Colorado Rapids 0 - 2  San Jose Earthquakes

Three Points!

Saturday April 19th, 2008
MLS - Match 3


Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colorado

Attendance: 14,919

They can make it! We knew they could play well, we knew they could dominate a MLS opponent, we knew their defense was solid. Tonight, the Earthquakes, proved that they can win a MLS game and bring three points home from a difficult trip.

With the same line up as in Oakland last week, the Quakes didn't look comfortable in the first part of the game. Possession was for Colorado and, even though they never seemed to really control the match, the Rapids, created a couple of good opportunities saved by Cannon. It is only after more than 30 minutes that San Jose took the control of the match. Unlike last week, after a couple of missed chances, the Quakes kept the pressure on their opponent and eventually managed to score.

Between the 30th and 35th minute, the Quakes started to possess the ball. Consequently, the first real chance came after 35 minutes with a nice move by Kamara concluded by a shot just wide left (37th). Kamara had a second chance on a cross by O'Brien. This time, the ball was deflected on the crossbar by Bouna Condoul (38th). Glinton even scored at the 39th minute but the goal was recalled by the assistant referee who saw him control the ball with his hand. At this point, the Quakes had a total control on the game and, with such opportunities, nothing on the score board and last week's scenario in mind, San Jose, this time, continued their efforts and finally were rewarded for their perseverance. At the 43rd minute, Riley had time to control the ball on the left, bring it to the center and wait for Obrien's run on the right wing. He delivered a perfect pass in the back of the defense. O'brien entered the box, delivered a strong right-foot shot. Condoul saved this first ball but O'brien, in his always enthusiastic style, had followed his shot and was the first on the second ball which he sent in the net from the 6 yards line with his left foot before Condoul and his defenders could intervene. This came as deliverance after 223 initial minutes without scoring!

The Rapids made two changes at half time. Hercules Gomez and Rafael Gomes seemed to bring more offensive vista to Colorado, but, despite a good attempt by Gomes (48th), it was too inconsistent to really threaten San Jose who quickly took control of the ball again and logically scored a second goal. Ned Grabavoy controlled a ball in the middle and strongly protected it with his body before sending it into Kamara's run. The forward won his challenge with Erpen by being first on the ball, controlled with his right foot and shot with his left foot, out of reach from Coundoul (2-0, 61st). As a symbol that the curse was broken, the ball touched the inside of the left post before passing the line.

Colorado didn't give up and tried, with no success, to come back.

The Earthquakes not only proved that they could score tonight. They played well, took the lead, controlled the game and held on to their result without suffering too much; A convincing performance which, if they are able to repeat it, could lead them to a better season than expected.

After the game, Kamara, who is becoming match after match one of the key players for the Earthquakes, wanted to dedicate this goal to his brother who died 9 days before in Sierra Leone at age 41.

T.H.

Anatomy of a Goal

It was an evening of firsts for the new San Jose Earthquakes. The first goal of the MLS regular season, the first assist, the first victory, the first shutout and the first road win. However, has halftime loomed the match looked to be like more of the same for the Quakes. The team had played well and applied a lot of pressure on Colorado yet they had been unable to bury their chances. Again, they had hit the woodword or fired just wide of the mark. Again, they had taken one touch too many in the box or scuffed a cross into the area. Gavin Glinton had a goal disallowed for a handball although, to be fair, he looked to have been offsides anyway. It seemed as if the Quakes would head into the break tied at 0-0, feeling frustrated and cursed. Then the first goal came, and what a goal it was.

The move started on the Quakes half of the field, near the centerline and on the right side. Colorado was attempting to string some short passes together but San Jose was closing them down like they had been doing well for most of the half. Fittingly, it was Ronnie O’Brien who gained possession of the ball by intercepting a short pass. He quickly played it simple to Ned Grabavoy who touched it one time five yards over to Ramiro Corrales. Corrales then hit a beautiful diagonal ball through the air to switch the field. Ivan Guerreo controlled it nicely with his first touch and then played a nifty ball to James Riley, the outside left back who was making a dangerous run from his position into the center of the midfield. He traveled laterally, did a stepover to create some space and found himself just above the arc of the Rapids penalty area. Ronnie O’Brien had been making quite a useful run of his own down the right flank. He’d shed his marker and so he received a crisp pass on the ground from Riley perfectly in stride. He took a touch into the right side of the area and then unleashed a ferocious right-footed shot off his laces, which Colorado’s Bounda Coundoul had to dive to save. The keeper certainly could not hold onto the ball and the Rapids defenders were unable to reach it before O’Brien raced onto it. O’Brien hit it with his first touch, this time off of his left boot. The shot smashed low into the back of the net at the farpost. Coundoul was helplessly out of position from his initial save. O’Brien and the Quakes celebrated a much deserved goal as Coundoul kicked the post in anger.

