San Jose Earthquakes head into MLS playoffs on losing note
Quakes close regular season with 4-1 loss; will play Sporting KC in the MLS playoffs
Marcos Lopez scored the lone goal for the visiting San Jose Earthquakes in their 4-1 loss Nov. 8 to the defending MLS champions Seattle Sounders.
The loss closes the regular season for the Quakes (8-9-6, 30 points, 1.30 ppg), who will be the eighth seed in the West. The Earthquakes will travel to Sporting KC in the playoff opener in two weeks.
In this strange pandemic season, the playoff match against Sporting KC will be the first time the two teams have met this season.
“It’s a little bit strange matching up with a team in the Western Conference playoffs without playing them once all year, but this year has presented all kinds of new obstacles that we’ve had to learn to overcome,” noted Earthquakes defender Tommy Thompson. “By the time kickoff starts, we’re going to know their plays, we’re going to know exactly what we need to do to get the result, so that’s what we’re going to be focusing on.”
The date and time of the playoff will be announced later. The playoff format, as it was last season, is single elimination. The match will be played either Nov. 21, 22 or 24.
Coach Matias Almeyda is ready to give the team a break before the match.
“First and foremost, we are going to give the players two days to rest. Since the beginning of the season, the players have not taken a break. We will focus on recovery for the players and ultimately focus on the upcoming game, which will be like a final,” Almeyda said.
Nicolas Lodeiro and Raul Ruidiaz scored two minutes apart early in the second half to gets Seattle rolling at Centurylink Field.
Former Stanford star Jordan Morris also scored for the Sounders (11-5-6, 39 points, 1.77 points per game), who moved past rival Portland and finished second in the Western Conference behind Sporting Kansas City.
The Sounders will play host to seventh-seeded Los Angeles FC in the opening round of the postseason.
This was the fourth meeting between the two teams this season. Seattle scored two wins and the teams played to two draws.
Despite being reduced to 10 men in the second half, the Earthquakes rallied from an early deficit to defeat LAFC 3-2 on Nov. 4 to secure a postseason berth for just the second time since 2012.
Lodeiro opened the scoring in the 52nd minute after his own free kick from the right wing. The ball bounced off several players in the penalty area before rolling back to Lodeiro, who had followed the play. His left-footed blast from 12 yards just inside the near post left San Jose goalkeeper James Marcinkowski flat-footed.
Ruidiaz scored in the 54th, off an assist from Cristian Roldan, who took a pass near midfield and dribbled the ball to the top of the 18-yard box, where he dropped a pass off for Ruidiaz. His 20-yard shot deflected off a sliding defender and found the net just inside the left post. It was his team-leading 11th goal of the season.
Lopez capped a remarkable five-minute flurry with a goal in the 57th minute. Lopez took a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box on the right wing. His powerful shot went over the head of a leaping Roldan, who was manning the near post, and goalie Stefan Frei was only able to get one hand on the ball before it crossed the goal line.
The Sounders capitalized on a San Jose turnover for their third goal. Lodeiro gained control about 30 yards out after a misplay and fed Morris, who chipped the ball over an onrushing Marcinkowski from about 10 yards in the 74th minute.
An own goal by Lopez in the 80th minute gave the Sounders a 4-1 lead. Morris’ cross for Ruidiaz deflected off another defender and then off Lopez’s left hip and into the net.
Frei and Marcinkowski were each credited with two saves.