FC Dallas celebrates taking a 1-0 at Avaya Stadium against the San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes came into tonight’s match at Avaya Stadium on a six game winless streak and in desperate need of points sitting in 8th place in the Western Conference. The only problem was that league leaders FC Dallas had no intention of dropping points on the road in a tight Supporters’ Shield race and although it wasn’t always pretty, the game winner sure was as Maximiliano Urruti scored a bicycle kick goal to send the visitors home with a 1-0 win.
From opening kick, Dallas had their foot on the gas, pressuring San Jose into sloppy mistakes and creating dangerous chances and counters but it was the Quakes who would register the first shot on goal. Quincy Amarikwa earned San Jose a free kick at the top of the box in the 4th minute and Anibal Godoy’s attempt on goal forced Dallas keeper, Chris Seitz to making a diving push save to keep the match scoreless.
Dallas would create a better chance on the counter in the 19th minute as Mauro Diaz found space in the center of the field and fed a through ball to a cutting Urruti who was wide open on goal. San Jose keeper David Bingham was forced to step up on Urruti and managed to get a hand to the ball to push it off the post and back to Bingham’s grateful hands.
David Bingham (1) makes an early save on Maximiliano Urruti
San Jose got another chance in the 24th minute as Cordell Cato chased down a ball at the corner flag and kept the ball in play before passing it to Alberto Quintero on the right side of the box. Quintero then turned and put a rolling ball into the center of the box where Chris Wondolowski was able to get the slightest of touches to redirect the ball towards goal but the ball trickled just wide of the post.
Quintero would then pick up the first yellow card of the match for a high elbow to Kellyn Acosta in the 29th minute and then in the 31st minute Matt Hedges would pick up a yellow himself for tripping Amarikwa at the top of the box as he attacked the Dallas center backs.
Godoy again would take the free kick for San Jose, this time smacking the front of the crossbar and rebounding into the box before being cleared away.
Keeper Chris Seitz watches with the rest of Avaya Stadium as Anibal Godoy’s free kick rebounds off the crossbar.
Dallas would force Bingham into another impressive save in the 37th minute, this time from Diaz himself as he danced around multiple defenders in the box to get an open look at goal but again the Quakes’ keeper was big in goal to push the shot wide.
Next it was Seitz’s turn to make a big save in the 42nd minute, continuing the trend of great goalkeeping, as Quintero’s cross into the Dallas box found Shea Salinas for the half volley at the right corner of the 6-yard box only to have the shot turned wide.
The ensuing corner kick was well placed into the center of the box, finding Amarikwa as he rose above his defender to get a head on the ball but his shot would go just over the crossbar and the half would end scoreless.
Dallas would take the lead after 51 minutes as Dias crossed the ball towards the back post to an open Michael Barrios who headed a cross through the center of the box. His cross found Marvell Wynne who tried to clear with his left foot but the ball just popped up in the center of the box for Urruti who lept in the air for a bicycle kick and put the shot past Bingham.
Urruti almost had a brace just minutes later as Dallas began to breakdown the San Jose defense as Diaz fed a precise through ball between the Quakes back line but Urruti’s shot would hit the post.
Things then got worse for San Jose as Wynne had to come out of the game with an apparent muscle injury in the 58th minute to be replaced by Jordan Stewart.
Needing some creativity in the midfield now down a goal, Quakes coach Dominic Kinnear made the call to Matias Perez Garcia to come on for Shea Salinas in the 61st minute to try and spark the still struggling offense that had only scored once in three games.
The Quakes looked to have gotten the equalizer in the 68th minute as Seitz botched the grab on a San Jose corner and the ball found it’s way into the net, but the referee blew the play dead as it was Godoy colliding into Seitz that forced the keeper into dropping the ball.
San Jose continued the pressure and had another chance on goal off of a Perez Garcia free kick that was just missed by Stewart and then almost curled inside the far post but instead went just wide in the 70th minute.
Jordan Stewart laments barely missing a cross from Matias Perez Garcia.
Perez Garcia got another chance in the 75th minute again from a free kick as this time the ball pinballed off a number of players in the box before falling to Perez Garcia at the top of the box for a shot on target but the attempt was blocked as it tried to find space in a congested box.
With 13 minutes and stoppages remaining Kinnear went for broke, pulling center defender Victor Bernardez in the 77th minute and replacing him with forward Chad Barrett who scored the late equalizer last home match against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Simon Dawkins would force Seitz to make another big save in the 82nd minute with a low shot from about 12 yards out and the ball bounced out for a corner.
As the Quakes continued to search for a late goal, their passing and ball control let them down time and time again, conceding possession and allowing Dallas to relieve the pressure and counter attack.
Give credit to Dallas though who did a fantastic job killing off the game late and was probably described best by the late pickpocket of Godoy by Matt Hedges who then turned upfield and beat another San Jose defender to move the ball into the Quakes defensive end and ice the match.
The loss marks San Jose’s first loss at home since September 5th for a total of 13 games and makes their climb out of 8th place in the West that much more difficult.
Dallas on the other hand extends their Supporters’ Shield lead out to 4 points although they have played three more matches than second place Colorado.
Summary:
San Jose: Bingham; Cato, Wynne (Stewart 58’), Bernardez (Barrett 77’), Francis; Quintero, Godoy, Dawkins, Salinas (Perez Garcia 61’); Wondolowski, Amarikwa
Dallas: Seitz; Harris, Zimmerman, Hedges, Figueroa; Grueso, Acosta; Barrios (Akindele 84’), Diaz (Ulloa 78’), Castillo; Urruti (Hollingshead 73’)
Discipline:
San Jose: Quintero (Caution 29’), Godoy (Caution 59’)
Dallas: Hedges (Caution 31’), Diaz (Caution 60’), Harris (Caution 72’)
Goals:
San Jose: None
Dallas: Urruti 51’ (Unassisted)
San Jose Earthquakes
