Quakes lose Pitchkolan, fall to TFC

Defender suffers groin strain while trying to prevent final Toronto goal

Darren Huckerby enthralled the Buck Shaw crowd with his first-half equalizer. (J. Todd/Getty)

Barrett opened the scoring in the fifth minute, then assisted on Pablo Vitti's game winning goal in the 54th, before capping off a strong offensive night by scoring another goal in the 69th to give Toronto their second road victory of the season.

For the Earthquakes, they not only lost the game, but also will have to do without defender Aaron Pitchkolan for a while, who went down injured in the second half on a play that led to the final Toronto goal.

Frank Yallop made three changes from the San Jose side that tied Salt Lake last week. Simon Elliott replaced Antonio Ribeiro in the middle, and with Ramiro Corrales and Bobby Convey out with injuries, Darren Huckerby returned to the left wing while Michael Zaher started at left back.

Toronto was coming off a bye week, and made only one change in the side that lost to Salt Lake two weeks ago. With Rookie of the Year candidate Sam Cronin called into the U.S. side for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Jim Brennan moved up from defense to midfield, while Marvell Wynne returned to the backline.

The Earthquakes have not had a clean sheet this season, and Toronto tested them early in the match. Toronto's first chance just over a minute into the game, when Vitti cut in from the right end line and tried to beat San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon at the near post. Cannon punched away the shot; the rebound fell to Amado Guevara at the top of the box for a volley that was blocked by the defense.

In the fifth minute, Toronto got on the scoreboard. Barrett took a pass from Dwayne De Rosario inside the box, and from the right side fired a low shot that beat Cannon cleanly inside the left post.

Barrett almost scored again a minute later. From the left wing, Brennan's cross found Barrett charging up the middle, but Barrett's open header from six yards out but missed wide right.

San Jose started to come alive as the game approached the half-hour mark. In the 27th minute, a deflected ball popped high in the air 10 yards from goal. Ryan Johnson positioned himself well to block on-rushing goalkeeper Stefan Frei from the ball, and attempted a bicycle kick that was cleared off the line by Carl Robinson.

Two minutes later, Elliott pounced on a loose ball and ripped a shot from 25 yards out that Frei did well to parry over the crossbar.

In the 32nd minute, San Jose tied the game. Johnson ran down a long ball from Arturo Alvarez inside the penalty area, and held off a pair of defenders before laying it off to an open Darren Huckerby. From 15 yards, Huckerby slotted the ball home with his left foot, beating Frei inside the left post.

Both teams had good chances just before halftime. In the 44th minute, San Jose's Pablo Campos stole the ball from Garcia and broke in alone on goal. Frei came off his line to snuff out Campos' toe poke shot from 10 yards out. Then Guevara chipped a pass from the right side to an open De Rosario, six yards from goal. De Rosario's snap header went right to the San Jose goalkeeper. Toronto regained the lead early in the second half after playing a series of passes in the air inside the San Jose penalty area. In the 54th minute, Barrett's header reached Nana Attakora for a header 12 yards from goal, that was in turn headed into the net by Vitti from eight yards out, beating a flat-footed Cannon inside the left post.

Cornell Glen came on for Campos in the 59th minute as San Jose looked to reignite their offense. A minute later, Glen took a pass on the right wing and cut toward the corner of the penalty area, unleashing a shot that curled just wide of the far post.

Toronto scored their third goal in the 69th minute. A De Rosario long ball out of the back looked like it was going to be played by Pitchkolan in midfield, but the San Jose defender fell to the turf injured (later diagnosed as a left groin strain), allowing Barrett to collect the ball and walk in alone on goal. Cannon came out to challenge Barrett near the top of the penalty area, but Barrett dribbled around him and tapped it into the empty net.

At the restart, Shea Salinas came on for Pitchkolan, and in the 80th minute Quincy Amarikwa replaced Johnson as San Jose tried to battle back.

Toronto countered by replacing Barrett with Danny Dichio, and fell back to a defensive posture. Still, Toronto had their chances: Vitti's 20-yard blast from the left side had to be punched over the bar by Cannon in the 86th minute, while the Earthquakes struggled to get a clear shot on goal. Zaher's 20-yarder from a sharp angle on the left wing in the 89th minute was no problem for Toronto's goalkeeper.

With the win, Toronto improves their record to 7-6-4, and moved into a tie atop the Eastern Conference with the Chicago Fire. Meanwhile, San Jose falls to 3-9-4 on the season, and remains in the West cellar.

The Earthquakes now travel to Chicago to face the Fire next Saturday.

Pete Ratajczak is a contributor to MLSnet.com.

• Facebook
• Supporter Comments
• Email
• Print

MLSnet.com Comments

• 

  Sign up to receive eNews from the Quakes

• 

  Quakes to host RSL in 2010 opener

• 

  Earthquakes to hold open tryouts

• 

  Wolff reveals new stadium design