San Jose celebrates Chris Wondolowski’s (8) goal against the Colorado Rapids
The rain relented and the sun peeked through the clouds over Avaya Stadium as the San Jose Earthquakes hosted the Colorado Rapids on opening day of the MLS season. After a disappointing 2015, both sides were looking for a good start to the new season. San Jose would leave the happier side as the Quakes won their first season opener since 2012. Colorado looked the more dangerous side but failed to convert their chances to at least take a point.
Colorado earned the first free kick of the match in the 3rd minute and used it to force keeper David Bingham into an uncomfortable but caught save.
A minute later the Quakes earned their first free kick from similar position but were unable to test the keeper.
San Jose continued to probe balls into the Rapids’ box but each attempt was met by a Rapid defender and cleared away. Colorado managed to use their clearances and the Quakes attack to get chances on the counter but the attack was consistently broken down by the San Jose defenders.
The first great chance of the match came in the 10th minute from Quincy Amarikwa turning his defender on the sideline and having a wide open run on goal. Amarikwa waited too long to take a chance on goal though and had the ball tackled from behind by Jared Watts.
Although San Jose looked to be getting the better chances and controlling the match, it was the Rapids who lead the possession battle 70%-30% after the first 20 minutes.
Colorado would use that possession to earn the first corner of the match and forced Bingham into an aggressive punch to clear the danger. Colorado managed to retain possession after but could not get a dangerous ball on target,
San Jose would get their first corner of the game in the 23rd minute and the cross almost found the head of Chris Wondolowski wide open in the box after his defender slipped but the ball skimmed off the top of his head.
Thirty minutes into the match, San Jose still hadn’t taken a shot against the Rapids, let alone a shot on goal. While they began to retain more possession, Colorado still maintained a 65% to 35% possession lead.
San Jose was again denied a scoring opportunity by Watts as Shea Salinas cross sent in for Wondolowski was broken up and cleared for a corner.
In the 40th minute David Bingham was called to action again, this time making a save on a Dillon Powers free kick that was curling towards the top corner of the goal.
Referee Ted Unkle went to the book in the 44th minute, issuing Michael Azira a yellow card for a bad tackle on Amarikwa.
It wasn’t until the 45th minute that San Jose got a shot on goal as Shea Salinas took a soft shot at keeper Zac MacMath from the top of the box. MacMath easily caught the shot and the first half ended shortly after.
Within seconds of the second half whistle, San Jose took the lead thanks to a Wondolowski header, completely overshadowing the MLS debut of 3rd round pick Kip Colvey who entered at halftime for Shaun Francis who left with a right quad strain. Alberto Quintero gave a perfect lofted ball into the box for Wondo who headed it past MacMath to take a 1-0 lead.
Third round pick Kip Colvey made his San Jose debut in the season opener.
Colorado continued to fight back for an equalizer and almost had one in the 55th minute when Shkelzen Gashi whipped a cross into the box and found the head of Dillon Powers. There wasn’t much power on the shot but with another Colorado attacker right in front of him, Bingham had to scramble to make the save.
With the one goal lead, San Jose didn’t sit back in defense as they have in the past, but instead continued to put pressure on Colorado. The Rapids did well to absorb it and possess against the Quakes, earning a couple of chances on goal, two of which were blocked and one that screamed high over the crossbar.
San Jose almost scored again in the 72nd minute, Salinas put another ball in the box towards the head of Wondolowski as the forward made a diving header and forced MacMath to make a great save to keep Colorado in the match.
In the same minute Anibal Godoy would go into the books for a bad challenge and 3 minutes later Quintero would find his name there as well for persistent infringement and then be subbed off for Tommy Thompson.
Colorado would have to make a change in the 79th minute as Marlon Hairston went down with an injury. Midfielder Marco Pappa would make his Colorado debut as colorado added another attacking option to try and bring the game level.
In the 83rd minute after a Colorado corner, San Jose countered and found Thompson open on the left side of the box. Thompson took a shot on goal but MacMath made a nice save to deny the midfielder.
Tommy Thompson holds his head in frustration after his shot was saved by Colorado keeper Zac MacMath.
Next it was Bingham who would have to make a stretching save as Eric Miller uncorked a shot from the top left of the 18-yard-box towards the far corner of the goal only to have it tipped high by the keeper.
Miller would again create problems for the Quakes as he whipped in a cross that found the head of Pappa only to have his header skim off the outside of the post.
In the end the Quakes would hold on to their 1-0 lead and take all three points in the opener.
Recap
Referee: Ted Unkle
Lineups:
San Jose: Bingham; Bernardez, Goodson, Francis (Colvey HT), Wynne; Salinas (Silva 90’), Quintero (Thompson 75’), Dawkins, Godoy; Wondolowski ©, Amarikwa
Colorado: MacMath; Sjoberg, Watts, Miller, Hairston (Pappa 79’); Cronin, Azira, Gashi (Solignac 67’), Powers, Badji; K. Doyle ©
Goals:
San Jose: Wondolowski 46’ (Quintero)
Colorado: None
Discipline:
San Jose: Godoy (Yellow 72’), Quintero (Yellow 75’)
Colorado: Azira (Yellow 44’), Powers (Yellow 86’)
San Jose Earthquakes
Colorado Rapids
