SAN JOSE, Calif - When Quincy Amarikwa scored in the 13th minute with his usual moxie, it looked like it could be a magical night for the Earthquakes.
But the joy didn't last for the visiting team at Toyota Stadium. The Quakes fell 2-1 to Western Conference champion FC Dallas on Decision Day.
- HIGHLIGHTS: FC Dallas vs. San Jose Earthquakes
The Quakes needed a win or a draw and some help to extend their season. Nothing worked out. Seattle, Sporting Kansas City and Portland clinched the final three playoff spots with victories.
And just like that, a team which had just three losses over its final 12 games, and fought like heck on Sunday, missed the playoffs for the third straight season.
At 13-13-8 with 47 points, the Quakes wound up four points out of sixth place.
"The No. 1 goal is to make playoffs," Amarikwa said. "I feel we did really well to put ourselves in a great position to do that. At the beginning of the year, if you would have asked the guys, would you take 13 wins and 47 points entering the last game of the season, I think every single person would say yes."
Indeed, the Quakes, under new coach Dominic Kinnear, were significantly improved over the previous six-win season.
A lockdown defense paved the way, but losing designated player Innocent to a knee injury early in the season proved damaging to the attack.
On Sunday, they played a man down over the final 23 minutes after DP Matias Perez Garcia, a heavily fouled player all season, was shown a straight red card.The red card appeared to knock the Quakes off-balance and tipped the scales for FC Dallas.
"Coming in here playing against 11 is tough, and then when you have 10, it makes the job that much harder," Kinnear said.
Ten minutes after MPG saw red, the Quakes got another bad break. On an attempted heavy clearance by Clarence Goodson, the ball caromed off Victor Ulloa to speedster Fabian Castillo. He passed to Ulloa, who slotted the shot past David Bingham into the near corner for the winner.
Kinnear applauded the winners, and said his team showed a tremendous amount of effort.
"They have a good team," he said of Dallas. "They move the ball around well. (Mauro) Diaz is such an important player for them. He does some really good things. Then you have Castillo and (Michael) Barrios with that pace. We started off good, but to keep up that tempo and dominance is going to be difficult. I can't fault the guys for trying. Their effort tonight was something to be proud of."
The Earthquakes nearly struck in the 11th minute. Shea Salinas intercepted a pass and fed Wondolowski, who laid the ball off for Amarikwa, whose attempt was saved by goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez. A heavy first touch appeared to cost Amarikwa.
Just two minutes later, Amarikwa notched an extra-effort goal that showcased what he brought to the team as a midseason pickup. Fatai Alashe sent a ball from the sideline, and Wondolowski chested the ball to Amarikwa. He fought off a challenges from Matt Hedges and Zach Loyd and cut toward the center, sliding a low shot to the left of Gonzalez.
It was Amarikwa's sixth goal of the season -- all coming on the road.
However, Diaz equalized in the 38th minute after Castillo blazed by Marvell Wynne on the left and crossed into the mixer. The Quakes couldn't clear the ball out, and the 24-year-old Diaz shot over a group of players for his eighth goal of the season.
FC Dallas (18-10-6, 60 points), which earned a franchise-record 18th win, was hoping to earn a first Supporters' Shield. But Eastern Conference champion New York Red Bulls (18-10-6) beat Chicago on Sunday and earned the Shield over Dallas via a tiebreaker.
Amarikwa said the Quakes frustrated FC Dallas early, taking them out of their comfort zone.
"In the first half, they didn't have an answer for us," he said. "I feel like we made them switch tactics, play a more uncomfortable style than they are used to. They like to play out of the back, and we were giving the first entry pass, but the second one, they couldn't figure it out. We had them on their heels the whole first half."
