San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT at Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Television: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area
Radio: 1590 KLIV (English), 1370 KZSF (Spanish)
Giveaway Items: Eco-tip guide courtesy of the National Resources Defense Council (5,000), flower seed packets courtesy of the America the Beautiful Fund (1,000), Chinook Book featuring discount offers at local, sustainable and healthy businesses
Theme: Earth Day Celebration with MLS W.O.R.K.S.
Initiatives: Fans who bring their empty Odwalla bottles for recycling to the Earthquakes Box Office or headquarters before kickoff can take advantage of a buy-one-get-one ticket offer courtesy of Odwalla. Fans who drive a hybrid vehicle to the game receive $5 off parking, while patrons who take VTA or Caltrain to the match get a $5 discount for a game ticket by showing their VTA or Caltrain receipt. The Quakes will offset the carbon footprint for energy used at Buck Shaw Stadium Saturday. For full details, click HERE.
Pregame: Copa Pyramid tournament champions recognized on field
T-Mobile 4G Power Zone: The T-Mobile 4G Power Zone rebranding of Corner Flag Section 107 offers the most affordable Earthquakes tickets available to the public at 41 participating T-Mobile stores throughout the Bay Area. For more information, visit www.sjearthquakes.com/t-mobile-4gpowerzone.
Epicenter Fan Zone
Gourmet Food Trucks: El Tonayense, BBQ Kalbi, Twisted Chill, Grill Stars, Speedy Panini, Naked Chorizo, Twister Mexican Grill, Grillaz Gone Wild, O Mi Ninja
Activities: Inflatables, face painting, sign making
Special Booths: County of Santa Clara Household Hazardous Waste, San Jose Athletic Club, Santa Clara University Solar Decathlon and several green, sustainable businesses
Community: Community booth with silent auctions for: Earthquakes soccer ball signed by 2012 Quakes; game-used pink Breast Cancer Awareness ball signed by 2011 Quakes; game-worn goalie gloves signed by Jon Busch; Earthquakes replica jersey signed by 2012 Quakes; Chris Wondolowski bobblehead doll signed by Wondo. All auction proceeds will benefit the Nuri Family of Concord. Solaiman Nuri, 41, and his youngest daughter, Hodees, were struck and killed by a car while riding bicycles on the sidewalk in Concord on April 7. Also, participant and volunteer registration for Earthquakes 5K/10K Challenge on May 27.
Real Salt Lake Scouting Report
Real Salt Lake (5-2-0) is coming off of a 1-0 loss in a meeting of conference leaders with Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, April 14. The lone goal at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park came through an Aurelien Collin header from a Graham Zusi corner kick in the 63rd minute as Sporting KC remained the only unbeaten side in MLS. Collin’s score snapped RSL’s shutout streak at 267 minutes. Real Salt Lake is led in midfield by Kyle Beckerman. The RSL captain tallied two of his three goals a season ago against San Jose while also providing a career-best nine assists. Beckerman has played all 630 minutes thus far in 2012, and scored the 93rd-minute decider in a come-from-behind 3-2 victory at the Portland Timbers on March 31. Real Salt Lake striking options include Argentine Fabian Espindola (3 goals), Costa Rican Alvaro Saborio (2) and Brazilian Paulo Junior (1). Defensively, Colombian center back Jamison Olave, a Best XI selection in 2010 and 2011, anchors the RSL back line while Nick Rimando, one of the top MLS goalkeepers of all-time, will be between the pipes.
Of Note
- The top spot in the Western Conference will be on the line this Saturday night, April 21, when Real Salt Lake visits Buck Shaw Stadium to play the San Jose Earthquakes. The Earthquakes (4-1-1, 13 pts.) trail RSL (5-2-0, 15 pts.) in the conference standings by two points with a game in hand.
- At 4-1-1 and 13 points, this is the second-best six-game start to a year in the San Jose Earthquakes’ 15-season club history. In 2003, the eventual MLS Cup champion Quakes trotted out to a 4-0-2 start for 14 points. They were 4-2-0 to begin both the 2010 (12 pts.) and 1999 campaigns, picking up just four points in 1999, however, through four shootout victories. With just four goals conceded, this is the franchise’s best six-game defensive start. San Jose allowed five goals over its first six matches in both 2002 and 2003.
- Quakes star Chris Wondolowski is now tied for the Budweiser Golden Boot lead with Thierry Henry and Kenny Cooper of the New York Red Bulls at seven goals through six weeks.
- Quakes head coach Frank Yallop is just a single win away from 100 regular-season triumphs in his MLS career. Yallop is currently 99-96-70 (.506) as an MLS head coach in regular-season matches.
- The next starting assignment drawn by Quakes center back Jason Hernandez will mark No. 100 for him in San Jose since he joined the franchise prior to the 2008 season.
Quakes-Real Salt Lake Connections
- Quakes midfielder Jean-Marc Alexandre was selected by Real Salt Lake in the first round (No. 12 overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, making 38 league appearances for the club over three seasons, all of which ended with qualification into the MLS Cup Playoffs, prior to being traded to San Jose on Dec. 1, 2011.
- Quakes forward Chris Wondolowski and RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando have played together twice for the U.S. Men’s National Team, most recently featuring in head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s starting lineup earlier this year on Jan. 25 for a 1-0 win over Panama in Panama City.
- Quakes midfielder Tressor Moreno, RSL defender Jamison Olave and RSL midfielder Sebastian Velasquez were all born in Colombia, with Moreno and Olave having played previously for Colombian side Deportivo Cali.
-Quakes rookie midfielder Sam Garza (2008) and RSL defender Nat Borchers (1999-2002) each played at the University of Denver. Garza (2010-11) and RSL goalkeeper Kyle Reynish (2002-06) each played at UC Santa Barbara.
- Second-year Real Salt Lake assistant coach C.J. Brown is a Hayward, Calif., native who starred in the South Bay in his college playing days at San Jose State (1993-96) prior to a 13-year MLS career, all with the Chicago Fire.
- Quakes head coach Frank Yallop (52), assistant coach Mark Watson (77) and RSL defender Will Johnson (24) have all earned caps for the Canadian men’s national team, with Johnson having played under Watson at various youth levels, including U-23 during 2008 CONCACAF Olympic qualifying.
Mobile Apps
MLS MatchDay 2012 – The official Major League Soccer app, providing up-to-the-minute score updates, in-game highlights, news and more.
Yorder – A free app that allows fans to order food and beverages, Q the mascot and souvenirs from their seat at Buck Shaw Stadium.
@SJEarthquakes – Official account of the San Jose Earthquakes (#SJEarthquakes)
@QuakesMatchday – NEW! this season, follow for live updates on game days
@RealSaltLake – Official account of Real Salt Lake (#RSL)
