Earthquakes comeback falls short in 3-1 loss to Toronto
Ramiro Corrales scored his first goal of the season in San Jose’s 3-1 loss to TFC. Photo: Joe Nuxoll, centerlinesoccer.com
Center Line Soccer’s complete coverage includes a photo gallery from the match.
(Santa Clara) A first half goal from Chad Barrett and two second half goals from Dwayne DeRosario lifted Toronto FC past the San Jose Earthquakes 3-1 Saturday night at Buck Shaw Stadium.
Toronto’s win, their first on the road this season in six tries, was closer than the final score indicated. After spotting Toronto a 2-0 lead, San Jose got on the scoreboard in the 76th minute when Ramiro Corrales headed home a Bobby Convey corner kick. But the Earthquakes comeback fell short, and in added time when goalkeeper Joe Cannon came forward to join a last second attack, Toronto’s defense blocked a San Jose free kick, and Nick LaBrocca played DeRosario ahead to tap it into the empty goal to finish the game off.
The loss drops San Jose into a third place tie with Houston in the MLS West with a 5-3-1 record, while Toronto now sits second in the Eastern Division with a 5-4-1 mark.
Like San Jose, Toronto came into the game having found their stride after stumbling out of the gate. TFC lost three of their first four, but since then have won four and tied one of their last six games.
Preki started the night with three changes in his side that beat New England last weekend, with forward O’Brian White, midfielder Nick LaBrocca, and defender Nana Attakora replacing Fuad Ibrahim, Sam Cronin, and Raivis Hscanovics respectively. Dwayne De Rosario started the game on the bench after returning from a trip to Argentina, where he played 89 minutes for the Canadian National Team last Tuesday.
The Earthquakes made one change in their lineup from last weekend’s win in Seattle. Andre Luiz, suffering a bit of swelling in his knee after 90 minutes on Qwest Field’s artificial turf, did not even dress for the game, leaving rookie Brad Ring to take his place in midfield.
Toronto opened the scoring at the half hour mark via some hard work by Chad Barrett. The play began harmlessly enough, a long ball bouncing high in the box with Barrett in pursuit, a step behind Jason Hernandez. The San Jose defender tried heading the ball back to Joe Cannon, and Barrett pounced on his weak effort. Barrett’s shot was not hit well, but it trickled past the onrushing goalkeeper to put Toronto up 1-0.
It was the first goal allowed by San Jose in over a month — 394 minutes of MLS action. Barrett was awarded a yellow card for “unsporting behavior” after taking a corner flag out of the ground as part of his post-goal celebration.
San Jose created several scoring chances in the first half, but went into intermission still down 1-0. A Bobby Convey line drive cross from the left wing was re-directed on goal by Joey Gjertsen camped inside the six yard box, forcing a quick reflex save from Toronto goalkeeper (and UC Berkeley alum) Stefan Frei in the 24th minute.
Convey had a go himself in the 35th minute, a left footed blast from the top of the arc that had Frei diving to his left to pull it down.
A Ramiro Corrales cross in the 39th minute found Ryan Johnson 8 yards from goal, but Johnson’s header missed wide right.
At the start of the second half, both coaches made changes in their offense. Frank Yallop brought on Arturo Alvarez for Joey Gjertsen, while Preki countered with Dwayne DeRosario and Julian de Guzman subbing in for O’Brian White and Martin Saric.
Throughout the first 20 minutes of the second half, San Jose threatened to tie the game.
Just three minutes after intermission, a Ryan Johnson cross from deep in the left wing corner reached Chris Wondolowski at the six yard box. Wondo’s bouncing header forced Frei to make a quality save, pushing it wide at the right post.
Convey had another clear shot, a right footer from 25 yards in the 58th minute that Frei caught easily.
Yallop added Cornell Glen for Brad Ring a minute later, with Glen taking a spot up top while Wondolowski dropped back into midfield as the Earthquakes searched for an equalizer. But it was Toronto that scored the game’s next goal.
From the midfield stripe, Dan Gargan played a long ball to DeRosario, racing ahead of Bobby Burling. Joe Cannon came out to challenge DeRosario at the top of the box, but the Toronto forward slid a shot past him and inside the right post to double TFC’s lead.
San Jose kept pressing forward. In the 70th minute, a 20-yarder from Convey clipped the right post as it went wide.
Brandon Mc Donald’s cross found Arturo Alvarez near right post in the 72nd minute, but Alvarez’s volley with his right (off) foot missed poorly, high.
