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MLS San Jose Earthquakes

Earthquakes Fall 1-0 against Real Salt Lake

April 5, 2015 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake
(San Jose Earthquakes, Credit: David Bernal Photography)

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Earthquakes dropped a tight affair with Real Salt Lake 1-0 on Easter Sunday at Avaya Stadium.

San Jose's defense was tested due to several injuries and ultimately had a strong showing against a talented RSL-side. Midfielders JJ Koval and Cordell Cato played extensive minutes on the backline and proved they could hold their own despite being out of their normal positions.

The Quakes first chance on net came in the eighth minute. After playing a one-two with forward Innocent, midfielder Sanna Nyassi found himself with open space along the right flank and played a dangerous ball across the six-yard box. The ball skipped through the penalty area just out of the reach of the attacking players.

Real Salt Lake broke the deadlock in the 44th minute on the right foot of midfielder Javier Morales. Morales took a free kick in the center of the pitch just outside of the 18-yard box, but his curled attempt was driven into the wall. The rebound came out and he followed up with another attempt, directing the ball off of the crossbar and into goal.

In the 54th minute, San Jose nearly equalized. Forward Adam Jahn made a run to the near post and received a low cross, letting the ball run through his legs before creatively redirecting it with his right foot, narrowly missing the goal wide left.

In the 70th minute, the Quakes center backs combined to keep Real Salt Lake from doubling their advantage. Real forward Olmes Garcia hit a ball across the box and Earthquakes defender Clarence Goodson made a diving header to thwart any redirection by an oncoming attacker. The ball popped into the air and drifted towards San Jose's net, but Victor Bernardez bicycle-kicked the ball off the goal line and out of danger.

The Earthquakes created several opportunities late, including an attempt by midfielder Fatai Alashe in the waning moments, but were unable to find the equalizer.

Following the match, the Earthquakes held an Easter egg hunt as a fundraiser for the family of fallen San Jose police officer Michael Johnson. The event raised $3,500 in donations, which was matched by the Earthquakes Community Fund, and then matched again by team owner Lew Wolff and his daughter, Kari. In total, the fundraiser was able to generate $10,500 to benefit the San Jose Police Officers Association and the family of Michael Johnson.

The Quakes next match is on Saturday, April 11 against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at 7:30 p.m. PT, presented by Benjamin Moore. The match will air live on Comcast SportsNet California, 1590 KLIV and 1370 KZSF and the first 7,500 fans will receive key chains.

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MLS Regular Season

San Jose Earthquakes 0 -1 Real Salt Lake

April 5, 2015 - Avaya Stadium

Attendance: 18,000

Scoring Summary: RSL - Javier Morales (unassisted) 44.

Misconduct Summary: SJ - Innocent (caution) 43; SJ - Chris Wondolowski (caution) 60; RSL - Olmes Garcia (caution) 73; RSL - Kenny Mansally (caution) 82); SJ - Fatai Alashe (caution) 90+3.

San Jose Earthquakes: David Bingham, Cordell Cato, Victor Bernardez (Leandro Barrera 79), Clarence Goodson, Shaun Francis (JJ Koval 37), Fatai Alashe, Matias Perez Garcia, Chris Wondolowski, Sanna Nyassi (Shea Salinas 64), Adam Jahn, Innocent.

SHOTS: 12 ; SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 ; SAVES: 1; FOULS: 12; CORNER KICKS: 6; OFFSIDES: 2.

Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando, Kenny Mansally, Jamison Olave, Chris Schuler, Tony Beltran, Javier Morales, Luke Mulholland, Kyle Beckerman, Jordan Allen (Luis Gil 76), Alvaro Saborio (Devon Sandoval 68), Olmes Garcia (John Stertzer 87).

SHOTS: 10 ; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; SAVES: 3; FOULS: 15; CORNER KICKS: 4; OFFSIDES: 2.

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SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH DOMINIC KINNEAR

On Real Salt Lake's defense:

"They defended the box pretty well. They closed the space down pretty well in their half of the field. We still had some good looks to score a goal. We were just off in that department. They grinded out a victory. Sometimes you have to do that and that's what they did."

