Preview: Quakes, Sounders go at it again at Buck Shaw

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES vs SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
BUCK SHAW STADIUM, Santa Clara, Calif.
August 11, 2012 (WEEK 23, MLS Game #219)
7:30 p.m. PT (CSN-CA; KONG)

A key match at the top end of the Western Conference table is ahead on Saturday evening when the San Jose Earthquakes play host to Seattle Sounders FC at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Quakes return to action after a weekend off, their match a 1-1 draw with Chicago that maintained their place atop the West and the MLS overall table. Sounders FC are coming off a 4-0 rout of the LA Galaxy at home, now sitting in third in the division, just five points out of the top spot.

REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. AR1 (bench): Mike Kampmeinert; AR2 (opposite): Paul Scott; 4th: Alejandro Mariscal
MLS Career: 139 games; FC/gm: 25.0; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 48; pens: 51

DOWNLOAD FULL GAME GUIDE HERE (PDF)

INJURY REPORT:

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES – OUT: MF Jean-Marc Alexandre (R knee MCL sprain); MF Joey Gjertsen (R knee surgery); DF Tim Ward (L non-specific soft tissue injury); QUESTIONABLE: MF Marvin Chavez (L hamstring strain)

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC – OUT: FW Babayele Sodade (R knee ACL tear); FW David Estrada (L foot fracture)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: SJ: Alan Gordon (through Aug. 18); Frank Yallop (head coach)

WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: SEA: Eddie Johnson, Andy Rose

SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: SJ: Rafael Baca, Victor Bernardez, Marvin Chavez, Ramiro Corrales, Steven Lenhart, Mehdi Ballouchy … SEA: Fredy Montero, Zach Scott, Marc Burch

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (8 meetings): Earthquakes 3 wins, 10 goals … Sounders FC 4 wins, 9 goals … Ties 1

AT SAN JOSE (4 meetings): Earthquakes 1 win, 6 goals … Sounders FC 1 wins, 3 goals … Ties 1

FUTURE MATCH: 9/22: Seattle Sounders FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 7 p.m. PT

The teams are meeting for the second time in league play this season, after a Chris Wondolowski penalty kick was the difference in a 1-0 San Jose victory, March 31 at CenturyLink Field.
Sounders FC also won 1-0 in an Open Cup quarterfinal, on a goal from Cordell Cato, June 26 at Buck Shaw Stadium.
Sounders FC have come away with points on each of their last two league visits to Buck Shaw Stadium, the 2-2 draw last year following a 1-0 Seattle win in 2011.
The Quakes have won on their last two visits to CenturyLink Field, a 1-0 victory last year and in the first meeting this season.
Coaches record: Frank Yallop vs. SEA: P8 W3 L4 D1 … Sigi Schmid vs. SJ: P28 W14 L9 D5

LAST MEETING (MLS)
3/31: SEA 0, SJ 1 (Wondolowski 24)

The game's only goal came after 24 minutes. While preparing for a cross from Marvin Chávez, Steven Lenhart was bundled into by Sounders FC defender Marc Burch, and referee Mark Kadlecik pointed to the spot.
Chris Wondolowski stepped up and converted the penalty past goalkeeper Michael Gspurning for what would prove to be the game-winner.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (4-4-2): Michael Gspurning - Zach Scott, Patrick Ianni, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (Jeff Parke 46), Marc Burch - Christian Sivebaek (Sammy Ochoa 62), Servando Carrasco (Alex Caskey 74), Osvaldo Alonso, Alvaro Fernandez - Fredy Montero, David Estrada.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (4-4-2): Jon Busch - Steven Beitashour, Justin Morrow, Victor Bernardez, Ramiro Corrales (Jason Hernandez 46) - Marvin Chavez (Simon Dawkins 89), Sam Cronin, Rafael Baca, Shea Salinas - Chris Wondolowski, Steven Lenhart (Alan Gordon 67).

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
The San Jose Earthquakes return to action after a weekend off, their last match a dramatic 1-1 draw with the Chicago Fire on July 28 at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Quakes lead the Western Conference with 44 points from 23 games.

