The Earthquakes play two games in a five-game span this week. In their first match, San Jose hosts Sacramento Republic FC tomorrow in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Earthquakes will then travel to Seattle to take on Sounders FC on Saturday, June 20 at CenturyLink Field, beginning at 1 p.m. PT. The match will be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 1590 KLIV and 1370 KZSF.
Last Game
Earthquakes 0, FC Dallas 0; June 7, 2015; Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif.
The San Jose Earthquakes kept a clean sheet and earned a point against FC Dallas in front of a sellout crowd of 18,000 at Avaya Stadium, despite finishing the match with nine men. The match was the fifth consecutive sellout at Avaya Stadium. The Quakes were aided by the return of midfielders Matias Perez Garcia and Fatai Alashe to the starting XI, and forward Mark Sherrod made his first start of the season. FC Dallas nearly got on the board in the 10th minute when midfielder Mauro Diaz stepped up to take a free kick. Diaz’s right-footed strike curled over the wall, but missed wide left. Eight minutes later, the Quakes created a tremendous opportunity of their own. Midfielder Cordell Cato received the ball on the right side of the penalty area and slotted a low pass across the front of goal, narrowly missing several oncoming attackers. In the 20th minute, FC Dallas midfielder Michael Barrios dribbled at the Quakes goal with pace, cut back onto his right foot and blasted a short-range strike on target. However, Earthquakes keeper David Bingham lunged to his left, punching the ball away and out of danger. Ten minutes later, Cato created more problems for FC Dallas’ backline. Possessing the ball on the right flank, he whipped in a deep cross that skipped in front of keeper Dan Kennedy and found its way to the back post untouched. Defender Clarence Goodson and forward Mark Sherrod were both in the vicinity, but couldn’t quite get a touch on it. Quakes forward Chris Wondolowski, in search of his fifth consecutive match with a goal, nearly gave the home side a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute. After a nifty pass by midfielder Matias Perez Garcia into the box, Wondolowski had a one-on-one with the keeper, but his shot attempt was blocked by Kennedy, who came out to meet him. The final chance of the first half came in the 44th minute on the head of Quakes defender Victor Bernardez. Finding space on a corner kick by Perez Garcia, Bernardez made firm contact, but his header bounced up and over the net for a goal kick. San Jose went down to 10 men in the 53rd minute, when forward Mark Sherrod was sent off for making contact with Kennedy. FC Dallas later went down to 10 men as well, as defender Je-Vaughn Watson was sent off with a straight red after a mistimed tackle on Cato in the 75th minute. With both teams in search of a late winner, Quakes second-half sub JJ Koval received the game’s third red card, dropping the team to nine men in the 87th minute.
MLS Regular Season
San Jose Earthquakes 0-0 FC Dallas
June 7, 2015 – Avaya Stadium
Attendance: 18,000
Scoring Summary:
None.
Misconduct Summary:
SJ – Marvell Wynne (caution) 11; DAL – Victor Ulloa (caution) 16; DAL – Michel (caution) 40; Mauro Diaz (caution) 40; SJ – Mark Sherrod (ejection) 53; DAL – Je-Vaughn Watson (ejection) 75; SJ – JJ Koval (ejection) 87.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES:
David Bingham, Marvell Wynne, Victor Bernardez, Clarence Goodson, Jordan Stewart, Fatai Alashe, Cordell Cato (JJ Koval 82), Chris Wondolowski, Matias Perez Garcia (Adam Jahn 59), Shea Salinas (Shaun Francis 89), Mark Sherrod.
SHOTS:
10;
SHOTS ON GOAL:
1;
SAVES:
2;
FOULS:
14;
CORNER KICKS:
6;
OFFSIDES:
1.
FC DALLAS:
Dan Kennedy, Matt Hedges (Moises Hernandez 80), Walker Zimmerman, Atiba Harris, Je-Vaughn Watson, Victor Ullow, Tesho Akindele, Michael Barrios (Ryan Hollingshead 75), Michel (Fabian Castillo 60), Mauro Diaz, David Texeria.
SHOTS:
10;
SHOTS ON GOAL:
2;
SAVES:
1;
FOULS:
14;
CORNER KICKS:
3;
OFFSIDES:
2.
