Marco Urena celebrating his goal with the supporters at home (San Jose, CA – Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake at Avaya Stadium, June 24,2017-photo credit Lyndsay Radnedge).
After a lifeless zero-to-zero draw last week at home, the San Jose Earthquakes came out with renewed energy against visiting Real Salt Lake, as they outplayed their opponents to a 2-1 win. Danny Hoesen started the scoring for San Jose and Marco Ureña doubled the tally after terrorizing his defenders all match. Real struggled to find much of a footing in the match and were only able to pull back a goal in the final seconds of the match.
The match started with the sides trading early scoring chances as Hoesen got behind the defense in the first minute but put his shot wide right only for Yura Movsisyan to practically recreate the chance two minutes later.
Both sides continued to let the game open up and play at a high tempo, with seeking passes and shots at goal a plenty for both sides.
Ureña took advantage of the chances with a shot off the post for the Quakes in the 13th minute only for Hoesen to break the tie seconds later, controlling a cross from Nick Lima and dancing around defenders inside the box before finishing top corner.
Thirty minutes into the match, the Quakes slowed the pace down from its near frantic start as they began to try and limit the chances for Real Salt Lake. San Jose began to settle down playing with the lead and controlling possession as they continued to look for their second goal.
Luke Mulholland holding off Darwin Ceren in a close battle between Real Salt Lake and the San Jose Earthquakes (San Jose, CA – Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake at Avaya Stadium, June 24,2017)
Ureña had a chance to get that second goal in the 32nd minute as Jahmir Hyka fed a well timed through ball to the forward but Ureña ended up too wide of goal and couldn’t get enough on his shot.
San Jose continued to take shots at the Real defense as the first half wound down, tallying nine in the first 45 minutes, three of which were blocked and another three on target.
Joao Plata almost tied up the match from a free kick in the 52nd minute but his curled shot around the wall smacked off the side of the post and went wide for a goal kick. Even if it had been on target, David Bingham looked to have made a quick enough reaction to cover his goal anyways.
Ureña again tried to double the lead in the 55th minute as he found space in the right of the box to run right at Rimando at the near post. Real did nicely to limit his passing options and ultimately his only option was to go through the legs of the keeper but Rimando reacted quickly to make the save.
Real Salt Lake continued to struggle to link up passes in the midfield and build from the back as they turned the ball over in the midfield time and time again, making it really difficult to relieve pressure on their back line.
Finally in the 68th minute Ureña found the second goal for San Jose as he took off down the right side of the field and from a wide angle, beat Rimando far post. Real was bound to be punished for all the space Ureña was allowed to run in and while Rimando did well to cover his near post, he left just enough open far post for the Quakes forward to sneak the shot into the side netting.
It looked to be smooth sailing for San Jose to close out the match but Lima made it a bit tougher for the home side in the 71st minute as he picked up his second yellow card in a span of four minutes to take the Quakes down a man.
Even playing 10-on-11 San Jose looked the more dangerous side as with ten minutes to play the Quakes continued to push for another goal and keep Real on the back foot.
Coach Dominic Kinnear was forced to sacrifice Ureña for a defender by the red card to Lima as he brought on Kofi Sarkodie, but after that he brought on two offensive substitutes in Shea Salinas and later Tommy Thompson as the Quakes felt limited defensive pressure from Real.
San Jose’s confidence was sky high as they closed out the match, still pushing for an extra goal until the final seconds but they would be robbed a clean sheet because of it.
In the second minute of added time Bingham was called on to make a save on Aaron Maund after a Brooks Lennon cross found his head in the center of the box. Bingham was able to get a hand on it and push it over the bar but minutes later Real would find the net.
Jose Hernández scored his first goal of the season just seconds after the required three added minutes passed as quick passing from Luke Mulholland and Sebastián Saucedo gave Hernández a open look on net. David Bingham tried to come out to cut down the angle but Hernández was able to score near post as lazy defending from the Quakes defense gave him plenty of time to pick his shot just before the end of the match.
Summary
San Jose: Bingham; Lima, Bernárdez, Imperiale, Cato; Hoesen (Salinas 74’), Godoy, Cerén, Hyka (Thompson 86’); Wondolowski, Ureña (Sarkodie 73’)
Real Salt Lake: Rimando; Glad, Wingert (Saucedo 74’) , Maund, Acosta; Mulholland, Silva (Hernández 85’); Lennon, Savarino (Velasco 81’), Plata; Movsisyan
Goals
San Jose: Hoesen 13’, Ureña (68’ Hoesen)
Real Salt Lake:
Discipline
San Jose: Imperiale (Caution 50’), Lima (Caution 67’), Lima (2nd Caution, Ejection 71’)
Real Salt Lake: Saucedo (Caution 89’)
San Jose Earthquakes
