Final: San Jose Earns A Road Point In 2-2 Thriller Against Galaxy

Before kickoff the Earthquakes would have gladly taken a point going up against the best team in MLS on the road. But after losing a one goal lead in the 90th minute off a cross that Jon Busch undoubtedly felt he should have smothered, San Jose will perhaps look at this game as a missed opportunity. If San Jose had held on it would have certainly been the biggest win for the franchise since the Earthquakes name was revived in 2008.

San Jose generally defended heroically, but they too often gave the ball away easily whenever they stopped a Galaxy attack. Arturo Alvarez’s giveaway led to Buddle’s goal, and San Jose’s inability to clear or maintain any possession in the last 10 minutes meant that they had to absorb cross after cross. It was perhaps inevitable that a team of L.A.’s caliber and a player like Landon Donovan would find a way to tie the game.

Still, this is a positive result and something to build on as San Jose continues into the second half of the season in a solid position to make a run at the playoffs for the first time since 2005. The Quakes will look forward to coming back home to face the Seattle Sounders in a very winnable match.

Galaxy substitute Bowen sent in a dangerous, knuckling cross that Jon Busch was unable to handle, and the rebound bounced around before an alert Landon Donovan knocked it home from a few feet out. L.A. had earned the tie at the least, but the late goal will be tough to swallow for San Jose. Four extra minutes are still left to add to this thriller.

Bobby Convey sends a solid corner into the box and some rather poor Galaxy defending gave Brandon McDonald an easy tap in goal! Convey’s cross was initially met by Opara, but Buddle again wasn’t able to hold it and the ball bounced out and off of a Galaxy defender. McDonald slammed the sitter into the net for another shocking Earthquake lead. The goal is completely against the run of play and possession, and the Galaxy will undoubtedly apply even more pressure as they again search for an equalizer. What a match!

Since our last update Donovan picked up a yellow for a handball and Scott Sealy came on to replace Chris Wondolowski.

Edson Buddle continues his torrid MLS goalscoring pace by cleaning up a loose ball inside the six yard box to tie the score. Donovan created the chance with a strong run down the middle before passing left to the outside. The cross came in and bounced around and off a few men (including the potentially offside Alan Gordon) before falling to a wide open Buddle who slotted home easily.

Now even more pressure falls on San Jose to regroup and try to escape L.A. with a tie and a point.

Tons of action early in the half as L.A. presses for an equalizer. Landon Donovan almost created a penalty as he was free on the left side of the box, but he went to the ground too easily and was perhaps lucky to avoid getting carded for simulation. Not long after Busch made a solid save by knocking a dangerous shot from Kovalenko outside the box over the bar. Buddle headed the resulting corner down and it hit off the ground, into the crossbar, off of a defender on the line, and somehow out without clearly crossing the line.

Bobby Burling has picked up a yellow card for San Jose and the Quakes have made their first substitution. Arturo Alvarez has come on for Joey Gjertsen as the Quakes desperately try to hold on to a one goal lead.

San Jose survived the last 15 minutes without incident and sent the Galaxy into the locker room at half trailing for the first time this season. The last 15 minutes of the half were highlighted not by great scoring chances, but by face injuries. Alan Gordon may have suffered a bruised or broken nose when his face collided with Jon Busch’s thigh as Busch claimed a high cross. Just a few minutes later Cornell Glen took an elbow to the face and took a few minutes to recover before returning to the pitch.

San Jose’s star players have been Ike Opara, Bobby Burling and Bobby Convey. Opara and Burling have been calm and disciplined in the box and have won every cross they’ve needed to maintain the clean sheet. Convey has been the most dangerous Quake on the counter attack and scored the early goal with a strong, accurate strike on the rebound.

Los Angeles has generally been controlling the ball and the run of play, but San Jose has looked dangerous, particularly when the ball finds the feet of Bobby Convey and Joey Gjertsen.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy have sent cross after cross into the box but San Jose has been winning them all. The pressure has gradually been building as the Galaxy have found more and more space. The best chance for L.A. was a few minutes ago when Donovan freed Buddle on the right side of the box before he made a nice move to get by his defender. But Buddle’s shot somehow went wide of goal and San Jose’s 1 goal lead survived.

Cornell Glen received a beautiful ball into the box and timed a nice shot that was saved well by Ricketts. But he was only able to deflect and the ball was eventually knocked out to the left of the box, where it sat seemingly for an eternity until Bobby Convey swooped in to slam the ball home in just the second minute. It’s the first time the Galaxy have trailed at home for the entire 2010 season.

San Jose:

Goalkeeper: Jon Busch
Defenders: Jason Hernandez, Bobby Burling, Ike Opara, Ramiro Corrales
Midfielders: Joey Gjertsen, Sam Cronin, Brandon McDonald, Bobby Convey
Forwards: Chris Wondolowski, Cornel Glen

Los Angeles:

Goalkeeper: Donovan Ricketts
Defenders: Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, Leonardo Ribiero, Todd Dunivant,
Midfielders: Landon Donovan, Juninho Gomes, Dema Kovalenko, Michael Stephens
Forwards: Edson Buddle, Alan Gordon