Captain Wondolowski comes off bench in 2-2 draw

SAN JOSE >> San Jose Earthquakes all-time leading scorer Chris Wondolowski came off the bench for just the fifth time this decade. But it was another sub who gave the Earthquakes a much-needed point Saturday night at Avaya Stadium.

Making his first appearance of the season, Albanian national Jahmir Hyka scored on a deflected shot in the 85th minute to secure a 2-2 tie with the Houston Dynamo (1-2-2)

The Earthquakes (1-2-2) blew a halftime lead for the third straight game, allowing two goals in the second half before Hyka’s equalizer.

After making just one change to the starting lineup through four games, first-year coach Mikael Stahre made the splashiest possible move Saturday. It was the first time since April 17, 2015 that Wondolowski, the second-leading scorer in MLS history with 135 career goals, didn’t start because of a coach’s decision. The 35-year-old striker had

played every minute of the first four games and had one goal and one assist.

“I love playing, but I love winning,” Wondolowski said. “That’s all that I care about right now. If I play 90 minutes, one minute, zero, if we’re lifting a cup at the end of the year, I’m a happy man.”

He was replaced by extra midfielder Jackson Yueill, a UCLA product and the sixth overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. Danny Hoesen was used as the lone forward so that the Earthquakes could maintain more possession.

The move paid off in the first half when Yueill’s composure helped create the game’s first goal. In the 26th minute, Yueill received a pass from Hoesen and played it back to Magnus Erikkson, who scored for the second straight game with a left-footed shot from 20 yards out.

But once again, the lead wouldn’t last. A turnover by Yeferson Quintana in front of the San Jose goal led to a score by Tomas Martinez three minutes into the second half, and Houston went ahead in the 63rd minute when Alberth Elis beat defender Nick Lima and crossed the ball to Mauro Manotas for the goal.

“We are a little bit too sloppy with the ball, and it’s hard to get in rhythm when you’re losing the ball all the time,” Stahre said.

San Jose has just two points from its last three games despite leading 1-0 at halftime in each one.

Wondolowski and Hyka both entered in the 67th minute. Wondolowski didn’t record a shot (he did get a yellow card for obstruction), but despite being outshot 19-9, the Earthquakes still managed to gain a critical point before playing six of their next eight games on the road.

Yueill, 21, was one of three players making their first starts of the season as the Earthquakes featured a lineup in which all 11 players were under the age of 30 for the first time since 1999.