LAST MATCH
HIGHLIGHTS: SJ 1, CHI 1

The Fire took the lead in the 37th minute. Chris Rolfe slipped in front of the Quakes’ back four to receive a pass from Patrick Nyarko, and curled a perfectly placed effort with the outside of his boot inside the left post from beyond the area.
The Quakes went a man down well into stoppage time after Quakes striker Alan Gordon was sent off following a second caution.
But there were yet late heroics for the home side. A long ball was chested down by Chris Wondolowski at the edge of the area, and Steven Lenhart ripped a low drive through the crowded area and into the corner of the goal for the equalizer, eight minutes deep into added time.
Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop made two changes to the team that dropped a 2-1 decision to Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place. Jed Zayner came in at right back for Steven Beitashour, and Shea Salinas started on the wing for Marvin Chavez.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (4-4-2): Jon Busch - Jed Zayner (Sam Garza 72), Jason Hernandez, Victor Bernardez (Ike Opara 81), Justin Morrow - Shea Salinas, Sam Cronin, Rafael Baca (Steven Lenhart 59), Simon Dawkins - Chris Wondolowski, Alan Gordon (sent off 93+).

TEAM NEWS

The 98th-minute equalizer from Steven Lenhart against Chicago was the third-latest ever scored in MLS, and the second-latest scored to secure a result (an own goal was scored nine minutes into stoppage time in a 1-1 Dallas-Columbus draw in 2002).
It was, remarkably, the fourth goal scored in stoppage time to gain a victory or a draw this season by San Jose. The Quakes have scored 16 of their 45 total goals after the 76th minute.
“We never say die and we never come into a game or at any moment in the game do we think that we are going to lose,” said Lenhart. “I think we have had that mentality all season. We are very strong as a team with our focus and determination.”
Lenhart was making his first appearance since July 3, and his goal was his first since scoring the opener in the 4-3 win vs. the LA Galaxy on June 30.
“I am just happy for him. He’s got seven goals now and it couldn’t happen to a better guy,” said Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop. “He has fought through a lot and he is a great person and a great teammate. Everyone in this locker room is happy for him when he does well and he came through. That was a great strike and it got us a valuable point.”
While he was kept from adding to his MLS Golden Boot-leading goals total for a third consecutive game – the first time over the past three seasons he has gone three full games without scoring a goal – Chris Wondolowski did add his fifth assist of the season.
“It was a great layoff from Wondo,” said Lenhart. “I just was able to finish his pass. We have a great partnership between everyone on the team to be honest. We prepare well and we show up to play the entire game. The credit goes to Wondo, though. He is a special player and he gave me a great ball.”
Shea Salinas contributed his fourth assist over the last four matches.
Rafael Baca and Sam Cronin formed the central midfield partnership for the seventh consecutive match.
“In a 90-minute game, we play one way – we high press, we try to win the ball back in their defensive half and try to get an effort on goal,” Yallop said. “Although we may be a better possession team than we have been in the last few years, we’re more of a team that’s pretty direct: We get it wide, we get crosses in, we get chances. And I think that it comes from our pressure. It comes from us working as a unit.”
With Steven Beitashour suspended for yellow card accumulation, Jed Zayner made his Earthquakes debut, playing 72 minutes at right back.
“Obviously Jed has a lot of experience in this league and he is a great professional and can step in and do the job at any time,” said Jason Hernandez. “I thought he played a great game tonight; he was up and down the wing and really contributing on the right side. It was really great to see him get his first action with us and a sign for much more out of him.”
Heading into their weekend off, the Quakes showed late dramatics weren’t limited just two league play, as Steven Lenhart scored twice in the final 10 minutes to leave San Jose with a 2-2 draw with Swansea City FC of the English Premier League.
Here’s the San Jose team: David Bingham (Evan Newton 71), Jed Zayner (Jacob Hustedt 81), Ike Opara, Jason Hernandez, Ramiro Corrales, Sam Garza (Shea Salinas 62), Brad Ring (Thome 81), Khari Stephenson (Rafael Baca 71), Mehdi Ballouchy (Simon Dawkins 62), Sercan Guvenisik (Chris Wondolowski 71), Cesar Diaz Pizarro (Steven Lenhart 62).

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
Seattle Sounders FC ran their undefeated streak to six games in impressive fashion, rolling to a 4-0 victory Sunday evening against the LA Galaxy at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC are in third place in the Western Conference with 37 points from 22 games.

