MLS San Jose Earthquakes

Earthquakes Weekly Update: March 13, 2017

Published on March 13, 2017 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


The San Jose Earthquakes have the chance to win their opening three games of the season for the first time in franchise history when they face Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, March 18 at 5:30 p.m. PT at Children's Mercy Park. Saturday's game will be broadcast live on CSN Plus, KNBR 1050 and KZSF 1370.

San Jose heads into the third game of the 2017 MLS regular season after turning around a 2-0 deficit to beat Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3-2 on Saturday, March 11. Forward Chris Wondolowksi, defender Nick Lima and midfielder Anibal Godoy each scored to secure the victory. For the second consecutive week, Godoy's goal has been nominated for MLS Goal of the Week and he has been named to MLS Team of the Week.

THIS WEEK

Earthquakes Schedule for the Week of March 13, 2017

All training sessions are closed to the public. If you would like to attend a training session, please contact Jake Pisani at jpisani@sjearthquakes.com . Media must be escorted to the Earthquakes Training Facility by a member of the team's media relations department. Please do not go out to the training field unattended.

Tuesday, March 14 - 10 a.m. - Training at Earthquakes Training Facility

Wednesday, March 15 - Off

Thursday, March 16 - 10 a.m. - Training at Earthquakes Training Facility

Friday, March 17 - 10 a.m. - Training at Earthquakes Training Facility*

Saturday, March 18 - 5:30 p.m. - Earthquakes vs. Sporting Kansas City, Children's Mercy Park, LIVE on CSN Plus, KNBR 1050 and KZSF 1370.

* Team will travel to Kansas City immediately after training.

OPPONENT INFORMATION

Earthquakes vs. Sporting Kansas City All-Time

MLS Regular Season: 24-23-7

Home: 16-5-6 (38 GF, 21 GA)

Away: 8-17-1 (28 GF, 42 GA)

All-Time Scoring: San Jose - 66, Sporting KC - 63

Last Game vs. Sporting KC

Sporting Kansas City 2 - 0 Earthquakes; Oct. 23, 2016; Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kan.

The San Jose Earthquakes fell to Sporting Kansas City 2-0 at Children's Mercy Park, closing out the 2016 campaign. The Quakes finished the season with an 8-12-14 record. In the 10th minute, midfielder Tommy Thompson intercepted a pass and led an odd-man attack towards Sporting's net. Thompson played a pass to Chris Wondolowski on an overlap and he proceeded to cut back onto his right foot. Wondolowski's attempt to curl the ball towards the far post was blocked by a last-ditch tackle. Moments later, Thompson received a pass and found himself one-on-one with Kansas City keeper Tim Melia, but a heavy touch allowed the net-minder to scoop up the loose ball. In the 16th minute, a cross by Quakes defender Jordan Stewart found Wondolowski between the penalty spot and the six-yard box. Knowing a defender was looming, Wondolowski headed the ball towards teammate Fatai Alashe, who was unmarked at the near post, but the pass was just out of the midfielder's reach and rolled harmlessly towards the corner flag. Eight minutes later, a shot from distance by Simon Dawkins forced a diving save by Melia. Wondolowski's follow-up attempt was also saved. Wondolowski regained possession and forced Melia out to the edge of the penalty area, leaving the goal-mouth unattended, before chipping in a cross over his head. Thompson's ensuing header pass was intercepted and played out of bounds. Benny Feilhaber gave Sporting a 1-0 lead from the penalty spot in the 27th minute after Cordell Cato was called for a handball inside the box. Graham Zusi later doubled Kansas City's advantage in the 88th minute, finishing off a fast-break with a shot to the top corner of the net.

