Quakes, Red Bulls look to stay sharp
San Jose hosts New York in final regular season meeting between clubs
BUCK SHAW STADIUM, Santa Clara, Calif.
Oct. 3, 2009 (WEEK 29) / MLS Game #204
8 p.m. PT (FSC/FSE)
Although the San Jose Earthquakes and New York Red Bulls sit at the foot of their respective conferences, they are two of the hotter teams in Major League Soccer as they meet Saturday at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Earthquakes are just mathematically alive for a place in the MLS Cup Playoffs after their 2-1 win at D.C. United last weekend, the club's first road win in 16 months that stretched their unbeaten run to three games. The Red Bulls have been eliminated from playoff contention, but are 2-2-1 since Richie Williams took over after last weekend's 1-1 draw at Chivas USA.
REFEREE: Steven DePiero. SAR (bench): Hector Vergara; JAR (opposite): David Bragg; 4th: Jasen Anno MLS Career: 9 games; FC/gm: 25.9; Y/gm: 2.8; R: 1; pens: 1
INJURY REPORT: SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES - OUT: MF Darren Huckerby (R hip surgery); DOUBTFUL: FW Cornell Glen (R knee sprain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Andre Luiz (R ankle sprain); MF Shea Salinas (L hamstring strain) ... NEW YORK RED BULLS - OUT: MF Jorge Rojas (L knee hyperextension); FW John Wolyniec (L ankle sprain); MF Nick Zimmerman (R ankle contusion); DF Carlos Mendes (hip surgery); QUESTIONABLE: DF Walter Garcia (L hamstring strain); PROBABLE: Kevin Goldthwaite (adductor injury)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: SJ: Arturo Alvarez, Aaron Pitchkolan ... NY: Seth Stammler
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: SJ: Quincy Amarikwa, Ramiro Corrales, Darren Huckerby, Ryan Johnson, Chris Leitch, Brandon McDonald, Shea Salinas, Chris Wondolowski ... NY: Danleigh Borman, Carlos Johnson, Mike Petke, Dane Richards
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (27 meetings): Earthquakes 13 wins (2 shootout), 42 goals ... Red Bulls 8 wins (0 shootout), 39 goals ... Ties 6
AT SAN JOSE (13 meetings): Earthquakes 9 wins (0 shootout), 27 goals ... Red Bulls 2 wins (0 shootout), 14 goals ... Ties 2
• The New York last won on a trip to northern California in 2003, a 2-0 win at Spartan Stadium. The Quakes have won of the last four meetings at home, with two draws.
• San Jose's win at Giants Stadium in the last match there before the club's hiatus from league play, a 1-0 win in 2005, was the first for the Earthquakes in New Jersey since a 2-1 win in 1999.
• The teams have played the teams have played two of the highest-scoring games in MLS annals: a 4-4 draw on July 2, 2003 in East Rutherford, and a 5-5 draw on May 8, 2004 in San Jose, the 10 total goals tied for the second-most in a single game in league history.
• The teams met on April 29 at Buck Shaw Stadium, and the Red Bulls advanced in the U.S. Open Cup with a 2-1 defeat of the Earthquakes in a U.S. Open Cup play-in match. The visitors took the lead in the second minute when Mike Petke scored, but Pablo Campos pulled the Quakes level in the 71st minute. But just nine minutes later, John Wolyniec scored the game-winner.
• Coaches record: Frank Yallop vs. NY: P13 W3 L5 D5 ... Richie Williams v SJ: first game
LAST MEETING (MLS):
5/8: NY 4, SJ 1 (Rojas 7, 13; Angel 22; Kandji 40 - Johnson 45)
• The Red Bulls exploded for a 4-1 victory against the Earthquakes in the first league meeting between the clubs this season, May 8 at Giants Stadium.
• The Red Bulls had a four-goal lead before the game reached halftime. Jorge Rojas scored twice in the opening 13 minutes, first swinging in a freekick that narrowly missed the head of Kevin Goldthwaite, yet froze the 'keeper as it slipped untouched inside the left post (7). Then Carlos Johnson sent in a throw-in from the right corner that was flicked on by Mac Kandji at the near post where Rojas nodded home from close range at the back stick.
• New York made it 3-0 in the 22nd minute when Albert Celades unleashed Kandji on the right flank and he sent a rolling cross to the back post where Juan Pablo Angel swept it home. Then Kandji made it four in the 40th minute, stripping a San Jose defender of the ball and racing in alone before slotting it past Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon.