On positives from the game and areas to improve:

"I'd like to improve our record. I didn't see us sitting here 2-3. Did we do enough to get something out of the game today? Probably. But that's easy to say afterwards. The guys are giving it their all, and that for me is a good thing. They're not giving up during the game, which is a sign of a good group. What would I like to see? A little more quality. I think we're defending pretty well. I don't think Salt Lake had a ton of chances today. The guy [Javier Morales] scores a wonder goal and I thought other than that we did okay. You'd like to have a little bit better possession to kind of open some things up, but obviously the other team has a little something to say about that, too. So I thought we had some good chances today and just want to see us play with a little more confidence. Movement off the ball could be a little better at times, and we've got to sometimes be a little bit more unselfish when we get closer to goal."

On substituting for Victor Bernardez after an earlier injury:

"He's fine. I talked to him afterward in the lockers and he's good. We just took him out to go three at the back, and he was the one that was pulled out for that. Had nothing to do with anything other than a formation change."

On team developing the identity he wants for them after five games:

"The one thing, and we've said this from the very beginning, is you want us to be competitive. You want us to play well and be dangerous in the run of play and set pieces. You want us to be responsible, unselfish. I think we are that. We're a little bit inconsistent at the moment, as happens during a season. It's not because we're two months in; we're going to figure it out. You always strive for consistency in a positive fashion. But the most important thing - besides results - is the competitive attitude of the team, which I do think we have. We just have to be a little bit better."

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER FATAI ALASHE

On him playing with confidence:

"You've got to keep your head in things and not get too excited and keep working hard, keep learning from the older guys out here and do what you can to help the team. Like I said, played well or not, we lost, and that's what matters. So we'll look at the positives and negatives of the game and we'll come back stronger next week."

On him enjoying the responsibility of being the lone defensive-minded midfielder:

"Either way is fine with me. I do whatever coach asks me to do and the goals help the team win and obviously didn't accomplish that today. But again, come back next week, do whatever he asks me to do, whether that's start, play alone in the middle, play forward, play goalie, whatever it is, I'll do it and hopefully the team wins."

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD CHRIS WONDOLOWSKI

On finding best formation:

"We just want to get our best 11 players out there. Formations are just numbers out there. You still have to play, you still have to pass, you still have to move out on the field. It doesn't matter where you are. I didn't get on the ball enough and wasn't able to connect on the ball in the offensive third. I am disappointed in that, but I do like playing the under striker. We tried it in New England. I think I still have room to improve, but I do like the role."

On result:

"I don't believe that was our best 90 minutes, but yet we still gave Salt Lake, who I believe is a very good team, a tough test. At no point is a 1-0 loss good enough, but I still think we did some things we can learn from. We've been in some 1-0 games, but RSL dictated that game and wouldn't let us find the equalizer."

On defensive changes:

"I thought Victor [Bernardez], Clarence [Goodson] and Fatai [Alashe] were amazing today. They shored up our defense especially because JJ [Koval] and Cordell [Cato] played out of position. Cordell is a very offensive-minded player and he played left and right back, which is not an easy thing to do. Especially against RSL who have very dangerous guys playing forward. It is nice to have those options on defense."

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD ADAM JAHN

On loss:

"It's disappointing to not get anything from this game. I thought we played well enough to at least gain a point. If their ball that hits the wall doesn't bounce directly back to them we probably have a different result. But it was a great shot by Javier Morales and some times you just have to tip your cap. Great play for them."

On second half chances:

"After their goal in the first half, we respond well until the end of the half. We just continued that through into the second half. We're playing at home and having these fans behind really helps us put the pressure on them. The shots just didn't fall our way. I think you saw in the second half the potential our attack has. We're fit, we train hard and we are give it our everything out there. Now we have to continue to improve by finishing."

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES DEFENDER VICTOR BERNARDEZ

On Real Salt Lake goal:

"We stopped the initial shot from the set piece, they got the bounce back and best option [Javier] Morales had was to shoot. Tough way to lose a game, but we have to keep fighting and not let this result break us. We may have lost our heads after a couple of no calls, but we can never blame the result on what we can't control."

On second-half adjustments:

"The message at halftime was to keep it simple; to control our touches and play at high pace. We did that, but couldn't equalize. I think what we need to take away from this is we can't give away halves to the opponent, which is what we did in the first half and that was the difference in the game."

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San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake
(David Bernal Photography)		   



Major League Soccer Stories from April 5, 2015


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