History of the Quakes - Sporting KC Rivalry

The San Jose Earthquakes and Sporting Kansas City, then known as the Kansas City Wiz (later Kansas City Wizards), were two of the 10 original clubs during the inaugural 1996 MLS season ... The first meeting between the sides was a thriller on April 21, 2006, at Spartan Stadium ... With the game tied 2-2 at the end of regulation, the Clash fell in a lengthy shootout by a score of 8-7 ... San Jose's first win against Kansas City came later that season on May 29, 2-1 at Spartan Stadium, thanks to an Eric Wynalda brace ... The teams have faced off twice in the postseason ... The Quakes won 3-2 at Spartan Stadium on Nov. 15, 2003, on a 117th-minute Landon Donovan goal in sudden-death overtime, during the Western Conference Finals en route to their second MLS Cup title ... The two teams met again in the 2004 MLS Cup Playoffs for a two-game Western Conference Semifinals series ... The Quakes took a 2-0 decision in their home leg on Oct. 24, but were then eliminated on aggregate following a 3-0 Wizards victory six days later at Arrowhead Stadium, with current Quake Khari Stephenson grabbing the opener and Jack Jewsbury scoring the all-important third goal in second-half stoppage time ... Chris Wondolowski tallied the goal that sealed his first Golden Boot award during the 2010 regular-season finale on Oct. 23 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, his 18th of the year ... The Earthquakes played in the second-ever MLS match at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on June 17, 2011, falling 1-0 with C.J. Sapong re-directing a free kick from Graham Zusi for the only goal of the match in the 31st minute ... San Jose fell 2-1 on the road against Sporting KC in their lone meeting in 2012 on May 27 ... The Earthquakes took the 2013 edition of this matchup 1-0 on Aug. 18 at Buck Shaw Stadium with Chris Wondolowski scoring his fifth career goal against Sporting KC ... In their only meeting of 2014, the Earthquakes fell to Sporting KC 1-0 after Dom Dwyer converted a penalty kick early in the second half ... The San Jose Earthquakes routed Sporting Kansas City 5-0 in their first meeting of the 2015 season at Sporting Park in Kansas City on Aug. 19 with a pair of braces by Chris Wondolowksi and Cordell Cato, and Anibal Godoy's first career score ... The Quakes shut out Sporting KC again in their last matchup up of 2015 on Oct. 16, with Godoy tallying his second goal of the season against them to lead San Jose to a 1-0 win at Avaya Stadium ... San Jose defeated Sporting KC 1-0 at Avaya Stadium in their first matchup of 2016 behind Chris Wondolowski's penalty on April 24 ... Sporting KC leveled the season series with a 2-1 victory over the Quakes in San Jose on Sept. 24. ... Kansas City won the final encounter of 2016 with a 2-0 victory at home.

Earthquakes - Sporting KC Connections

SKC defender Ike Opara played for the Earthquakes from 2010-12, making 35 appearances and recording three goals ... Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski have played alongside Sporting KC defender Matt Besler and midfielders Benny Feilhaber and Graham Zusi with the USMNT ... SKC midfielder Roger Espinoza and Quakes defender Victor Bernardez were both born in Honduras ... SKC forward Dom Dywer and San Jose midfielder Simon Dawkins are both from England.

EARTHQUAKES IN THE COMMUNITY

Get Earthquakes Fit presented by Sutter Health

Who: Earthquakes front office and forward Tommy Thompson

What: Get EQ Fit Closing Assembly

When: Monday, March 13

Where: Almond Elementary in Los Altos

Get Earthquakes Fit presented by Sutter Health

Who: Earthquakes front office

What: Get EQ Fit Closing Assembly

When: Wednesday, March 15

Where: Lowell Elementary in San Jose

Get Earthquakes Fit presented by Sutter Health

Who: Earthquakes front office

What: Get EQ Fit Opening Assembly

When: Friday, March 17

Where: Glen View Elementary in Gilroy

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

Scoreless Kansas City

The Earthquakes head to Kansas City to face one of three teams that have been unable to find the back of the net in the opening two games of the season.

Road Record

Chris Wondolowski is one goal away from leveling Landon Donovan's record for most goals scored on the road in MLS history (63).

Even Stevens

San Jose is 24-23-7 all-time against Sporting KC, slightly outscoring the Midwest club 66-63 in 54 regular season matches.

In Search of Three

The Earthquakes are looking to win their opening three matches of the season for the first time in franchise history.

Preseason Preview

Saturday's match will not be the first time these two sides have faced each other in 2017. The Earthquakes beat SKC 1-0 in a preseason friendly thanks to a Tommy Thompson goal.

The Early Goal Gets the Win

The last time the Quakes lost against SKC after scoring first was in July 27, 2002 when they lost 2-1 at Arrowhead Stadium.

Journeyman

Chris Wondolowski broke 20,000 career minutes in MLS during the Quakes' 3-2 win against Vancouver Whitecaps FC last Saturday (20,084). He is second all-time in minutes played for the Earthquakes (19,167), trailing only to Ramiro Corrales (20,188).

Check out the San Jose Earthquakes Statistics

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