OPPONENT INFO
Earthquakes in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Play
All-Time Record:
13-11
Home:
4-5
Away:
9-5
Neutral:
0-1
Shootout:
2-3;
Overtime:
1-1
All-Time Scoring:
41 GF, 22 GA
All-Time Leading Scorer:
Ronald Cerritos (4g, 1a)
Sacramento Republic FC Scouting Report
Sacramento Republic FC is currently third in the USL Western Conference standings with a 7-6-1 record (22 pts.). Possessing a potent offense, Sacramento has scored 23 total goals, third most in the Western Conference. Midfielder Rodrigo Lopez, who has spent time in MLS with the Portland Timbers and the now-defunct Chivas USA, leads the club offensively with a team-high seven goals and is ranked third in the USL in goals scored. Lopez has also scored four game-winning goals, second most in the USL. Goalkeeper Patrick McLain has recorded four shutouts this season, tying him for third-most in the league. In Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play, Sacramento advanced to the fourth round by defeating the Sonoma County Sol 4-2 on May 20 and Chula Vista FC 7-3 on May 27, both at Bonney Field.
Last Game Against Sacramento Republic FC
Sacramento Republic 1, Earthquakes 2; June 11, 2014; Kezar Stadium in San Francisco
The San Jose Earthquakes advanced to the Round of 16 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after defeating Sacramento Republic 2-1 at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. The win halted Republic’s seven game unbeaten streak in all competition. Republic forward Justin Braun opened the scoring in the 42nd minute after slotting his header past the hands of Quakes goalkeeper David Bingham from a Chad Bartlome in-swinger. The Quakes would answer back in the 45th minute after Khari Stephenson converted a penalty kick to even the score heading into the second half. A 73rd minute go-ahead goal from Cordell Cato proved to be the deciding factor after the Quakes’ midfielder caught Republic goalkeeper Dominki Jakubek well off his line. The finish was Cato’s second Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup go-ahead goal at Kezar Stadium after he helped the Seattle Sounders defeat the Earthquakes 1-0 in 2012.
Earthquakes-Sacramento Republic FC Connections
Quakes forwards Mike Fucito and Adam Jahn and midfielder Tommy Thompson have previously been loaned to Sacramento Republic FC … Quakes forward Mike Fucito and Republic FC forward Justin Braun were teammates with the Montreal Impact in 2012 … Quakes forward Chris Wondolowski (2001-04) and Republic FC midfielder Octavio Guzman (2010-13) and goalkeeper Dominik Jakubek (2003) all played at Chico State … Wondolowski (Chico State), Guzman (Chico State) and Republic defender Mickey Daly (Cal State LA) all played in the California Collegiate Athletic Association in Division II … Republic FC defender Emrah Klimenta played for the Bay Area Ambassadors of the NPSL … Republic FC forward Cameron Iwasa spent time with the Quakes as a trialist before the 2015 season … Quakes defender Marvell Wynne (2004-05) and Republic FC forward David Estrada (2006-09) both played collegiately at UCLA … San Jose midfielder Tommy Thompson was born in Loomis, CA, a suburb of Sacramento.
Earthquakes vs. Seattle Sounders FC All-Time
MLS Regular Season:
9-6-2
Home:
5-1-1 (11 GF, 4 GA)
Away:
4-5-1 (10 GF, 15 GA)
Playoffs:
0-0-0;
US Open Cup:
0-0-0
All-Time Scoring:
San Jose – 21, Seattle – 19
Last Game vs. Seattle Sounders FC
Earthquakes 3, Sounders 2; March 7, 2015; CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash.
