Earthquakes battle Sporting KC to a 1-1 draw

The San Jose Earthquakes celebrate Jackson Yueill’s equalizer goal to start the second half in their 1-1 draw with Sporting Kansas City at Pay Pal Park on Sun May 22, 2022 (VCP Soccer photo).

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Earthquakes outplayed Sporting Kansas City for 90 minutes but had to settle for one point in a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon at Pay Pal Park.

San Jose is unbeaten in four straight matches and are now 6-1-2 since interim head coach Alex Covelo took over the reigns of the team. Sporting KC is 1-4-4 in their past nine matches.

San Jose (3-5-5) dominated the first half as they controlled the possession and had the majority of the scoring chances including a three-minute from the 40th-43rd minutes where they created three good scoring chances only to have Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia keep the ball out of the net.

“I think in the first half, we didn’t occupy the right spaces to advance. We were trying to find Jamiro [Monteiro] and Jackson [Yueill]. We didn’t need them falling back as we saw. We knew we needed to fix something in the second half,” Covelo said.

Melia had four saves in the opening 45 minutes.

Despite being outplayed in the first half, Sporting KC (3-7-4) ended drawing first blood in the 45th minute when Cam Duke outwaited Quakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski on the left side of the box before centering the ball to Johnny Russell. The veteran striker tapped home the ball into an empty net for his co-team leading fourth goal of the season.

It didn’t take long for San Jose to answer back to start the second half. In the 46th minute, Jamiro Monteiro sent a cross into the box to an unmarked Jackson Yueill. The Quakes captain headed the ball past a diving Melia for his third goal of the season.

 “In the second half, Jackson was tired and felt something in his leg, so we tried to put [Jan] Gregus and Chofis to find more in between lines and create more chances because we were very low. That’s why we made those substitutions,” said Covelo.

The Quakes had Sporting KC back on their heels in the last 10 minutes of the match but weren’t able to earn three point and instead had to settle for one against a team that wasn’t aggressive in the second half.

Oscar Agren made his debut in a Quakes uniform as he started at right center back for Covelo and played all 90 minutes of the match. Chofis, who came in as a substitute in the 68th minute for Monteiro, played in his first match since missing the past nine due to an upper thigh injury.

“It felt good to be out there and get the debut,” said Agren. “I’m very appreciative for that. The game was pretty calm, I thought overall.”

Marcinkowski finished the match with one save on two shots on target. Malia made four saves on five shots.

GAME NOTES: Each team finished the match with four corner kicks.

San Jose is now 25-28-10 all-time vs. Sporting KC in MLS play, including a 17-7-8 record at home.

Sporting Kansas City has lost only one of its last 12 matches against San Jose (W7 D4, including a penalty shootout win). Sporting has won three of its last six visits to San Jose after going winless in 18 straight matches at the Earthquakes from 2001 to April 2016 (D5 L13, incl. playoffs).

San Jose had its three consecutive home matches winning streak snapped. Going back to last season, San Jose has lost only one of its last 11 home league games (W4 D6), a 3-1 defeat to the Red Bulls on the opening day of this season.

Dániel Sallói scored both goals for SKC in their Wednesday win and also received one of their red cards, after being sent off in the waning moments of the match. Sallói is the fifth player in MLS history to notch a brace and be sent off in the same match, joining Ted Chronopoulos, Taylor Twellman, Obafemi Martins and Ola Kamara.

UP NEXT: San Jose travels down to SoCal to take on LAFC on Saturday 5/28 at 3:00pm at Banc of California Stadium.

Earthquakes concede late goal end up with 1-1 draw with Sporting KC

The visiting San Jose Earthquakes and Sporting KC wound up in a draw at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City Mo on Wed Jul 21, 2021 (image from @SJEarthquakes)

by Marko Ukalovic

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Just when the San Jose Earthquakes thought they had ended their long winless streak, Sporting KC scored the equalizer in the third minute of stoppage time to earn a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night at Children’s Mercy Park.

San Jose earned a point in its third consecutive match but remain winless in 10 straight matches. Sporting KC is now unbeaten in 12 straight matches.

A wild final 12 minutes, which included a controversial penalty by San Jose only to be overturned, was filled with drama and frustration on both sides of the ball.

Shea Salinas was whistled for a penalty inside the box on Johnny Russell in the 87th minute. After a video review, referee Joe Dickerson overturned the call.

San Jose weren’t able to escape out of danger, Cameron Duke won a free kick after a foul by Tanner Beason from 25 yards out in the third minute of stoppage time.

