MLS San Jose Earthquakes

Earthquakes Advance to CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals with 1-0 Win against CD Heredia

October 24, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The San Jose Earthquakes advanced to the CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals for the first time in club history with a 1-0 win against CD Heredia (Guatelmala) at Buck Shaw Stadium on Wednesday.

Each team in Group 5 finished with six points, but the Earthquakes advanced thanks to their goal differential of plus-two. San Jose will now face the top-seeded team from the group stage, likely Toluca. The Mexican squad finished 4-0-0 atop Group 6 with a goal differential of 11. The LA Galaxy could move into the top spot by defeating Isidro Metapan (El Salvador) by six or more goals on Thursday.

Chris Wondolowski secured San Jose's passage with a volley in the 62nd minute. Shea Salinas sent a perfectly-placed cross to the back post where the club's leading scorer coolly slotted his shot past CD Heredia goalkeeper Roberth Arias. The goal was Wondolowski's second in group play.

The Earthquakes dominated the stat sheet with 71 percent of the possession and a 7-1 advantage in shots on goal. Wondolowski nearly broke through twice in the first half with close-range chances, only to see his shots dart just wide of the target.

The CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals will begin in March of 2014 with specific dates to be determined. San Jose last reached the final eight of a CONCACAF competition in 2004 while participating in the Champions Cup, the precursor to Champions League.

The winner of CONCACAF Champions League advances to the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco from Dec. 10-20. That competition pits the winners of the six continental confederations as well as the league champion from the host nation in a single-elimination tournament.

San Jose closes its MLS regular season against FC Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Buck Shaw Stadium. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. PT on NBC Sports and 1370 KZSF.

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Major League Soccer Stories from October 24, 2013


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