SEATTLE, Wash. – The San Jose Earthquakes fell to Seattle Sounders FC 2-0 on Saturday night at CenturyLink Field. The loss snapped a five-game unbeaten streak against Seattle (3-0-2) dating back to the 2014 season.
The Quakes were forced to shuffle the lineup after last week’s late comeback draw in Philadelphia. With Quincy Amarikwa absent with a hamstring injury and Anibal Godoy serving a one-match suspension, forward Chad Barrett made his first start and appearance of the season and midfielder Matheus Silva made his first professional start.
In the sixth minute of the match, Sounders FC midfielder Osvaldo Alonso drilled a low shot from the edge of the penalty area that was ticketed for the far post, but Quakes goalkeeper David Bingham fully extended to his left to punch it away for a corner kick.
Seattle forward Clint Dempsey opened the scoring in the 26th minute. Receiving a pass at the penalty spot from Erik Friberg, Dempsey first-timed his shot past Bingham and into the side netting.
The Quakes came close to equalizing just three minutes into the second half. Midfielder Alberto Quintero gained control of a long ball and had a go on net, but his shot was blocked. The loose ball rolled out to Barrett, but his subsequent effort was blocked as well.
Ten minutes later, Earthquakes midfielder Simon Dawkins lined up to take a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. His curling effort froze goalkeeper Stefan Frei, but smacked the bottom of the crossbar, hit the goal line and was secured by the net minder as it popped into the air.
San Jose looked to bring the score level at one apiece when Victor Bernardez was taken down in the penalty area late in the match. Chris Wondolowski stepped to take the penalty, sending Frei the wrong way, but his shot glanced the outside of the post and was cleared to safety.
As the Quakes pushed on for an equalizer, Sounders FC forward Jordan Morris scored in waning moments to double the advantage and seal the result.
San Jose returns home to take on the Houston Dynamo at Avaya Stadium on Wednesday, May 11, presented by PG&E. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast live on CSN Bay Area, 1590 KLIV and 1370 KZSF.
Notes:
- The Quakes are now 4-3-3 this season, including a 0-3-2 record on the road.
- San Jose is now 10-7-3 against Seattle Sounders FC all-time, including a 5-6-1 record on the road.
- The Quakes streak of scoring in 22 consecutive matches, the eighth longest such streak in MLS history, was snapped in the loss. The last match in which San Jose was kept off the scoreboard was August 2, 2015 vs. Portland (D 0-0) and the last time in a loss was July 10, 2015 vs. Houston (L 2-0).
- The loss snapped a five-game unbeaten streak against Seattle (3-0-2). The club’s last loss against Sounders FC was on May 17, 2014.
- Forward Chad Barrett made his debut for San Jose after signing with the club in the offseason, starting and playing 73 minutes. Barrett hadn’t played yet this season due to a groin injury.
- Midfielder Matheus Silva made his first MLS start, starting and playing 90 minutes. Silva, 19, joined the club last July.
MLS Regular Season
San Jose Earthquakes 0-2 Seattle Sounders FC
May 7, 2016 – CenturyLink Field in Seattle, WA
Attendance: 39,570
Scoring Summary: SEA – Clint Dempsey (Erik Friberg, Jordan Morris) 26; SEA – Jordan Morris (Osvaldo Alonso) 89.
Misconduct Summary: SEA – Osvaldo Alonso (caution) 43.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: David Bingham; Shaun Francis, Victor Bernardez, Marvell Wynne, Kofi Sarkodie (Tommy Thompson 81); Shea Salinas, Matheus Silva, Simon Dawkins, Alberto Quintero (Matias Perez Garcia 65); Chad Barrett (Adam Jahn 73), Chris Wondolowski.
SHOTS: 11; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; SAVES: 6; FOULS: 10; CORNER KICKS: 6; OFFSIDES: 3.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC: Stefan Frei; Tyrone Mears, Brad Evans, Chad Marshall, Joevin Jones; Osvaldo Alonso, Erik Friberg (Cristian Roldan 72), Clint Dempsey; Aaron Kovar (Nelson Valdez 64), Herculez Gomez (Andreas Ivanschitz 85), Jordan Morris.
SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 8; SAVES: 1; FOULS: 8; CORNER KICKS: 12; OFFSIDES: 0.