The San Jose Earthquakes earned a 3-2 victory against Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field, despite playing nearly the entire second half a man down. Seattle opened the scoring in the first minute of the match. Sounders defender Tyrone Mears had a shot on target from outside the penalty area, which was blocked by Quakes goalkeeper David Bingham. The loose ball fell to forward Clint Dempsey at the edge of the six-yard box, who headed it into the back of the net. The Quakes nearly leveled the score in the ninth minute. Following a free kick by Matias Perez Garcia, midfielder Fatai Alashe, making his first MLS start, headed the ball across the front of net. Forward Chris Wondolowski rose to meet it, but his header caromed off the cross bar and was cleared out of danger. San Jose equalized in the 13th minute. A cross from the right flank by defender Marvell Wynne was controlled by Wondolowski, who calmly proceeded to slot the ball into the bottom-right corner of the goal with his left foot. The Earthquakes took a 2-1 lead in the 48th minute. After Sounders defender Brad Evans misplayed a header back towards his own net, Wondolowski took possession of the ball and blasted a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Stefan Frei. It marked Wondolowski’s second goal of the match and ninth all-time against Seattle Sounders FC, the most among all players in MLS history. Despite losing a player to a red card early in the second half, San Jose continued to put pressure on Seattle’s goal, eventually doubling their lead in the 70th minute. Weaving past defenders and working a give-and-go with forward Adam Jahn, Innocent Emeghara, also making his first career MLS start, created space in the penalty area by faking a left-footed shot and cutting the ball back onto his right. He then curled the ball far post to earn his first MLS goal. Seattle pulled within one goal in the 84th minute, when forward Obafemi Martins tapped in a ball across the six-yard box by midfielder Andy Rose. Facing a barrage of shots and corner kicks late in the match, goalkeeper David Bingham and San Jose’s defense stood tall and prevented a game-tying goal by Seattle.
History of the Quakes-Seattle Sounders FC Rivalry
The two teams first met in regular season play in 2009 when the Sounders joined MLS … San Jose won all three meetings in the 2012 regular season, including two wins at CenturyLink Field in Seattle … Chris Wondolowski scored the winner in a 1-0 win on March 31 in Seattle on a penalty kick, following a foul by Marc Burch on Steven Lenhart … Lenhart then scored a dramatic game-winner on Aug. 11 at Buck Shaw Stadium, netting a stoppage time goal following a late equalizer by Sounders FC … San Jose then took a 2-1 win on Sept. 22 at CenturyLink Field with goals from Simon Dawkins and Chris Wondolowski … Seattle did win 1-0 over San Jose in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match at Kezar Stadium. Current Quakes midfielder Cordell Cato scored the winner for Seattle that night … The Quakes and Sounders FC played three times in 2009, with Seattle taking both meetings at what was then called Qwest Field (2-0 on April 25 and 2-1 on June 13), before the Earthquakes registered a 4-0 triumph at Buck Shaw Stadium on Aug. 2 … In 2010, the Earthquakes edged the Sounders FC at Qwest Field, 1-0 on May 22 thanks to a Chris Wondolowski goal, while Seattle returned the favor at Buck Shaw on July 31 through a Fredy Montero strike … In 2011, the two teams battled to a 2-2 draw at Buck Shaw on April 2, while Seattle took a 2-1 decision at CenturyLink Field on Oct. 15 … San Jose won each of their three regular-season matches in 2012, each by one goal … Seattle Sounders FC knocked the Earthquakes out of the 2012 U.S. Open Cup in the quarterfinals, upending San Jose 1-0 on June 26 at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco … In the first meeting of 2013, San Jose won 1-0 thanks to a Chris Wondolowski goal in first-half stoppage time … After dropping their second meeting 4-0 at CenturyLink Field, the Earthquakes bounced back for a gritty 1-0 win … San Jose dropped their first meeting of 2014 against Seattle after a golazo from Obafemi Martins, a chipped shot from near the end line on May 17 at CenturyLink Field … The San Jose Earthquakes evened the season series on Saturday, Aug. 2, topping Western Conference leading Seattle Sounders FC 1-0 thanks to a goal from Portuguese forward Yannick Djalo … The two teams finished off the 2014 season with a 1-1 draw at CenturyLink Field on Aug. 20, with goals by Sounders FC forward Chad Barrett and Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski …, On March 7, the Earthquakes secured their first victory of the 2015 season with a 3-2 win on the road at Seattle.