A minute later, Sporting KC scored the equalizer when Johnny Russel’s free kick ricochet off the post then off Marcinkowski and once again off the post again before the rebound was cleaned up by Dániel Sallói.

Sporting KC (8-3-3) garnered the majority of the scoring chances in a scoreless first half. They controlled most of the play in the attacking third as they peppered Quakes goalie JT Marcinkowski with five shots on target in the opening 45 minutes.

The home team, who came into the match with the league’s best offense with 24 goals, had its best chance to draw first blood in the 39th minute when Wilson Harris sent in a shot from 20 yards out that was headed for the upper left corner only to have an out-stretched Marcinkowski spoil the bid, knocking the ball away for a corner kick.

San Jose (3-7-4) were turning over the ball over that led to counter attacks by Sporting KC. They weren’t able to generate many scoring chances in the first half. Their best chance came in the 27th minute when Chris Wondolowski found Salinas inside the box only to have Salinas’ attempt blocked by a Sporting KC defender.

The Quakes broke the seal early in the second half. Cristian Espinoza serviced the ball into the middle off a corner kick where an unmarked Nathan on the left side of the six-yard box headed the ball inside the right post into the back of the net for his first career MLS goal and first goal as in a Quake uniform in the 53rd minute.

Nathan, in just his third game for San Jose, has made an immediate impact for head coach Matias Almeyda’s squad and not just for anchoring the back field. The Brazilian center back provided an offensive spark for the Quakes throughout the second half as he joined in on multiple offensive rushes.

“I think he can give a lot,” said Almeyda regarding Nathan’s play. “He makes a difference because he has experience in Europe and many other reasons that include technique, fitness and physique. I think that is the type of reinforcement that we needed.”

San Jose had a great chance to double its lead five minutes later. Espinoza spotted Wondolowski all alone just outside the box, but Wondo rushed his shot as Spoting KC goalie Tim Melia made an easy save on his attempt.

Carlos Fierro came in as a substitute for Chofis in the 76th minute. It was his first action since suffering a leg injury back on May 29th.

“I think we are making progress in every match. It does not matter if we are making little or big progress. The important thing is that we make that progress. You can see that in the last three matches that the team is playing with confidence and getting better. We are more secure and that gives us confidence to keep pushing. Playing as the away team is never easy and we should be pleased with these last three games in which we earned three points,” Nathan said.

Marcinkowski finished the evening with six saves, equaling a career high. Melia made two saves on three shots on target.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished the match with nine corner kicks. Sporting KC had six.

Midfielder Judson was ejected from the match in the fifth minute of stoppage time in the second half when he earned his second yellow card of the match after committing a hard foul.

Forward Cade Cowell was called up to the US Men’s National Team on Tuesday to be on the roster for Gold Cup play. This is the 17-year old sensation’s first time being called up to the national team. He joins fellow teammate Jackson Yueill, who has been on the US roster since Gold Cup play began earlier this month.

San Jose holds an 25-28-9 all-time record against Sporting Kansas City, including an 8-21-2 record away from home. The last time the Quakes won in Kansas City was back on 8/19/2015 when they won 5-0.

Graham Zusi played in his 301st MLS games.

Eric Remedi has suffered 53 fouls this season, the most in MLS.

Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes was unable to be on the sidelines due to being in Covid-19 protocols.

UP NEXT: San Jose returns home to host the Houston Dynamo on on Saturday 7/24 at 7:00pm at Pay Pal Park.

San Jose Earthquakes podcast: Quakes drop 2nd straight match, so what now?

Photo credit: thebluetestament.com

On the San Jose Earthquakes podcast with Ana:

1. The Quakes dropped their second straight match to Sporting KC 2-1 last Saturday.

2. The Quakes take on LAFC on Wednesday night.

3. The Quakes partnered with Silicon Valley’s leading communications company 8×8, Inc.

4. The Quakes Boys’ Academy returns to action on Saturday, August 31.

5. Reno 1868 FC has had some rising stars as of late.

Ana does the San Jose Earthquakes podcasts each week for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Quakes’ results go back to March in 2-1 loss

sjearthquakes photo: The San Jose Quakes take a tough loss from Sporting KC on Saturday. The Quakes have not won in their last three games.

By Pearl Allison Lo

The San Jose Earthquakes were unable to hold on, losing back-to-back games for the first time since the season started as they lost to Sporting Kansas City Saturday. 

The Quakes remained in sixth place and Kansas City are now six points under the playoff line. Both of San Jose’s recent setbacks were 2-1 losses.

While the Quakes scored first, they were outscored in the second, with all three goals in the game almost exactly 25 minutes apart.

