On the rare occasions when San Jose outplays their opponent, they have always emerged victorious. They have also shown a penchant for stealing points away from teams who control possession and create more chances and shots. Tonight the Quakes lost despite more possession, shots and corner kicks, and it means gaining nothing against a struggling team at home.
The player of the game was Freddie Ljungberg, who single-handedly created the goal of the game and assisted another. For much of the game San Jose’s defense did a good job of preventing Ljungberg from influencing the game, but a great player doesn’t necessarily need multiple touches to influence the outcome. Ljungberg certainly made the most of his opportunities.
San Jose will have to move on and regroup quickly, because they play again on Saturday on the road against the Columbus Crew. The Crew currently lead the Eastern Conference and points will be at a premium, making San Jose’s failure to earn something positive against Chicago all the more painful.