SAN JOSE, Calif. - The Earthquakes didn't get the result they wanted in a 0-0 draw with the Portland Timbers, but there were some bright spots in Sunday’s gritty performance at Avaya Stadium.
The Quakes held the ball well, and their attacking pressure generated 11 corner kicks. Moreover, goalkeeper David Bingham, who had five saves in the shutout, delivered in the clutch. He had a nice reflex foot save to deny designated player Lucas Melano in the second half.
Bingham also made the right move on a Diego Valeri penalty kick attempt in the 75th minute, diving to his right as the ball hit off the crossbar and ultimately was cleared out.
Now the focus shifts to a pivotal game against Houston on Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium.
"We are working to get back on track," center back Victor Bernardez said. "We need to come out strong in August as we are playing the teams we need to catch. It would have been more of a disappointment if we lost on a penalty kick. We deserved a better result than that. Like I said, now we have to finish those chances and take that out on Houston."
The Quakes reshuffled things in the back with Clarence Goodson out with a left leg injury, and the back line held up well. Jordan Stewart started in the middle alongside Bernardez, and Marvell Wynne and Shaun Francis were out wide. They were successful in pushing the Timbers attack out wide and limiting their chances. Plus, rookie midfielder Fatai Alashe did well in slowing the Timbers' counter attacks from the back.
The Quakes came out with a lot of energy, and a goal seemed to be imminent. But the team's momentum sagged a bit in the second half.
"The first half we came out strong with a ton of intensity," Bernardez said. "We were the better team. By the second half, we cooled off and our fire disappeared. That is why you saw them have chances that they did not have before. We are going to keep fighting and we have to over these last 13 matches."
Chris Wondolowski was denied by Portland keeper Adam Kwarasey's strong save from point-blank range in the seventh minute, after sneaking in and receiving a Shea Salinas cross.
Wondolowski left the field with mixed emotions like everyone else on the team.
"I thought at times we played well," Wondolowski said. "We've got to stop tying games. We still believe we can make the playoffs, and you have to win games. You have to win home games. You have to put your chances away, and I think it changes the whole dynamic of the game, especially mine at the beginning."
Quakes coach Dominic Kinnear thought the team did a better job of finding the feet of Matias Perez Garcia and held possession better this time.
"A point is better than the last month. So we're happy about that," Kinnear said. "We definitely had some chances. I thought we played better than we have in a while. That's the positive of it. Obviously you'd love to have the win. Looking on their side, they missed a penalty kick with about 15 minutes to go, so a little bit of fortune. But I thought overall, our game was much better today and that should be the standard we set for the rest of the season."
The Earthquakes' youth movement was also in full effect. In the 61st minute, Alashe pushed forward and got his head on a ball lobbed into the box by Marvell Wynne, but the shot went just high. The 145-pound Tommy Thompson replaced Perez Garcia in the 82nd minute, bringing his high-energy style to the pitch.
Marc Pelosi, Alashe's teammate on the U-23 national team, made his first home appearance in MLS in the 78th minute on Sunday.
"Obviously, whenever we have the young guys playing it's good for the future of the club," Alashe said of Thompson and Pelosi. "Those guys are both great players and they'll continue to get time. You can see that they do they do well with it when they come on. They bring a little spark to the team, so as long as they keep working hard they'll keep getting opportunities, and it will be good for them."
