San Jose Earthquakes take forgiving approach on mistakes

It was a tough night for the San Jose Earthquakes, who lost 3-0 to the Portland Timbers, but they’re not ready to point fingers.

A couple defensive breakdowns and a mistake in the back led to Portland’s goals on the night, with rookie Tanner Beason and young GK JT Marcinkowski making a couple miscues on the second of the Timbers’ goals.

Throughout Matias Almeyda’s tenure in San Jose, the head coach has stressed the need to understand players make mistakes, and to be sure, the mistakes on the one goal didn’t ultimately decide the outcome of the game, although it obviously didn’t help the cause, either.

That understanding that players are human and to err is human is rather refreshing in what can be a cruel sport sometimes like soccer, with a bad bounce or single mistake deciding a game.

But when asked how the veterans try to pick up teammates, especially young teammates, after tough moments, Quakes utilityman Shea Salinas told reporters Sunday that he sees his teammates in the same light he sees himself.

“I think no matter who you are, you’re going to make mistakes in the game,” Salinas said. “It’s unfortunate that it led to a goal, but there’s the time I lost the ball and the guy goes and takes a shot and misses. I’m like ‘Huh, that could have been my fault if he scored,’ so it happens to everyone.

“You tell a guy, ‘Hey, keep going. Keep passing the ball. Keep building up out of the back and it’s going to be fine. JT and Tanner have both played incredible games for us the last three games, and they played great tonight, so they’re going to keep doing it,” he added.

To an extent, that sentiment lends a window into the team ethic inside the Earthquakes locker room, which remains strong even as the results have been up and down this season. And with the manager and teammates supporting one another, in good times and bad, it would seem to set the stage for the Quakes to bounce back and pick up results again, perhaps as soon as Wednesday’s clash against bitter rival LA Galaxy. Time will tell.

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