Santa Clara, Calif. -- Shea Salinas assisted on two goals as the San Jose Earthquakes dealt the Seattle Sounders FC its worst loss of the season, 4-0, on Sunday afternoon at Buck Shaw Stadium.It was the first Seattle (7-4-8) defeat since June 6, ending a seven-game unbeaten run. The Sounders FC, playing the first of three consecutive MLS road matches, is now 0-3-2 away against Western Conference teams.
Seattle trailed nearly from the outset and played a man down for the final 67 minutes. The Sounders FC defense allowed four goals for the first time after yielding only two in the previous four matches.
After going ahead in the second minute on an own goal, San Jose (4-10-5) struck three times in the second half.
Following a feed from Salinas, Cornell Glen drilled a low, 18-yard shot into the left corner in the 54th minute to make it 2-0. Glen nearly got a second goal five minutes later. His header from a Darren Huckerby cross was batted away from the upper right corner by a leaping Kasey Keller.
Huckerby put it out of reach in the 77th minute, scoring from close range after the Seattle defense failed to clear his initial shot.
Salinas had the key pass on a 84th minute counterattack, finding Chris Wondolowski for the fourth goal.
It was the second straight game the Sounders FC has been held scoreless. The closest chance came in the 76th minute when Osvaldo Alonso stripped a defender and hit the crossbar from the left wing.
The best opportunity in the first half came in the 27th minute. Earthquakes keeper Joe Cannon misplayed a ball at his feet and Sebastien Le Toux poked it toward goal before Cannon recovered and retrieved it.
Seattle fell behind in the first 90 seconds on an own goal. San Jose's Ryan Johnson crossed from the left corner and Alonso, running back toward his own net, deflected the ball past Keller.
A total of five cards were issued in the opening period, including a red to James Riley of Seattle following a foul on Huckerby in the 33rd minute. Patrick Ianni and Fredy Montero saw yellow while the Quakes were also cautioned twice.
It was Seattle's second red card in as many games and its seventh of the season. Riley will miss next Saturday's game at Real Salt Lake.
San Jose, which had gone winless in its last four games, finished with a 16-4 advantage in shots and forced Keller to make a season-high 10 saves.
The Sounders FC played without all-star midfielder Freddie Ljungberg who was serving a one-game suspension after receiving a red card last week against the Chicago Fire. Brad Evans made his return after spending a month with the U.S. National Team.
It was the third time the two teams met this season. Seattle won both previous matches on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field, 2-0 on April 25th and 2-1 on June 13th.
Play resumes for the Sounders FC on Wednesday when it hosts UEFA Champions League winners FC Barcelona in a friendly before a national television audience on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.
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