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The San Jose Earthquakes reserves captured their second win in less than a week with a 2-1 defeat of the Vancouver Whitecaps reserves. Goals from trialist Matt Fondy and academy product Jesus Morales either side of intermission were enough to earn the Earthquakes reserves (5-2-2) their fifth win of the 2012 MLS Reserve League season.
San Jose only sent three players to Vancouver that were currently on their senior team roster — David Bingham, Evan Newton, and Jacob Hustedt — and instead relied on a bevy of academy players and trialists to populate the Starting XI and substitutes’ bench. English defender Jordan Stewart made his third consecutive Earthquakes start and played the full 90 minutes against the Caps. Stewart, who can also play midfield, is hoping to catch on with the Earthquakes either before the close of the September 15 roster freeze deadline or ahead of the 2013 MLS season.
A detailed match report for the Earthquakes 2-1 victory can be found on the Vancouver Whitecaps FC website, and what follows is some more details on the play that was relevant to the Earthquakes.
Bay Area native Fondy, a graduate of Burlingame High School and currently on the roster of USL-PRO side LA Blues, opened the scoring in the 10th minute. The forward, who narrowly missed scoring in the Earthquakes 2-0 Reserve League win over the LA Galaxy last Tuesday, headed in a goal off a cross from academy midfielder Brian Burke. Fondy has looked good in three straight appearances for the Earthquakes — including as a late replacement in San Jose’s 1-0 victory over San Luis last Thursday — and plays a similar role to Chris Wondolowski.
Following an equalizer from MLS veteran Atiba Harris, the Earthquakes reserves regained the lead in the 75th minute. Morales, one of six academy players in the Earthquake starting XI, was in the right place at the right time to tap in the match winner after Caps goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre spilled the ball in his own area.
The victory propelled the Earthquakes reserves to the top of the Reserve League Western Division with one more point than the LA Galaxy reserves and with one game left to play. A win at the Seattle Sounders FC on September 25 or a loss by the Galaxy against Vancouver on October 7 will clinch the Division title for the Earthquakes.
Game notes after the break
Scoring summary:
10’ - SJ - Matt Fondy (Brian Burke)
21’ - VAN - Atiba Harris (Russell Teibert)
75’ - SJ - Jesus Morales
Cautions:
61’ - SJ - Elisama Padilla
65’ - VAN - Carlyle Mitchell
84’ - SJ - Irving Ventura
Vancouver Whitecaps FC reserves
24.Brian Sylvestre; 32.Greg Klazura, 19.Carlyle Mitchell, 4.Alain Rochat (2.Jackson Farmer* 45’), 30.Sam Adekugbe* (42.Sebastian Cabrera* 64’); 23.Tiago Ulisses; 13.Michael Nanchoff, 43.Jacob Lensky** (26.Brody Huitema* 72’), 16.Matt Watson, 31.Russell Teibert; 9.Atiba Harris
Substitutes not used: 1.Joe Cannon, 18.Brad Knighton
*Whitecaps FC Residency
**Trialist
San Jose Earthquakes reserves
13.Evan Newton; 2.Jacob Hustedt, 22.Irving Ventura*, 32.Josh Suggs, 43.Jordan Stewart**; 29.Jesus Morales* (23.Roberto Mendoza* 86’), 37.Kris Clark*, 34.Cristian Cruz*, 25.Brian Burke* (38.Johnny Knutsen* 82’); 35.Elisama Padilla*, 36.Matt Fondy**
Substitutes not used: 1.David Bingham
*San Jose Earthquakes Academy
**Trialist