Center Line Soccer

L.A.’s Landon Donovan tries to chase down San Jose’s Shea Salinas during the Earthquakes’ 2-0 season-ending loss at Home Depot Center. Photo: Joe Nuxoll, centerlinesoccer.com. 

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What a difference a year makes. Last season at this time, the Earthquakes and Galaxy were together at the bottom of the table in the Western Conference, both with 33 points. This year, the Galaxy’s 2-0 victory in this, the last match of the regular season, gives them the best record in the division, and with it a home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, San Jose remains at the bottom, looking up, hoping a second-consecutive late-season surge portends greater success next year.

“This was definitely a tough result, a tough way to end the season,” said Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop. “(The Galaxy) are a good side who came out and got a result tonight. We have played well over the last 12 or so games, including this one and this is something we can build off of into next season and I’m excited about that.”Last week in the same stadium, the Earthquakes showed some vulnerability to Chivas USA counter attacks, and the same pattern established itself early against the Galaxy. San Jose had the lion’s share of possession in the game’s opening minutes, only to see a threatening counter in the fourth minute end with Brandon McDonald blocking a Sean Franklin shot just a few yards in front of Joe Cannon’s goal. The Galaxy had another chance on the counter a few minutes later, this time with former Quake Landon Donovan leading the charge, but the situation was defused without a shot.

The pace of the game slowed down as both teams settled into a rhythm, with each side seeing periods of possession and the occasional opportunity. A 17th minute David Beckham free kick curled in trademark style over the San Jose wall, but passed on the wrong side of the post to do any damage.

The Earthquakes created the match’s next opportunity, thanks to a nice overlapping run from Ramiro Corrales, who turned in a solid performance all around after signing a new contract this week. The San Jose captain darted past midfielder Bobby Convey and cut inside, sliding a pass to Ryan Johnson at the edge of the LA penalty area which Johnson returned to an open Corrales, near the top of the arc. His right-footed shot from 21 yards went just wide, keeping the game scoreless.

The Galaxy broke the deadlock in the 24th minute. Donovan received a pass in the left side of the Earthquakes penalty area and looked to finesse a cross towards the penalty spot. San Jose defender Bobby Burling tried to knock down the pass but only deflected it, sending it looping over the head of a helpless Cannon and into the net.

Only a stellar reaction save from Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts kept the Earthquakes from answering immediately. A 28-yard Ramiro Corrales free kick found McDonald’s far-post run, while the defender looked to score his second header in two weeks. McDonald met the ball solidly but put the ball within Ricketts’ reach, and the Jamaica international’s quick reflexes allowed him to knock the ball away.

The rest of the half saw even play from both sides, but without much in the way of scoring opportunities. The second half didn’t start much differently, as each side’s offensive forays were smothered in the midfield.

The home side sought to ratchet up the pressure as the game reached the 50th minute. Cannon made a spectacular save off an Edson Buddle header, a play all the more remarkable because the Galaxy forward was offside by at least a yard, as the assistant referee noted. Despite the renewed efforts on attack from L.A., San Jose’s defense held strong.

As the match entered the 60th minute, San Jose created several opportunities up the left flank, as Bobby Convey, Arturo Alvarez, and Ryan Johnson combined on three different attacks, but the most dangerous of these ended with Alvarez smashing a shot from a sharp angle into the wrong side of the side netting.

Both coaches changed things up a bit in the 67th minute, with San Jose’s Yallop opting to bring on Quincy Amarikwa for Shea Salinas and L.A.’s Bruce Arena substituting former San Jose Clash star Eddie Lewis for Mike Magee. It was a straight swap for L.A., but the move required Alvarez to drop into Salinas’ spot at right midfield to accommodate Amarikwa at forward. The rookie striker’s tenacity won a foul that led to a corner four minutes later, but nothing amounted from it.

Veteran midfielder Chris Klein came on for Chris Birchall in the 77th minute, and his first touch was golden, setting up Donovan for the Galaxy’s second goal of the match. The play started with the other Donovan — Ricketts, the L.A. goalkeeper — who distributed the ball up the middle to Beckham, who quickly passed ahead to the goal scorer. Donovan sought out Klein on the right side and then took off downfield. Klein read the run perfectly and curled a perfect ball on the ground into Donovan’s path, and the newly-crowned six-time Honda U.S. Player of the Year nutmegged Cannon with a shot that kissed the inside of the far post before nestling into the back of the net.

Despite the two-goal deficit, San Jose continued to scrap for a goal. Burling forced a strong save from Ricketts in the 80th minute and Johnson beat Ricketts with a shot in the 82nd minute that sailed just wide of the post.

The wide open play continued in the 83rd minute with an L.A. counterattack, but this time Cannon had the measure of Donovan’s diving header and parried it back into the Galaxy captain and out of play for a goal kick. The Earthquakes continued to fight for a goal until the final whistle, but time ran out before they could find the scoreboard.

“We are not happy with this, and we wanted to end the season on a better note,” said Cannon. “I thought we pushed really hard for an equalizer, which we didn’t get and unfortunately fell behind 2-0, so it is very disappointing. We weren’t really able to create much, and were unable to really break through at all.”

Johnson, who led Earthquakes scorers with 11 goals on the year, sounded an optimistic note for 2010. “This year was rough, because we didn’t make the playoffs, but we are still a young team, and with a lot of work in the offseason, I feel like we can do well and meet our goals,” he said. “Our number one goal is making the playoffs and being successful as a team.”

The match marks the end of a topsy-turvy year for the Earthquakes, who saw a successful preseason evaporate in a haze of injuries and poor performances, only to find their form, as they did last year, after some key signings in the summer transfer window. With most members of the team under contract for next year, San Jose is hoping to make their own worst-to-first run next year. If they want to see how it’s done, they just need to look at the team in the other locker room at Home Depot Center tonight.

• • •

San Jose Earthquakes (7-14-9) at LA Galaxy (12-6-12)
Oct. 24, 2009 – Home Depot Center
Attendance: 27,000

Scoring Summary: LA – Own Goal (Bobby Burling) 24; LA – Landon Donovan (Chris Klein) 77.

Misconduct Summary:  SJ – Bobby Convey (caution) 17; SJ – Arturo Alvarez (caution) 69; Omar Gonzalez (caution) 78.

San Jose Earthquakes – Joe Cannon, Chris Leitch, Bobby Burling, Brandon McDonald, Ramiro Corrales, Shea Salinas (Quincy Amarikwa 66), Simon Elliott, Ramon Sanchez, Bobby Convey, Arturo Alvarez, Ryan Johnson.

Statistics:  Shots 7; Shots on Goal 2; Saves 2; Fouls 12; Offsides 1; Corner Kicks 5.

LA Galaxy: — Donovan Ricketts, Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, Gregg Berhalter, Todd Dunivant, Chris Birchall (Chris Klein 76), David Beckham (Jovan Kirovski 86), Dema Kovalenko, Landon Donovan, Edson Buddle, Mike Magee (Eddie Lewis 66).

Statistics:  Shots 9; Shots on Goal 4; Saves 2; Fouls 16; Offsides 4; Corner Kicks 3.