SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In a game that didn’t provide much in the way of silver linings, San Jose Earthquakes fans could take solace last Saturday in the play of rookie midfielder Anthony Ampaipitakwong.
The former four-year starter at defending NCAA champion Akron had only nine minutes of MLS experience before replacing Khari Stephenson in the 55th minute of what would finish up a 2-1 home defeat to previously winless Chivas USA.
But Ampaipitakwong looked comfortable out on the right wing, providing a spark on a day when San Jose as a whole showed very little in the way of motivation.
“That’s a part of my job, to give the guys some energy, that pressure that we needed to get the ball back,” Ampaipitakwong said. “It creates energy on the field and it’s contagious.”
It also didn’t go unnoticed by Quakes coach Frank Yallop, who, after the match, talked making wholesale changes to a lineup that became the first MLS side this season to lose after holding a lead.
[inline_node:335026]“He did well,” Quakes coach Frank Yallop said of the 22-year-old Ampaipitakwong. “He’s fresh and he’s hungry. Hunger’s everything in this game, whether you’re 35 or 18. If you have no hunger for the game, then you should be out of the game.”
Asked if he could see Ampaipitakwong starting this weekend at Philadelphia, Yallop wouldn’t rule it out: “There might be a few [new] guys starting. We’ll see.”
Ampaipitakwong provided assertiveness on the ball offensively and tenacity in chasing it down defensively. His effort at forcing quick decisions from Chivas’ defenders highlighted how lax the Quakes have gotten in that area this year after doing some often outstanding work defending in the midfield during 2010.
“That’s just something the coaches wanted me to do,” Ampaipitakwong said. “Stay wide and try to find the ball, and at the same time, when they get the outside backs the ball, put pressure on them immediately, don’t just let him have time on the ball and think about it. [Yallop] wants me in [the opponent’s] face as soon as I can get there so all he has to do is boot it.”
The performance at a spot which has troubled San Jose this year earned Ampaipitakwong plaudits from teammates.
“He sparked it, for sure,” midfielder Sam Cronin said. “Offensively, he was buzzing and linking up well. He helped us.”
In the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, Ampaipitakwong slipped to the second round in part because of concerns over his size; standing next to him, the 5-foot-8 at which he is listed seems quite generous. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t come up huge for a Quakes team desperately in need of a victory.
“I know me and any other young guys, if we get a chance [to start], we’re going to go in there and give it our all,” Ampaipitakwong said. “We’re going to leave [everything] on the field. That’s just our mentality. … If it’s called for, I’ll be ready.”
Geoff Lepper covers the Earthquakes for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sanjosequakes@gmail.com. On Twitter: @sjquakes