San Jose finally broke through in the 76th minute. From the left corner, Bobby Convey curled a corner kick to the far post for Ramiro Corrales to drive home an open header. The Corrales goal snapped Toronto’s scoreless streak at 486 competitive minutes (three MLS matches and two Canadian Championship matches).
Needing a second goal, Yallop went to his bench again, bringing Scott Sealy on for Chris Leitch as the Earthquakes switched to a 3-5-2. But despite having all their most dangerous players on the field, San Jose struggled to create a clear shot in the game’s closing minutes.
The Earthquakes’ best opportunity came in stoppage time, when a long diagonal ball from Bobby Burling reached Ryan Johnson on the left side, ten yards from goal. From a tight angle, Johnson ripped a left footer that flew just over the top left corner of the goal.
Desperate to tie the game, Joe Cannon came forward to join the attack when the Earthquakes had a free kick seconds before the final whistle. The Toronto defense blocked the kick, then Nick LaBrocca fed DeRosario ahead of the pack to finish off the game with an empty net goal.
DeRosario now has eight goals this season, and is second only to Edson Buddle among the league scoring leaders.
After suffering their first loss in five matches, the home stand continues for San Jose with a game Wednesday, when two-time defending Supporters Shield Winners Columbus Crew come to Buck Shaw Stadium for a 7:00 kick off.
• • •
San Jose Earthquakes (5-3-1) vs. Toronto FC (5-4-1)
May 1, 2010 – Buck Shaw Stadium
Attendance: 10,214
Scoring Summary: TFC – Chad Barrett (unassisted) 31; TFC – Dwayne De Rosario (Dan Gargan) 66; SJ – Ramiro Corrales (Bobby Convey) 76; TFC — Dwayne De Rosario (Nick LaBrocca) 94+.
Misconduct Summary: TFC – Martin Saric (caution) 8; TFC – Chad Barrett (caution) 31; SJ — Bobby Convey (caution) 89; TFC — Julian de Guzman (caution) 93+.
San Jose Earthquakes – Joe Cannon, Ramiro Corrales, Jason Hernandez, Bobby Burling, Chris Leitch (Scott Sealy 77), Bobby Convey, Brandon McDonald, Brad Ring (Cornell Glen 59), Joey Gjertsen (Arturo Alvarez 46), Ryan Johnson, Chris Wondolowski.
Statistics: Shots: 16; Shots on Goal: 7; Fouls: 9; Offsides: 2; Corners: 6.
Toronto FC – Stefan Frei, Nick Garcia, Nana Attakora, Adrian Cann, Dan Gargan, Amadou Sanyang, Nick LaBrocca, Martin Saric (Julian de Guzman 46), Jacob Peterson, Chad Barrett (Sam Cronin 82), O’Brian White (Dwayne De Rosario 46).
Statistics: Shots: 9; Shots on Goal: 3; Fouls: 12; Offsides: 3; Corners: 5.
the quakes had their chances and as pete says the game was a lot closer than the box score. too bad the undefeated & clean sheet streak has ended but it was unlikely they were going to go the whole season without tasting defeat so let’s not dispair.
these quakes are good and we need to believe!
go quakes,
Something was off between Joe and his back line last night… I think the Burling experiment might be over. Convey impressed last night… McDonald is improving every game, Ring had his moments but didn’t take over the game. Joey looked disappointed to come off at half time. Did he take a knock? Was Frank not happy with his performance? I don’t think Arturo was a huge step up. RJ — come on! Finishing is a striker’s job!
@Das Moots — I was disappointed last night, but I agree. No reason to lose the faith.
Go Quakes
@Das Moots & Andy
Ok, optimism and support of your team are one thing, but it’s another thing altogether to be in a state of denial. This team is not a good team, from the coaching to the bench players this team is a below average team at best.
We’ve benefited from a run of very good luck. Apart from Convey, Andre Luiz and Corrales, there isn’t a decent player on the team. Joe Cannon is a sacred cow and Yallop needs to realize but quick that Cannon is woefully deficient at the Keeper spot. He may have some great defensive skills, but his distribution is the absolute worst in the league. His occasional spectacular save doesn’t make up for his total lack of ability to start the attack. And the minute he is under even the smallest amount of pressure he whiffs at the ball more times than not.
Hernandez is a likable enough kid who has a really good game now and then, but he is so inconsistent, he is at best a good bench player, and he is better than Leitch or Burling.
McDonald is slow, has no vision, cannot start or continue an attack from the back line and his defense is questionable at best.
