Wondolowski puts San Jose ahead
Another day, another match on a slippery pitch in the midwest. If the conditions caused some deja vu, Rapids failure to win caused some more. That sole 0-4 win in Dallas is increasingly looking like a fluke given the form of both sides.
After three straight 1-1 draws, the Rapids needed badly to add to their one win. San Jose were coming off a win in Dom Kinnear’s old stamping ground in Houston. Instead, the Rapids drew their fourth straight joining Houston and Portland on ten points at the foot of the Western Conference.
The Quakes struck first after a long string of passes won them a corner. Chris Wondolowski pounced on uncertainty caused by an intelligent Sanna Nyassi header to bury a near post effort behind Irwin in 19 minutes. His touch and control to fool Irwin were better than the conditions deserved. Before half time, he headed straight into Irwin when he had time to place better.
The Quakes had been hungrier and busier in the first 45 with Nyassi especially looking hungry to chase, harry and run.
The invisible Dom Badji did not come out for the second half with Vicente Sanchez arriving to add some guile to the helter skelter nature of the first half Rapids’ engine room. Gaby Torres moved to striker with Sanchez occupying right mid. It [roved to be a smart move by Pablo Mastroeni.
The Rapids began to be more competitive but David Bingham had little to do until the 65th minute when he dove well to palm away a long range effort from Sanchez.
Photos; Corbin Elliot
Kinnear brought on defender Jordan Stewart for the tired Nyassi in 67′. Cordell Cato left full back to play right mid.
Sanchez continued to tease the Quakes, winning a free kick 30 yards out and taking it himself. The wall held but David Bingham began to yell a little more at his defenders than he had been. By the 70th minute, San Jose had totally bunkered down. Kinnear wasn’t happy with it and introduced Matias Perez Garcia for the hardworking Tommy Thompson.
The Rapids were finally showing some urgency but the look on Kinnear’s face expressed little angst. Sanchez again fired from distance and Renato’s face inadvertently saved. Binghan was called into serious action by pawing over an Axel Sjoberg header.
Kinnear removed Shea Salinas for Leandro Barrera for the last five minutes. Then the excitement really began. Dillon Powers set up Charles Eloundou with four minutes to go and he blasted over when faced with just Bingham, a very poor miss.
The Rapids continued to press and were helped by the addition of a very generous five minutes stoppage time. Adam Jahn could in fact have doubled the Quakes lead but poked the ball wide under pressure from Drew Moor who never quit.
San Jose paid for that when James Riley stole a point when he headed a Bingham punch over everybody and into the net. Bingham had to save at length from Powers before the scorer hit the post in a late effort to take the game.