Chris Wondolowski began the contest with more MLS records as he headed in his 10th goal of the season. He now has played 10 seasons in a row with 10 or more goals as he scored his 72nd career goal on the road. San Jose’s sequence began with Cristian Espinoza’s corner kick as he found Wondolowski with space. The ball then hit the near post as it traveled along the netting for the 1-0 start.  Wondolowski led all with four shots in the first half as he earned his first point since July 20.  

San Jose goalie Daniel Vega started off the second half with a right hand slap of Johnny Russell’s attempt in the 47th minute.  

However, Sporting was able to match the Quakes in the 50th minute. Russell started from the far right side to send the ball to Jimmy Medranda, who made a close connection with Benny Feilhaber. Feilhaber then swung his left leg around to send the ball through traffic with Vega making an unsuccessful dive. 

Vega was able to make another near post save in the 71st minute against Roger Espinoza as Vega made an aggressive offensive slide. 

San Jose’s Andrés Rios made his MLS debut in the 68th minute.  

The winning ball was set up by a foul against Vako which led to a free kick. Russell took the kick as it went off the near corner post right to Graham Smith, who earned his first career MLS goal on the entry in the 76th minute.  

Substitute Danny Hoesen had a close chance on the other end but San Jose were unable to tack on another through the 94th minute.. 

Up Next: Judson received another caution in the 59th minute and will miss the Quakes’ following meeting versus the Los Angeles Football Club Wednesday at 7:30 pm. 

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Quakes have 4 straight fall-behind games going into Sporting KC match; Did Brown cave after he was mandated to wear new helmet?

Photo credit: pressdemocrat.com

On Headline Sports with London:

#1  The San Jose Earthquakes took a tough loss to the Colorado Rapids in Colorado last Saturday 2-1. The Quakes came back down 1-0 to tie it, but the Rapids wrapped it up in the end for the win Colorado went back up 2-1.

#2 For Colorado, Diego Rubio received the pass from Keegan Rosenberry with space, Rubio was easily able to maneuver himself into an advantageous position in the 73rd minute for the go ahead and later game-winning goal.

#3 This was the fourth straight game that the Earthquakes had fallen behind in a game something. They’ll have to work on for their next game coming up as they play Sporting KC in their next match their second of three games on the road.

#4 How close or how serious do you think the Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown was to calling it quits if he didn’t get to keep his old Pittsburgh Steelers helmet?

#5 A’s and Giants  played a two-game series, which concluded on Wednesday night. These are two teams fighting for a wild card spot and it was a series for the ages because a lot is at stake in the final two months of the season.

London is a beat writer for the San Jose Earthquakes and does Headline Sports each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Earthquakes power past Sporting KC 4-1 for second win

photo credit mercurynews.com: The San Jose Earthquakes Danny Hoesen found the back end of the net scoring twice against the visiting Sporting KC at Avaya Stadium on Saturday

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Danny Hoesen provided some early fireworks for The San Jose Earthquakes and they never took their foot off the gas pedal in a dominating 4-1 victory over the Sporting KC on Saturday evening at Avaya Stadium.

The Quakes have won two out of their last three after starting 0-4 on the season. San Jose improved to 1-2 at home on the season while snapping Sporting KC’s five-game unbeaten streak as the visiting team continued to be winless on the road.

San Jose (2-5) drew first blood early in the first half. Anibal Godoy sent in a long ball from just inside the midfield line over to Danny Hoesen right at the D. The pass split two defenders as Hoesen took ball of the chest shot and won the battle between two KC defenders and finished off the play with a shot into the lower left side of the goal for his second goal of the season in the sixth minute.

Hoesen scored his second of the night six minutes later after taking a chip pass from Jackson Yueill down the left sideline. Hoesen dribbled in, deked out a defender and then out waited Sporting KC’s goalie Tim Melia and shot the ball off the body of Yohan Croizet into the back of the net for his third goal of the season in the 12^th minute.

“It’s easy to say after you score two goals, but I always felt free,” said Hoesen. “The coach has always had confidence in me. It depends on how you feel on the day, how much you can run, how much can you do for the team. Sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s bad.”

The goal was initially ruled offside by the right corner linesman, but after VAR review, the goal counted as the Quakes doubled their lead to 2-0.

Sporting KC (2-2-3) had a golden chance to cut the lead in half in the 26^th minute when Krisztian Nemeth was awarded a penalty kick. However, his shot resembled more a field goal attempt as he shot ball very high over the net.