Earthquakes-Seattle Sounders Connections
Seattle Sounders FC was brought into MLS as an expansion franchise ahead of the 2009 season, a year after the San Jose Earthquakes rejoined the league following a two-season absence … Sounders FC sporting director Chris Henderson played with Quakes general manager John Doyle in the early 1990s for the U.S. Men’s National Team … Earthquakes forward Steven Lenhart, Seattle midfielder Brad Evans, and Seattle defender Chad Marshall played together for the Columbus Crew in 2008 … Earthquakes defender Shaun Francis and Marshall were teammates with the Columbus Crew from 2010-12 … Sounders FC forward David Estrada grew up in Salinas, Calif., starring at Alisal High School before moving on to UCLA … Quakes forward Cordell Cato made eight appearances for the Sounders FC in 2012, recording one assist … San Jose forward Mike Fucito played for Seattle from 2009-11, scoring three goals in 23 appearances … Fucito and midfielder Lamar Neagle were both traded from Seattle to the Montreal Impact on Feb. 17, 2012 for forward Eddie Johnson … After spending the majority of 2012 with the Portland Timbers, Fucito joined the Earthquakes on Feb. 13, 2013 … Seattle reacquired Neagle on Jan. 27, 2013 for an international roster spot … Seattle midfielder Brad Evans scored his first career goal against San Jose … Earthquakes defender Marvell Wynne (2004-05), Seattle forward Chad Barrett (2003-04), and Seattle defender Andy Rose (2008-11) played at UCLA … Wynne and Barrett were teammates at UCLA in 2004 … Earthquakes defender Clarence Goodson and Sounders FC forward Kenny Cooper were teammates with FC Dallas from 2006-07 … Earthquakes defender Brandon Barklage and Cooper were teammates with the New York Red Bulls in 2012 … Earthquakes goalkeeper David Bingham, and Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei played at Cal … Earthquakes forward Adam Jahn (2009-12), midfielder JJ Koval (2010-13), Seattle midfielder Aaron Kovar (2012-13), and Seattle defender Chad Marshall (2002-03) played at Stanford … Jahn, Koval and Kovar were teammates at Stanford in 2012 … Quakes midfielder Sanna Nyassi made 38 appearances for Seattle from 2008-10 … Earthquakes midfielder Khari Stephenson and Sounders FC defender Damion Lowe were both born in Kingston, Jamaica … Earthquakes goalkeeper Bryan Meredith played for Seattle from 2011-12 … Seattle Tyrone Mears and Quakes defender Jordan Stewart were both born in England … Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski and Sounders FC forward Clint Dempsey played together for the United States National Team during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, with Wondolowski replacing Dempsey in the 87th minute against Portugal … Dempsey (2001-03) and Quakes midfielder Shea Salinas (2004-07) both played at Furman University.
EARTHQUAKES IN THE COMMUNITY
Kicks for Kids Program
Who: Q the mascot
What: Earthquakes and PG&E are visiting to deliver tickets to the California Clasico and T-shirts as part of the Kicks for Kids Program presented by PG&E.
Where: Shoreline Middle School, Santa Cruz, CA
When: Monday, June 15 at 5:30 p.m.
Autograph Signing
Who: Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski
What: Join Wondolowski for pictures, autographs and even test-drive a BMW. The first 50 people to visit Stevens Creek BMW will receive a voucher for two (2) tickets to the 2015 California Clasico at Stanford Stadium.
Where: Stevens Creek BMW, 4343 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara, CA
When: Thursday, June 18 from 2:00-3:30 p.m.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
Earthquakes in June
The Quakes are 33-23-17 all-time in the month of June.
Tough to Break Down at Avaya
With the shutout against FC Dallas, the Quakes have not allowed a goal in the last three matches at Avaya Stadium [vs. VAN (4/11); vs. CLB (5/16); vs. DAL (6/7)], a scoreless streak currently at 316 minutes. The team hasn’t allowed a goal at their new home since the first half against Real Salt Lake on April 5.
Undefeated Streak at Home
The San Jose Earthquakes are 3-1-2 at home this season and are currently riding a four-game unbeaten streak at home in league play, with three games being played at Avaya Stadium and one at Levi’s® Stadium.
Stingy Defense
The San Jose Earthquakes have held their opponents to one or fewer goals in 10 of their 14 matches this season, including six out of the last seven.
Quakes Among MLS Leaders
Currently, several Earthquakes rank near or at the top of numerous statistical categories. Among them are:
•
Matias Perez Garcia – 59 corner kicks (second in MLS; first in Western Conference)
•
Matias Perez Garcia - 40 fouls suffered (second in MLS; second in Western Conference)
•
David Bingham – 47 saves (fifth in MLS; second in Western Conference)
•
David Bingham – 74.6 save pct. (sixth in MLS; third in Western Conference)
•
David Bingham – 4 shutouts (tied for seventh in MLS; tied for sixth in Western Conference)
•
Chris Wondolowski – 8 goals (second in MLS; first in Western Conference)
•
Chris Wondolowski – 44 shots (sixth in MLS; third in Western Conference)
May the Goals Keep Coming
In the month of May, Chris Wondolowski scored in five of the team’s six matches. It is tied for the third longest span of games in his career in which he only failed to score once. Here are his top streaks:
1. 9/24/11 to 4/21/12 – Scored in 11 of 12 games, totaling 14 goals overall.
