Quakes suffer another late breakdown
San Jose gives up lead in 76th minute, settles for draw with Galaxy
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- Highlights: LA 1, SJ 1
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- Quakes settle for draw in California Clasico
The San Jose players were quick to note that the campaign is just five games old, but what is clearly worrying is the air of inevitability that seems to characterize the team's play. Most sides would be galvanized by scoring first, but despite that advantage, San Jose looks like a team that is expecting the worst to happen.
"It's almost like we're waiting for the other shoe to drop," admitted defender Chris Leitch. "The tendency has been if we score first, we are a little bit tentative playing.
"I'm not saying we need to go full bore and throw caution to the wind and commit guys forward. But we've identified the problem and worked on it in training; that we need to continue to play and continue to string passes together to at least possess the ball in their half of the field so that we're relieved and not under so much pressure."
All appeared well in the first half. With the game just five minutes old, Leitch's long pass over the top of the LA defense sprung Pablo Campos on a clear breakaway, and with an eternity to set himself, Campos slipped the ball under an advancing Donovan Ricketts to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
But it was what happened afterwards that set the stage for the eventual stalemate. San Jose created some good chances to pad their lead, with a Campos header in the 20th minute that drew a sharp save from Ricketts the best of the lot.
"In the first half we had some good moments going forward, and we should have gotten the second goal," said manager Frank Yallop. "That would have made a difference, but we didn't quite get there."
That failure to convert proved crucial in the second half. The Galaxy, who created some good chances of their own in the first 45 minutes, grew with confidence after halftime, especially after the introduction of Bryan Jordan in the 56th minute.
The Quakes also seemed mindful of last week's 3-3 tie with Chicago. In that game the team was so intent on getting forward on the counter that their defensive shape was compromised when the ball turned over. Against L.A., San Jose tried to possess the ball more, but almost erred on the conservative side.
"Tonight we wanted to have a mature attack," said goalkeeper Joe Cannon. "But we need to find that balance a little bit, where if we have the lead, we're still getting on top of them."
Instead the Quakes ceded the advantage to an increasingly aggressive L.A. side, who duly took advantage when Jordan nodded home Landon Donovan's cross in the 76th minute.
"Landon just picked a good cross really," said defender Ryan Cochrane. "And it just caught some space there in between the defenders, and [Jordan] made a good finish."
Unfortunately for the Quakes, there is no magic elixir that can improve their ability to close out games. According to Yallop, the only way to build confidence is to first experience a breakthrough on the field, but he admits that is easier said than done.
"I think we need to get through one game 1-0," said Yallop. "We're not confident hanging onto a lead, and it shows in our play ... We had better get [the nervousness] out of our system, because in this league, you have to be ready to play."
Jeff Carlisle is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
