The San Jose Earthquakes saw an opportunity and capitalized on Saturday night.
The Quakes hosted league-leading LAFC at Paypal Park knowing LAFC was playing its third match this week. The Quakes struck first in the match, and while LAFC withstood the challenge by pushing across an equalizer and also showcased its depth in the second half, it was not enough for LAFC, as San Jose eventually pushed across another go-ahead goal and eventually hung on for the 2-1 win.
“It was not our best performance, but it will not derail us,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said.
Fortunately for LAFC (18-5-3, 57 points), the loss didn’t do too much damage in terms of both the Western Conference standings and the Supporters Shield. Austin FC’s loss to Minnesota United earlier in the day maintained LAFC’s nine-point advantage for the top spot in the West, but the Philadelphia Union did close some space in the Supporters Shield race with its 6-0 demolition of DC United, closing them to within six points of LAFC. LAFC did gain something from this weekend, as the result from the Austin/Minnesota match combined with a combination of other results from Saturday’s match clinched a playoff spot for LAFC.
“We want the shield, then we’ll focus on the playoffs,” LAFC keeper Maxime Crepeau said.
San Jose jumped ahead in the 14th minute. Jan Gregus led a Quakes break, then played a ball to Cristian Espinoza on his right. Espinoza, marked by Jhegson Méndez slowed down, then played a ball into a overlapping Tommy Thompson, who immediately touched into the penalty area and played a short pass to Benji Kikanovic just outside the six-yard box and Kikanovic one-timed a shot past Crepeau far post to give San Jose the lead.
LAFC came close to an equalizer in the 40th minute, as Cristian Arango brought down a ball from Jesus David Murillo, turned San Jose defender Nathan, then fired a shot that while it got past JT Marchinkowski, it did not get past the framework, as it went off the crossbar and harmlessly back into play. The Quakes took the lead into halftime, but LAFC finally pushed across the equalizer in the 54th minute, as Kellyn Acosta played Kwadao Opoku into the penalty area, Opoku chipped a ball over Marcinkowski into the back net to level matters.
Sensing the momentum going in its direction, LAFC went for the knockout, bringing in Carlos Vela, Ilie Sanchez and Jose Cifuentes in the 67th minute, then Gareth Bale in the 76th minute. It was San Jose however, that pushed across the go-ahead goal in the 77th minute, almost in the exact same scenario that got them the initial lead. Espinoza dribbled forward towards the penalty area, then again passed to an overlapping Thompson, this time playing him directly into the box. Thompson again crossed to the top of the six, and it was Cade Cowell that played the role of finisher for the Quakes, as an unmarked Cowell blasted a right-footed volley past Crepeau into the back net to put San Jose back in front. Compounding matters for LAFC, Sanchez picked us his second yellow card of the match in the 79th minute, meaning LAFC had to chase a second equalizer down a man the remainder of the match.
LAFC now braces for a massive match on Friday, as they make the trip to the Texas capital to face Austin FC.