The move covered half of the field in a matter of seconds. Five Earthquakes players touched the ball and the man who started it off finished it with the goal. Riley gets the assist but every pass was just right. The move consisted of a dozen touches with no San Jose player taking more than three touches. They looked like Arsenal out there on that one. Those who have followed the team since Yallop led it to two championships will recognize this goal. It illustrated how Yallop wants the team to play. Pass and move. Take quick touches but not too many, look for the open man, make the simple pass and keep the ball on the ground when possible but always look up for your teammates making runs. Switch the field to unbalance the opposition, move together from defense to attack, and then take your chance when you have an opening. Keep the shot low and hard and of course, always follow your shot.

Anyone who has played the game competitively knows that it gives a team a huge psychological life to score just before the half and this goal came in the 43rd minute. Conversely, to give up a goal just before the break can really deflate a team and be a backbreaker. “We’re a team that feels like we are good on the ball,” said O’Brien to Fox Soccer Channel during his interview at the half. He was beaming and ecstatic that the Quakes had finally ended their goal drought at nearly 225 minutes, not to mention his relief that he had finally put away one of his numerous chances.

To the Rapids credit, they came out in the second half and took the game to San Jose. They created chances and had some dangerous shots. Then, the Earthquakes began to work back into the match and they struck quickly in the 60th minute. Again, it was man of the match O’Brien that won possession for the Quakes at midfield by easily picking off a poor Rapids pass, much like he’d done to start the move that created the first goal. This time he took a couple of tricky touches to evade the onrushing home side and passed short and easy to Grabavoy who proceeded to produce some magic of his own. Grabavoy skillfully dribbled and juked past a few Rapids defenders to take himself down the field. As he approached the box just right of the center of the field he looked up and found Kei Kamara making a run. Grabavoy played an excellent through pass along the turf, which split the Colorado defense. Kamara controlled the ball and unsteady Rapids defender Facundo Erpen lunged rashly. Kamara easily shook off the challenge, while shielding the ball and with Erpen now helpless on his backside was in on a frantic Coundoul. Kamara coolly collected himself and simply passed the ball into the net with the inside of his left foot. It had just enough pace, was placed with precision, and kissed off the inside of the far post for 2-0. Kamara dropped to his knees, filled with emotion and eventually looked to the heavens saying something. He truly deserved this goal, which he later stated was dedicated to his recently deceased brother, and shut the door on the Colorado attempted comeback. This time the Quakes goal only involved a few players who combined for 14 touches, just two passes and covered half the field. It was strangely reminiscent of Chicago’s goal against San Jose last week, only this time it was Grabavoy with the sublime throughball, not Blanco. It happened quickly and against the run of play at that point in the match. Kamara’s first MLS goal of 2008 ensured that with some solid defending the Quakes would gain their first three points of the season. It was a convincing performance for San Jose who clearly deserved the victory.

Ben Sizemore

Attendance: 14,919

Goals: 

Ronnie O'Brien (43rd)

Kei Kamara (61st - Assist: Ned Grabavoy)

Yellow cards: 

SJE:Nick Garcia (Persistent Infragment, 42nd)

SJE: Joe Cannon (Delaying a Restart, 73rd)

Lineups:

San Jose Earthquakes: Joe Cannon - Jason Hernandez, Ryan Cochrane, Nick Garcia (C.),  James Riley -  Ned Grabavoy, Ivan Guerrero, Ramiro Corrales (Ryan Johnson, 84th), Ronnie O'Brien (Shea Salinas, 59th) -  Kei Kamara, Gavin Glinton (Joe Vide, 56th)

Colorado Rapids: Bouna Coundoul - Kosuke Kimura (Rafael Gomes, 46th), Facundo Erpen, Stephen Keel, Jose Burciaga Jr - Terry Cooke, Nick LaBrocca, Colin Clark, John DiRaimondo (Herculez Gomez, 46th ) - Christian Gomes - Omar Cummings (Tom McManus, 69th)