The Quakes dictated the tempo of play in the first 45 minutes as they controlled possession for much of the half generating four scoring chances.

“The goals were important for the confidence of the players,” said Quakes head coach Matias Almeyda. “I think it was an intelligent game knowing we couldn’t give them any advantage, so our players understood what we wanted. We had patience to control the ball and determine the moment and the place when we should pressure to recover the ball and from there start our counter-attacks. But I think the players did a good job understanding the game plan.”

The second half was a carbon copy of the first. In the 46th minute, Magnus Eriksson led the attack right from the opening kickoff. He found Shea Salinas along the left sideline. Salinas dribbled inside the box, and from 15 yards out, chipped in a shot over Malia into the upper right corner of the goal for his second goal of the season.

Eriksson completed the scoring for San Jose in the 61st minute. Nick Lima led a rush into the box and then tried a give and go with Eriksson, but Eriksson’s return pass was deflected right back to him. With Malia committed to the left side of the goal, the Swedish midfielder chipped the ball back into the lower right corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

“Build on tonight,” said Lima. “Tonight gives us confidence, but we build on it, we go back to the training pitch with not much time but whatever it may be, we continue to work things out communication-wise.  That’s a huge part of it and we get a little better for the next game.”

Sporting KC finally got on the board when Florian Jungwith was called for a foul inside the Quakes box which resulted in a penalty kick. This time Felipe Gutierrez cashed in on his opportunity for his second goal of the season.

Daniel Vega made six saves on seven shots to earn the victory.

GAME NOTES: Quakes defenseman Goram Kashia did not play due to a lower leg injury.

Wondo Watch: Chris Wondolowski came in the match as a substitute in the 80th minute but was not able to score. He currently sits one goal behind Landon Donovan for the all-time goals record in MLS history.

Danny Hoesen scored his 19th and 20th of his MLS career. Hoesen’s goals came in the sixth and 12th minutes of the match, the second earliest brace in Quakes history (Dwyane De Rosario — 9/27/03; 11 minutes).

Hoesen’s brace marked his third multi-goal match with the Earthquakes and first since June 13, 2018 (2 goals vs. NE). The last Quakes player to score two or more goals in a single match was Vako vs. FC Dallas on Aug. 29, 2018.

Salinas scored his second goal of the season and 15th of his MLS career. The last time Salinas scored multiple goals in a single season was 2015 (3).

Anibal Godoy tallied his second assist of the season and seventh of his MLS career.

Jackson Yueill tallied his first assist of the season and fifth of his MLS career.

Only the LA Galaxy (9) and Seattle Sounders FC (7) have earned more points than San Jose’s six over their last three matches.

The Earthquakes now hold a 25-26-8 all-time record against Sporting Kansas City.

San Jose is now 17-6-7 all-time against Sporting Kansas City at home.

The Quakes are now 3-2-1 against SKC all-time at Avaya Stadium.

Gianluca Busio was injured in the 25th minute which ended his three game goal streak.

Christian Espinoza was issued a yellow card the second minute into stoppage time into the first half. Godoy received a yellow card at the end of the first half for un-sportsman like conduct and will miss San Jose’s next match.

UP NEXT: The Quakes travel to Seattle to take on the Sounders on Wednesday, April 24 at 7:30 pm at Century Link Field.

Quakes win crucial encounter against SKC

By Elliot Alagueuzian

SAN JOSE- San Jose Earthquakes will be happy that their playoff hopes got a big boost Sunday night as they shutout Sporting Kansas City 1-0 at Buck Shaw Stadium. After a disappointing result in Vancouver the Quakes were looking to bounce back against one of the top teams in MLS.

The game started out pretty slow for both teams with SKC hunkering down their defense and not letting the Quakes create too many chances. Both teams enjoyed good spells of possession but never created anything that made the crowd stand on its feet and cheer.

It wasn’t until Steven Beitashour served a great ball into the box to forward Chris Wondolowski that the Quakes finally took a chance and finished and one of the most hardest defenses in MLS. Wondo was about 10 yards away from goal and got a powerful header to the far post that beat the outstretched fingers of KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen.

Wondo had a lot of great things to say for the back line who kept great organization throughout the game. “I thought we kept our defensive shape and were hard to break down.” An amazing night for one Quake in particular, Jon Busch celebrated his 100th win in the league as well as his 37th birthday. Wondo could not emphasize how big Busch has been since joining the Quakes. “He’s such a true professional, he comes in works hard everyday. Day in day out. Couldn’t be happier for him and he definitely deserves it.”

The Quakes will face FC Dallas in Frisco Texas next Saturday.