem ready for the back pass though and was too late getting to the ball as the Impact defense recovered and denied any shot on goal.
It was a mistake in the 34th minute by Montreal that would give the Quakes the lead as Chris Wondolowski stole the ball from Eric Alexander after an Eric Kronberg throw, knocking it to Amarikwa. It was a bad mistake by Alexander who lazily turned up field only to be pressured by Perez Garcia, forcing him to turn into Wondolowski. Amarikwa’s first touch was knocked away as he tried to turn on goal but the ball went right into the path of a wide open Wondolowski who drove it into the back of the net for his 14th goal of the season and 107th of his career, giving San Jose a 1-0 lead.
Minutes later it was Wondo threatening again as he took a pass from Garcia in the center of the field and struck a fantastic left footed shot to the top corner of the goal. Quakes fans surely thought it was another from the captain but Kronberg made a great stretch to reach the shot and push it wide for a corner.
Montreal countered off the corner and had a 3-on-2 breakaway opportunity but failed to capitalize. Eric Alexander took the ball up the field in the 39th minute and eventually decided to take the shot himself as he put a curling ball towards Bingham. The Quakes keeper was up to the task though and made a fairly easy save in a dangerous position.
The half would end before either side could find the net in a back and forth final 5 minutes. Down a goal, Montreal began to push the tempo of the match, opening up the game for both sides but both defenses did well to hold off the attack.
Montreal came out of the half looking to pull back the goal but say their chances take a hit as Ambroise Oyongo was given a straight red for a clumsy slide tackle on Perez Garcia. The leading leg was in front and won the ball but the trailing leg was left high with studs showing and made contact with Garcia’s knee and thigh.
Montreal reacted quickly, getting Donny Toia off the bench and warm to replace Eric Alexander and move the team into a 4-4-1 formation. Montreal sat back behind the ball at that point, not wanting to concede a second goal.
Down a man Montreal still managed to create offensive chances. In the 59th minute, Toia got the ball wide on the left wing and put in a great cross to a wide open Oduro in the center of the box. Oduro’s header was poorly taken though and the shot went well wide of the goal.
San Jose would win a free kick outside the box allowing Montreal to make another substitution in the 64th minute, bringing off Nigel Rio-Coker for Calum Mallace. The resulting kick found Wondolowski’s head and narrowly went over the top of the net.
Montreal responded right away, getting up the right side and finding Kyle Bekker at the corner of the box in space. Bekker took the shot, seeing David Bingham cheating far post, and snuck the ball inside the near post and putting the Impact level again in the 65th minute.
The match really opened up after the Bekker goal and Wondolowski would get another chance to score in the 69th minute. Shea Salinas threaded a ball to the right post to a sliding Wondo who redirected the ball opposite post. The captain’s shot beat the keeper far post but beat the post as well, going a foot wide.
San Jose’s continued to create chances as a Salinas shot in the 71st and a Shaun Francis shot in the 75th minute bookended Montreal’s final substitution as Andres Romero came on for Johan Venegas.
The Quakes would bring on 2 of their subs in the 78th minute as Adam Jahn came on for Amarikwa and Cordell Cato came on for Garcia.
San Jose really began to stretch the Montreal back line but the Impact defense continued to hold against the constant pressure of the Quakes. San Jose struggled to find clear shooting lanes and when they did the shots were wildly off target, giving the Impact defense a chance to breathe.
Corner after corner came for San Jose and the tall heads of Adam Jahn and Clarence Goodson were searching for each cross but were beat each time by the head of a defender as the clock wound down and the home side continued to press for an equalizer.
It wasn’t until the 89th minute that Jahn found a ball on his head but his attempt went wide of goal allowing Tommy Thompson to come on for Francis and the Impact to cling to a 1-1 draw.
As the 3 added minutes ticked away, it was Montreal who continued to bend but not break as the final whistle blew and the Impact escaped with a point. Bingham was notably disappointed after the game for conceding the equalizer and said to the media that he told his team this game was on him.
San Jose will have to shake the memory of the match quickly as they leave Thursday morning to travel across the country to take on New York City FC at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night. The Quakes remain in 7th place with the draw, sitting a point behind Portland and Kansas City before the weekend games.