LAST MATCH

Sounders FC opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Once again, Mauro Rosales was the one providing service for Eddie Johnson, sending in a cross from about 30 yards that allowed Johnson to hit a glancing header that went just inside the far post.
The lead was doubled in the 51st minute when Fredy Montero powered home a side-footed volley off a rebound from an Alex Caskey shot.
Caskey then got one of his own when he was able to catch Saunders far off his line from about 35 yards out, after the Galaxy goalkeeper made a hurried clearance near the edge of the penalty area under pressure from Johnson.
The rout was complete in the 88th minute. After Marc Burch was freed with a through ball from Rosales, he slid a pass to rookie Andy Rose, who slotted it inside the near post.
Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid made no changes to the team that defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-1 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (4-4-2): Michael Gspurning - Adam Johansson, Jeff Parke, Patrick Ianni, Leo Gonzalez - Mauro Rosales, Brad Evans (Christian Tiffert 64), Osvaldo Alonso, Alex Caskey (Marc Burch 81) - Fredy Montero (Andy Rose 73), Eddie Johnson.

HIGHLIGHTS: SEA 4, LA 0
TEAM NEWS

Sounders FC have won back-to-back games for the first time since winning a club-record five in a row from April 14-May 9.
Sounders FC also matched their MLS club-record margin of victory with the four-goal triumph, and kept a second clean sheet in the last 13 matches, after recording six shutouts in the opening nine games of the league campaign.
“What was important was our reaction to an important game, and it's six-point games when we're playing against the West that keeps us ahead of where we want to go,” said Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid. “I think it sends a message to the other teams, as well, that that streak that everybody was talking about is behind us and we're moving forward.”
Eddie Johnson reached double-figures with his sixth goal in the last seven matches, now in a tie for fifth place in the MLS Golden Boot standings.
“One of the things I put down as my goal is be consistent. The best players in the world are consistent week in and week out and in this league Chris Wondolowski is a perfect example. To score that many goals year after year is something that's hard to do,” said Johnson. “Considering when teams know that you can score goals and their whole scouting report is to stop you scoring goals ... to be considered the best up there with the forwards in the league you have to be consistent.”
Fredy Montero scored his second goal in the last three games. For the third time this season, both Johnson and Montero netted goals in the same game.
“Fredy and I are both competitive players,” Johnson said. “Fredy’s been the guy here. The team’s kind of been playing through him for a couple years. I’m a new player and, when I get on the field, I want the ball as much as he wants the ball. It’s all about doing what’s best for the team. I’ve been a professional for 11 years and sometimes you have to swallow your pride and put your ego aside and do what’s best for the team. The more touches we can get between each other, the more of a rhythm we can get and that’s what we’ve been doing lately, just trying to find each other more and combine more.”
Sounders FC’s Mauro Rosales has six assists in the last six games after his fourth career 2-assist game – and second this season, both in less than a month (also: July 7 vs. Colorado).
Alex Caskey and Andy Rose also contributed their first career MLS goals, to cap the scoreline.
The club’s newest Designated Player, German Christian Siffert, made his MLS debut, coming on for the final 26 minutes.
“I thought he was good,” Schmid said. “He was almost in on that one opportunity off the one-two toe poke. You also saw him make some tackles in the back, so it shows his two-way capabilities. He's going to help us. He's a guy who plays simple, who combines, is hard when he needs to be, and he's the kind of guy who when you watch him is just easy-running and all of a sudden, boom he makes a move and that was like when he got in.”
On Wednesday, Sporting won the U.S. Open Cup for the second time, defeating Seattle Sounders FC on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.
A Kei Kamara penalty kick in the 84th minute for SKC was answered by a Zach Scott goal two minutes to level terms and sent the match into extra time. In the penalty shootout, Sporting converted three of their five attempts while Sounders FC missed on their final three, giving the home side the title and denying Seattle’s historic bid to win a fourth consecutive Open Cup championship.
Here’s the Sounders FC team: Michael Gspurning, Zach Scott, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni, Leo Gonzalez, Mauro Rosales, Osvaldo Alonso, Andy Rose (Christian Tiffert 69), Alex Caskey (Brad Evans 69), Fredy Montero (Marc Burch 106), Eddie Johnson.