Ring, had no business on the pitch last night, you seriously cannot tell me he has more ability than Sanchez or Robles.
Gjertsen is just another bench guy, has no business starting simply because he has had a total of about 45 good minutes this whole year.
Wondo has heart and has the engine, but is prone to some really stupid decisions. I’d keep him starting, but even though he pairs well with RJ, the tandem is generally weak. We have no one who can finish. Wondo might thrive as the #9 to a true #10
BTW can someone tell Alvarez he is not now and never will be a #10, he whines, falls down to easily and can’t use his right foot if his mothers life depended on it. Trade him NOW!
This team is about to go on a prolonged losing streak that will only get worse as the summer transfers improve every team in the league except the Quakes because John Doyle the incompetent fool that he is thinks he has built a good enough team already.
Convey, Corrales, Andre Luiz, Opara, Busch and Wondo are the only guys who should consider their jobs safe. Everyone else should be seriously looked at as trade bait. There must be some teams in the MLS who need some reliable bench warmers……. We have about 18 of them.
Joseph, that’s harsh, we’re not EPL or La Liga here. Still, as you point out, plenty of room for improvement.
We really missed Andre Luiz, no management in the middle.
No mention in the article of the gimme that Alvarez blasted over the top of the goal, off his right foot. If you can’t use both feet, you shouldn’t be a professional.
We need someone like DeRosario, who can direct an offense, feed our forwards, and be dangerous himself every time he gets the ball. I hope a #10 is at the top of Doyle’s list.
Did you see the goalazo by Shea Salinas yesterday? Congrats and best of luck to him this year and in his career.
Go Quakes!
joe – that was a pretty harsh and geneR8 got it right, we are talking MLS here and not euro ball…what do you really expect a team that can take on barca? in MLS the Quakes as they are today are much better than average, i think can and will get better as the season goes on.
certainly there can be improvements and i am also wondering why we are never mentioned as looking or talking to any players during the transfer window. JD can’t think the team is perfect as is…or does he?
as far as gersten goes, he’s the best off season aquisition the team has, he has been a bright light on the team and has brought some needed skill to the right side. paired with convey they make a great wing tandem.that feed the forwards..and by the way he’s been nursing a left thigh strain the last couple of weeks and that’s why he’s being pulled after 45 or so minutes.
he’s scored one goal and i think has 3 assists plus so many of his hustle plays have paid dividends on both defense and offense that he’s more than earned his starting spot.
i’m my opinion a strong center mid player is strongly needed. luiz does the best he can but he’s not going to get over this knee issue any time soon. ring and mcdonald are young and will get better and don’t forget that mcdonald went to the january national team camp, so some people must think he’s got a big future ahead of him. with that said a strong center fielder who’s youngish is needed now to steer the ship.
just so i’m not considered blind quakes fan, i will say that ryan johnson doesn’t make enough of his chances count and his trantrums are disgracefuly (see last weeks fit he pulled in seattle). wondo’s getting it done and RJ has played a part in that but if he just cleaned up his attitude and finished more of his touches he’d be much more lethal.
i’m w/ joseph 100%. though i think ring played pretty good for basically being a rookie. problem is that ALL our midfielders are DEFENSIVE mids, so no one really stands out ’cause they all do the SAME job.
we definitely missed luiz, but again this organization will only get players on the CHEAP, therefore we end up w/ broken down players.(luiz,eduardo,hucks) it’s very frustrating as a fan.
joseph is also correct in the fact that pretty much every team will be active in the summer w/ good players coming into the league, but we know if anyone is coming to us will be cheap. so, again old and most likely BROKEN DOWN so the said player will play a handful of games if were lucky.
as a wolff run business we will always be run on the cheap, so as fans we need to realize that and just roll w/ the punches, because it will NOT change as long as were are owned by him. very happy we got the ‘quakes back, but if there is a running re-occurrence since we’ve been back is that we don’t spend to win. if we win is hard work and luck(which we just had) but not because the staff has found great players. it will only get us so far.
by the way the team seemed very flat sat. night, don’t no why(that’s on the coaching staff). if joey wasn’t 100% then why not start robles. he hasn’t played since the 1st 45 in the opening game. also, it’s time for our beloved cannon to sit a couple of games and ryan also.
@geneR8or
“Brandon Mc Donald’s cross found Arturo Alvarez near right post in the 72nd minute, but Alvarez’s volley with his right (off) foot missed poorly, high.”
It was in the article, even though it’s not really news that Alvarez is a one-footed player.