2. 9/15/12 to 10/27/12 – Scored in 6 of 7 games, totaling 9 goals overall.
T3. 5/1/15 to 5/30/15 – Scored in 5 of 6 games, totaling 5 goals overall.
T3. 4/17/10 to 5/22/10 – Scored in 5 of 6 games, totaling 5 goals overall.
Kinnear Can Keep a Lead
Teams under head coach Dominic Kinnear are 121-10-43 when scoring first, a .819 winning percentage. As head coach of the Earthquakes, Kinnear has only lost one game when his team scored first, a 25-1-8 record overall.
Halftime Success
Since the beginning of the 2000 season, the Quakes are 107-3-23 when leading at the half, including a 3-0-2 mark so far in 2015. They were 6-0-2 in 2014, 6-0-3 in 2013 and an impressive 12-0-1 in 2012, with the only draw coming against Portland on Oct. 27 at JELD-WEN Field. In 2011, the club was 4-2-2, 7-0-2 in 2010, 4-0-3 in 2009, 6-1-0 in 2008, 7-0-3 in 2005, 7-0-1 in 2004 and 8-0-1 in 2003. Despite holding a 1-0 halftime lead on May 10, 2008, vs. Columbus, the Quakes were edged by the final score of 3-2. That game marked the team’s first loss since 1999 when holding a halftime advantage.
Making the First One Count
The Earthquakes are 105-12-31 since 2001 when scoring the first goal. The club is 3-0-1 so far in 2015, after going 5-1-4 in 2014. They were 11-1-3 when scoring first in 2013. In 2012, San Jose was 14-2-2, their two losses coming at Vancouver (2-1) on May 5 and at Montreal (3-1) on Aug. 18. The club was 7-4-5 in 2011, 12-0-2 in 2010, 6-1-5 in 2009 and 8-1-3 in 2008. Prior to 2010, San Jose also went undefeated in 2001 (13-0-2), 2003 (11-0-1) and 2005 (14-0-5) when scoring first. The Earthquakes were 12-2-0 in 2002 when finding the back of the net first, only giving up leads two times in losing 2-1 at the LA Galaxy on July 4, and falling at Kansas City by the same score on July 27. In 2004, the Quakes went 8-1-1 when scoring first, the best mark in MLS. The Quakes surrendered a 1-0 advantage and dropped a 2-1 decision at the LA Galaxy on July 4, 2004, losing for just the first time since July 27, 2002, when striking first. The Quakes are also impressive in the playoffs when scoring first, posting an 8-0-1 record all-time.
Earthquakes Midfielders Cordell Cato and Sanna Nyassi Called to International Duty
The San Jose Earthquakes announced that midfielders Cordell Cato and Sanna Nyassi were each called up to their respective national teams. Cato will represent Trinidad and Tobago in their match against Jordan on June 16, while Nyassi started and played 90 minutes for The Gambia in a scoreless draw against South Africa in the African Cup of Nations Qualifiers on June 13.
Avaya Stadium to Broadcast U.S. Women’s World Cup Match Ahead of Quakes Match on June 16
The San Jose Earthquakes announced that Avaya Stadium will broadcast the U.S. Women’s World Cup match ahead of the Quakes duel with Sacramento Republic FC in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, June 16. The U.S. Women’s National Team will close out the group stage of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada when they take on Nigeria at 5 p.m. PT. The team previously defeated Australia 3-1 on June 8 and is scheduled to play Sweden on June 12. Gates will open at 5 p.m. and the match will be shown on the backside of the video board facing the 7UP Epicenter. Fans will have a variety of food and drink options available to them, including the bar and numerous gourmet food trucks. In order to attend, fans must have a ticket to the Quakes contest against Sac Republic FC, which begins at 7:30 p.m.
