Sunday September 28, 2008 After 4 wins and 5 ties in the last 9 games, the San Jose Earthquakes finally lost yesterday night for the first time in almost 3 months. With the 3 points, they probably lost their hopes of making the playoffs. The impressive streak that ended yesterday was not enough to make up for the points lost in the first half of the season and the Earthquakes now almost need to win all of their last 5 games to come back to a playoff position. Yesterday, San Jose, who had not played last week (the game scheduled at Houston was postponed), were surprised by the physical intensity Real Salt Lake put in the game since the first minute. It took 20 minutes before they could respond to this athletic challenge...Unfortunately, it took only 3 minutes to Salt Lake to take advantage of their domination.
The Quakes came back in the game when Ryan Cochrane headed the ball away above Real Salt Lake's last defender, Jamison Olave, who could just touch the ball with the top of his head. It looked like a dead ball that would have ended in Nick Rimando's hands if Darren Huckerby hadn't anticipated the defender's mistake. The providential English player proved once again that he feels things quicker than any other player in the league. He ran after the ball and before Rimando and Olave had time to really understand they were in danger, Huckerby chipped the ball above the goalkeeper (1-1, 23') Upset by this unexpected equalizer, the visitors lost the control of the game and started to commit ugly fouls. Paul Ward, the referee yesterday night, and his assistants seemed to be overwhelmed by the situation and made a few controversial calls in the end of the first half. His hesitation in showing cards allowed Nat Borchers to tackle Ned Grabavoy from behind in the 36th minute. The foul was ugly and the defender, who was already lucky not to be booked earlier only received a yellow. The visitors should have played the rest of the game with 10 players. The incident started a general fight in which Nick Garcia wasn't the last to participate. The defender was lucky not to be booked. 3 minutes earlier, a first incident had occurred after Ronnie O'Brien took a free kick at the edge of the box. While the San Jose fans were still claiming the foul was inside the 18, the midfielder took a weak shot that should have been easily saved by Rimando. Instead of that, the goalkeeper released the ball into Scott Sealy's feet. Sealy pushed the ball into the net but the goal was cancelled, apparently for an offside position when O'Brien took the free kick. Sealy didn't influence the play in any way until Rimando released the ball, and then, the ball came from the goalkeeper directly into his feet (and not from a forward pass by one of his team mates), which means the goal should have been allowed. The first half ended with a good opportunity for each team to take the lead. The first one was for Salt Lake but Yura Movsisyan's shot was saved by Cannon. The young striker had a second chance on the rebound but this time, Ryan Cochrane was on the goal line to save his team. Then the Earthquakes had their chance too, in the last minute of the stoppage time, when Ryan Cochrane, at the back post, headed on the cross bar a corner kick taken from the left by Huckerby.
After their goal, the Quakes were definitely back in the game and they were quickly rewarded after the break. Huckerby played a 1-2 with Arturo Alvarez who perfectly heeled the ball into Huckerby's run. The space created by this beautiful move gave some time to Huckerby to place a low shot from about 20 yards out of reach of Rimando (2-1, 47') The situation looked good for San Jose. They came back and took the lead in very difficult conditions and they just had to control the game now. Easy to say... ...Unfortunately, they were going to pay all the energy they spent to come back and right at the moment when everything seemed to turn in their advantage, they totally collapsed. The visitors came back in the game after Huckerby insisted to play a free kick that Lima was supposed to deliver in the box. Excited by the crowd calling his name after his two goals, the left midfielder totally missed his kick. On the counter attack, Ronnie O'Brien found himself alone, defending on Movsisyan. The ball sent by Kyle Beckerman from his own half was long and high and Movsisyan was taller and quicker than O'Brien...He controlled the ball in the box and pushed it past Joe Cannon just before the local keeper could intercept it (2-2, 49') This time, the Quakes were knocked down and were not going to recover. 9 minutes later Javier Morales scored a beautiful free kick (58'). 2-3 was going to be the final score. It could have been worse. San Jose didn't have a single opportunity to come back and Cannon made another miraculous but useless save in the 72nd minute when Robbie Findley, inside the 6 yard box, headed a perfect cross from the right by Morales. With an incredible reflex, the goalkeeper deflected the ball above the bar. San Jose travel to Dallas next week (game on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 5:30pm), and receive Chivas USA at Buck Shaw on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7pm. 2 wins against these 2 direct rivals for a Playoff spot could bring the Quakes back in the race, but they don't have any joker left. Thierry Heumann (email)
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