San Jose has advanced to the second round of their first playoff appearance since being recreated under the Earthquake name with two late stunning goals from Bobby Convey and Chris Wondolowski. Both goals were necessary because they were sandwiched around a Juan Pablo Angel tap in header that momentarily tied the aggregate score.
Bobby Convey scored quickly to open the game, immediately tying the aggregate score to give San Jose a fresh start. But as the game moved forward New York gradually took greater control of the flow of the game. The second half was spend almost entirely around Jon Busch’s goal until Geovanni was subbed out in favor of Arturo Alvarez.
Alvarez made an immediate contribution by playing a role in Convey’s second goal, a smash into the top left of New York’s goal from the left channel. But it was followed almost immediately by Angel’s goal, perfectly assisted by Juan Agudelo.
That set the stage for Wondolowski’s clincher. Convey (the clear man of the match) send a perfect cross into Wondolowski as he ran down the right side of the box. Wondo met the ball with his head and sent it perfectly into the top right corner of the net past the outstretched hands of Red Bulls keeper Bouna Coundoul.
San Jose’s cinderella season now continues, much in the same fashion of their regular season that saw the Quakes steal points against the run of play. They will now face the winner of the Colorado-Columbus tie, this time in a single, winner take all matchup.