The San Jose Earthquakes may have a problem with playing down to the competition. Just a few days after the Quakes handily defeated the team with the second best record in the MLS, Real Salt Lake, the Quakes nearly coughed up what should have been an easy three points against FC Dallas at home. Coming into Wednesday night's game, Dallas was tied with for the worst record in the Western Conference. Yet they almost walked away with their second tie against the team with the best record in the entire league in as many weeks.
The Quakes looked to have the match easily in hand after netting two unanswered goals in the first half. Their first goal came in the 12th minute when Marvin Chavez took a ball out of the air and put it in the far corner of the goal, just out of reach of Dallas goal keeper Kevin Hartman. The Quakes struck again just before half when Alan Gordon slotted the ball in the net with a header off of the foot of Sam Cronin.
The Quakes held the 2-0 lead until the 89th minute, when things started to get iffy for the league's best team. First, defender Hernan Pertuz made the game uncomfortably close when he headed in a cross by Jackson. The goal came late, but Dallas continued to push, hoping for an equalizer before the game was called. Dallas for the opportunity they were looking for in the 94th minute when Simon Dawkins conceded a penalty kick to FC Dallas when he took down Zach Loyd inside the box. Luckily for the Quakes, Jair Benitez lifted the ball over the cross bar and the Quakes were able to slip away with the 2-1 victory.