MLS San Jose Earthquakes

Quakes winless streak hits six matches

Published on May 8, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The San Jose Earthquakes winless streak continued Friday night against the New York Red Bulls, suffering a 4-1 defeat at Giants Stadium. Three goals down after just 22 minutes, the visitors were unable to contain the free-scoring New Yorkers, who had scored just five goals total in their previous eight games of the season.

Second from bottom of the MLS Western Conference going into the game, the Earthquakes got off to the worst possible start when Jorge Rojas put the Red Bulls into the lead after just seven minutes. The Venezuelan midfielder lofted a free kick into the penalty area from near the right-hand touchline. San Jose 'keeper Joe Cannon was caught flat-footed by a late run into the area by New York defender Kevin Goldthwaite, and the ball bounced into the back of the net.

If San Jose head coach Frank Yallop hoped that the goal would serve as a wakeup call for his team, he was to be sorely disappointed, and the Quakes were two goals down just six minutes later.

Rojas was again the beneficiary of lax defending when his teammate Macoumba Kandji flicked on a corner from Red Bulls defender Carlos Johnson in the right corner. Making a late run to the far post, Rojas was left completely unmarked, easily placing a header past the helpless Cannon.

The goal seemed to briefly spark San Jose into life and Ryan Johnson forced a close-range save out of Red Bulls 'keeper Danny Cepero.

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At the other end, the speedy Kandji continued to be a handful, and should have added to New York's lead after 17 minutes. Latching onto a long ball out of defense on the right-hand side of the field, the forward showed explosive pace to leave San Jose defender Nick Garcia trailing in his wake. Cannon, however, saved his teammate's blushes when he pulled off a close-range stop from Kandji.

It was pretty-much one-way traffic down the right wing throughout the first half as San Jose defenders Eric Denton and Garcia struggled to cope with the Red Bulls' movement and pinpoint passes out of defense.

With the home side attacking in waves, Juan Pablo Angel put the Red Bulls into a commanding lead after just 22 minutes.

Once again, there seemed to be little communication between the Earthquakes defenders. Kandji was again at the heart of the action, picking up a great ball on the right flank from Albert Celades. The forward had plenty of time to pick out his strike partner Angel with a low cross. The Colombian tapped the ball into the net from close range for his third goal of the season.

Now facing a mountain to climb, San Jose started to show their frustration, and forward Cam Weaver was shown a yellow card for a robust aerial challenge on Red Bulls defender Mike Petke.

The home side, however, maintained their momentum, and Angel looked odds-on to score his second, only to hit the crossbar from close range.

Things went from bad to worse just five minutes from halftime, however, when Kandji caught Kelly Gray in possession 35 yards from goal and calmly strode forward before placing the ball past Cannon.

With the Red Bulls seemingly scoring at will, Ryan Johnson gave the Earthquakes an opening on the stroke of halftime. This time it was the Red Bulls' turn to be caught napping, and they failed to react to a cross into their penalty area. Earthquakes captain Ramiro Corrales, however, kept his eye on the ball, and cushioned a header across the six-yard box, where the unmarked Johnson headed the ball past Cepero.

The goal was Johnson's third of the season and the assist was Corrales' first.

Clearly subjected to Yallop's wrath during halftime, the Earthquakes emerged for the second half looking much more focused and composed. The visitors had much the better of the opening exchanges, and a crisp series of passes released Arturo Alvarez to the right of Cepero's goal. The midfielder, however, was thwarted by the 'keeper, who pushed his close-range shot past the post.

San Jose nonetheless started to display some of the fire that had been sorely lacking during the opening period, driven largely by Corrales' passing and movement.

The second half, however, also brought a flurry of San Jose yellow cards. Midfielder Aaron Pitchkolan received a yellow card for a foul on the dangerous Kandji and Denton also went in the book for a seemingly innocuous challenge on Red Bulls midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic. The defender, and the rest of the stadium, were stunned when referee Jeff Gontarek first pulled out a red card, before realizing his mistake and puling out a yellow. With just a few minutes left, San Jose substitute Quincy Amarikwa was also cautioned for a foul on Cepero.

San Jose almost pulled another goal back with just over 10 minutes left, only for Red Bulls defender Alfredo Pacheco to head Bobby Convey's goalbound shot off the line.

Ultimately, the home side were largely content to sit on their lead and soak up the pressure for most of the half, eventually clinching just their second win of the season.

The defeat extends the Quakes' winless streak to six games and leaves the team with a record of 1-5-2. San Jose's next game is away to the Houston Dynamo on May 23.

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 8, 2009


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