Avaya Stadium Named Product Innovation Award Winner
The San Jose Earthquakes announced that Avaya Stadium was named the Product Innovation Award winner at TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2015. Avaya Stadium received the prestigious honor for being the first cloud-enabled stadium in Major League Soccer. All award winners were announced during TheStadiumBusiness Summit, the largest dedicated meeting in the world for owners, operators and developers of stadiums, arenas and major sport venues, which was held inside FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou. In addition to taking home the Product Innovation Award, the Earthquakes’ brand new soccer-specific stadium was also on the shortlist for the Venue of the Year Award.
Wondolowski, Cato Selected to Provisional Gold Cup Rosters
The San Jose Earthquakes announced that forward Chris Wondolowski and midfielder Cordell Cato have been selected to the provisional Gold Cup rosters for the United States and Trinidad and Tobago, respectively. Wondolowski, 32, is one of 35 players selected to the United States roster for the tournament. He has earned 27 caps for the U.S. National Team, including two during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and tallied nine total goals for his country. Wondolowski is the Earthquakes’ all-time leading scorer, notching 97 goals with the club since 2009. Over his 11-year career, Wondolowski has scored 101 goals, tied for the seventh most in Major League Soccer history. Cato, 22, is one of 30 played called to represent Trinidad and Tobago in the Gold Cup. The versatile midfielder has appeared in 67 career games (32 starts) since his MLS debut in 2012 and tallied four goals and five assists. He has previously appeared in three games with his national team. The 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup runs from July 7 to July 26, with matches held in 13 North American cities – Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Toronto.
Earthquakes to Host Viewing Party at Avaya Stadium
The San Jose Earthquakes announced that they will host an admission-free viewing party at Avaya Stadium for fans to watch the team play on the road against Seattle Sounders FC, at 1 p.m. PT. The game will be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet and gates open one hour prior to kickoff. Fans will be able to watch the match on the large video board facing Coleman Ave. and will have numerous dining options available for purchase, including two food trucks, a concession stand and the bar. In addition, there will be activities located in the two-acre 7UP Epicenter.
San Jose to Face Manchester United in Berkeley on July 21
The San Jose Earthquakes announced that their match against Manchester United on July 21 as part of the International Champions Cup North America Presented by Guinness will be played at Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley. Kickoff for the match is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. PT and marks the Earthquakes first-ever match in the venue. Tickets for the general public are on sale through the Cal Athletic Ticket Office. The Quakes will also play Club America on July 14 at Avaya Stadium in the International Champions Cup. The Earthquakes have historically fared well against international competition, holding a 9-8-8 record in all international friendlies since 1996, and are currently on a 10-game unbeaten streak dating back to 2004. In addition to friendlies, the Quakes have played in competitive international tournaments, including the 2014 Copa Euroamericana at Candlestick Park, where San Jose held the defending La Liga champions, Atletico Madrid, to a 0-0 draw through 90 minutes before falling 4-3 in penalty kicks.
Avaya Stadium to host World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup
USA Rugby and the San Jose Earthquakes announced that Avaya Stadium will play host to a World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup double-header on Saturday, July 18. The Pacific Nations Cup – a World Rugby tournament designed to expose Pacific Rim teams and players to a greater number of international test matches – features Canada, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, and USA. Avaya Stadium will host two PNC matches July 18, Canada vs. Japan and the USA Men’s Eagles vs. Samoa. Tickets for the matches held at Avaya Stadium will be released mid-March. Notifications on ticket release dates and pre-sale access to tickets for the U.S.-based 2015 PNC matches will be provided to those on the USA Rugby Ticket Pre-Sale List, for which fans can sign up here: www.usarugby.org/tickets.
ACADEMY NOTES
The Earthquakes U-18 Academy squad finished first in the Western Conference with a record of 23-7-3. The Quakes now head to Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Indiana to compete in the playoffs. San Jose plays June 23, 24 and 26, facing off against Charlotte Soccer Academy, Indiana Fire Academy and the Texas Rush, respectively. The Earthquakes are the only U-18 team from Northern California to secure a playoff berth this year.
The U-16s finished third in the Western Conference with a record of 17-10-6. The U-16s now are set to compete in the playoffs at the Grand Park Sports Campus. The Quakes play on June 23, 24 and 26 against Real Colorado, Sockers FC and Chivas USA, respectively.
The U-14s finished first in their region and set to play in the Showcase at Grand Park Sports Campus. San Jose plays on June 19, 20 and 22 against the Philadelphia Union, New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls, respectively.