• The Earthquakes pulled a goal back five minutes later when the Red Bulls couldn't clear a bouncing ball and Ramiro Corrales headed a pass to Ryan Johnson, who nodded in his third marker on the campaign.
• Here's Juan Carlos Osorio's team (4-4-2): Danny Cepero - Carlos Johnson, Kevin Goldthwaite, Mike Petke, Alfredo Pacheco - Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Seth Stammler, Albert Celades (Dane Richards 64), Jorge Rojas (Danleigh Borman 73) - Juan Pablo Angel (John Wolyniec 80), Macoumba Kandji. Substitutes Not Used: Jon Conway, Jeremy Hall, Carlos Mendes, Juan Pietravallo
• Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Joe Cannon - Chris Leitch, Nick Garcia, Kelly Gray, Eric Denton - Arturo Alvarez, Ramiro Corrales, Aaron Pitchkolan (Shea Salinas 71), Bobby Convey - Ryan Johnson (Quincy Amarikwa 67), Cam Weaver (Pablo Campos 87). Substitutes Not Used: Simon Elliott, Brandon McDonald, Andrew Weber, Michael Zaher
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
The San Jose Earthquakes ran their late-season unbeaten streak to a season-long three games in stunning fashion, coming back from a goal down for a 2-1 victory against D.C. United on Sunday afternoon at RFK Stadium. The Earthquakes have 25 points from 25 matches on the year, still in eighth place in the Western Conference, 18 points behind the first-place Houston Dynamo.
LAST MATCH
• D.C. United came into the game narrowly hanging on to the last wild card spot in the playoff chase, despite losing for the first time at home in their last match, a 2-1 loss to Seattle. The Earthquakes were coming off a pair of 1-1 draws in a home-and-home series with Colorado.
• United dominated proceedings from the outset, yet were only a goal to the good by halftime. Chris Pontius turned Ben Olsen down the left flank, and his cross found a cutting Jaime Moreno, who turned home a left-footed shot for his eighth goal on the year and the 130th of his league career.
• Twice seeing goals disallowed, the Quakes pulled level in the 58th minute. After a foul some 25 yards straight out from goal, Ramon Sanchez whipped the resulting free kick over the wall and inside Milos Kocic's left-hand post -- the United goalkeeper having come on as a substitute just seconds earlier.
• San Jose then hit for the winner in the 73rd minute. Substitute Arturo Alvarez cut in from the right and saw his shot deflected onto the crossbar. But Ryan Johnson -- who saw those two earlier goals waved off -- came in to send a diving header from the rebound into the goal for his ninth of the season.
• Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop made two changes to the team from the 1-1 draw at Colorado at midweek. Andrew Weber made his first start of the season, coming into goal in place of Joe Cannon, and Simon Elliott came into the midfield for the injured Andre Luiz.
• Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Andrew Weber - Bobby Burling (Arturo Alvarez 46), Brandon McDonald, Jason Hernandez, Ramiro Corrales - Chris Leitch, Ramon Sanchez, Simon Elliott, Bobby Convey - Ryan Johnson, Chris Wondolowski. Substitutes Not Used: Quincy Amarikwa, Mike Graczyk, Aaron Pitchkolan, Antonio Ribeiro, Michael Zaher
TEAM NEWS
• For the Earthquakes, it was their first road victory of the season and first in their last 20 matches. The Quakes' last road win was a 2-0 win at Columbus on June 7, 2008.
• "We've been very close in a lot of the games this year, but we had not quite gotten it done. I'm really proud of the way we've not lost faith in the way we can play away from home," Yallop said. "And then to see the game out against a D.C. side that was pushing forward and had chances. Obviously, they missed a couple at the end, but I thought our guys really stuck to the task at hand."
• After missing two games to a hamstring strain, Arturo Alvarez did not start against United, but his insertion at halftime turned the tide.
• "Putting Arturo on made a big difference to our team. He's dynamic, he's quick; it gave Ryan Johnson a bit more space to run around," said Yallop. "At halftime we have made some adjustments before and they have really worked and today was the same thing. We went out trying to make sure were nice and solid defensively and see how the game pans out."
• Chris Leitch had started the game on the right side of midfield for the second successive match, with Bobby Burling slotting in at right back. Alvarez came into the wide midfield role; in his last two starts (8/22 v KC; 8/29 v NE), he had played as an out-and-out striker.
• "He brought a big spark to the team and that is why I think the team played much better in the second half," Ramiro Corrales said. "I think we moved the ball better than in the first half and when Arturo came in it helped a lot; he holds the ball pretty well and we can play off of him."
• Johnson scored his second goal in the last three games, all since returning to the starting lineup after coming off the substitutes' bench for back-to-back matches.
• "Ryan's done really well. He had a great start to the season, scoring for us when we weren't playing very well to be honest," said Yallop. "He has come back into the team refreshed and really ready to go and injury-free. He's a great kid and he really works hard."
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls continued their late-season run of positive results, coming back with a late equalizer for a 1-1 draw with Chivas USA on Saturday evening at The Home Depot Center. The Red Bulls have 18 points from 27 matches on the season, sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, 28 points off the pace of Eastern Conference leaders Columbus Crew.
LAST MATCH
• Chivas USA were coming off a scoreless draw at Seattle, their sixth attacking shutout in nine games -- and 10th defensive shutout of the season. The Red Bulls were 2-1-1 under interim coach Richie Williams after a 1-1 home draw with New England the previous Friday.
• Chivas finally broke through of a dour match in the 64th minute. Sacha Kljestan strode forward out of the midfield and let fly from nearly 30 yards, his shot taking a deflection off Red Bulls midfielder Seth Stammler and fooling goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul for his fourth on the season.
• But with six minutes left, the Red Bulls evened terms. Sinisa Ubiparipovic flighted in a cross from the left flank and Juan Pablo Angel was left all alone in the heart of the area, heading home for his 10th goal on the season.
• There was one final twist in the tale. Andrew Boyens was adjudged to have handled a ball in a goalmouth melee, and Kljestan stepped to the spot for a stoppage-time penalty kick. But he pulled his effort just outside the left-hand post.
• Red Bulls interim head coach Richie Williams made three changes to the team that played to a 1-1 draw with the New England Revolution at home the Friday before. Albert Celades and Juan Pablo Angel returned from injury and Carlos Johnson also came back into the team, in place of Luke Sassano and the injured John Wolyniec and Jorge Rojas.
• Here's Williams' team (4-1-3-2): Bouna Coundoul -Carlos Johnson, Mike Petke, Andrew Boyens, Jeremy Hall - Seth Stammler - Dane Richards, Albert Celades, Danleigh Borman (Sinisa Ubiparipovic 65)- Juan Pablo Angel (Luke Sassano 89), Macoumba Kandji. Substitutes Not Used: Danny Cepero, Leo Krupnik, Matthew Mbuta
TEAM NEWS
• While it still wasn't a win, the Red Bulls were able to come away with a point for just the second time in 13 road games this season, scoring just their third road goal. They have games at San Jose (Oct. 3) and Real Salt Lake (Oct. 14) remaining to try and end a road winless streak that has now reached 25 games (0-18-7) since a 2-1 win at the LA Galaxy on May 10, 2008.
• "At the end of the day, they're just doing an overall good job and that's great to see," Williams said. "Three games left here and we're going to try to get that win that we haven't gotten in 16 months. It's not perfect but the guys are at least trying to do the right things for the most part. We make our fair share of mistakes but they make plenty of good plays too and they don't give up and have a good mentality right now."
• Since Williams took over, the Red Bulls have come away with two wins and two draws in five games, on the heels of a five-game losing streak and 13-game winless streak in league play.
• "Give credit to our guys. They hung in there and they've been playing like a team the last five games," he said. "We've gotten leads and we've given them up and we've fought back and gotten goals. We've been behind and fought back and went ahead. The guys have had a great attitude. They're playing as a team, playing together, playing smart."
• After missing two games to injury, Juan Pablo Angel returned to the lineup and scored his 10th goal of the season, the third time in three MLS seasons he's reached double figures in goals. He's scored five goals in his last six games played.
• "As long as Juan Pablo's on the field, I'm expecting him to score goals and that's what he does. It was good strikers do. He took his opportunity on a good ball from Sinisa [Ubiparipovic] and finished it, so that's what we care about from Juan Pablo and he came through for us and it's great," Williams said. "He also broke the franchise record in the process which is a great testament to him in the short period of time that he's been here."
• The goal was 46th with the Red Bulls, giving him the club mark in goals in all competitions, passing Clint Mathis. "I was pleased for the result, and especially just for getting back again into the team. The last couple of games I wasn't involved due to an ankle injury, and to get a result in here is not easy, and also breaking the record I am pleased," Angel said.
