SHAKY EFFORT
Quakes fall behind Minnesota United in opening minutes, offer virtually no offensive attack at home
SAN JOSE >> All the positive feelings about the Earthquakes’ prospects this season were washed away Saturday on a rainy, dismal evening at half-empty Earthquakes Stadium.
On a day that started with concerns over large gatherings in Santa Clara County because of the coronavirus outbreak ended with serious questions about whether San Jose is a legitimate Major League Soccer playoff team.
The sample of two home games is too small to draw any conclusions. But after the Minnesota United confidently flattened the Quakes (0-1-1) 5-2 more doubts crept in because of San Jose’s historically bad record since re-entering the league as an expansion team in 2008.
Little went right for coach Matias Almeyda, who supposedly had players accustomed to his unorthodox pressing style in his second year in San Jose.
It unraveled in the first half as the Earthquakes fell behind 4-1 in what could be characterized as a team-wide collapse.
The attack was anemic, the defense disjointed against Minnesota, which opened the season last weekend with an impressive 3-1 victory at Portland.
San Jose, meanwhile, had to rally from a 2-0 deficit to gain a 2-2 tie at home against Toronto FC.
Almeyda looked for options — any options — when sending teenage forward Cade Cowell on to start the second half. Cowell, 16, 150 days, replaced Danny Hoesen in his MLS debut.
Cowell became the youngest player in team history to appear in a game. He also is the fifth-youngest player in league history; Freddy Adu, who was 14 in 2004 when he made his D.C. United debut against the Quakes, is the youngest.
Almeyda also replaced fullback Nick Lima with veteran Shea Salinas for the final 45 minutes and finally sent on all-time MLS scoring leader Chris Wondolowski in the 64th minute for central defender Guram Kashia.
It did not matter on this night.
Valeri Qazaishvili made it 4-2 in the 53rd minute when his shot deflected off a Minnesota player and into the net. But Ike Opara scored his second header goal off a corner kick in the 71st minute when jumping above Wondolowski.
The five goals tied the Earthquakes’ record for the most allowed in a single game. It has now happened six hapless times.
Minnesota coach Adrian Heath said before the game he had hoped to set his players on a counterattack against the hard-pressing Quakes. The team dominated San Jose in 2019, winning both games in outscoring the Earthquakes 6-1.
“The one thing I know about it is they’re going to be full of running,” Heath said. “The coach believes in that and they’re going to try and get you off your shape because of the way they play.”
Heath wanted Minnesota to take advantage of the system with the counterattacks. But it was not necessary. United simply dominated the entire field.
Minnesota wasted no time jumping on the Earthquakes when Opara stepped in front of Oswaldo Alinas off a corner kick from Jan Gregus for an easy header and 1-0 lead.
The Quakes tied the score five minutes later on Magnus Eriksson’s fifth penalty kick in his San Jose career. The Quakes were awarded the penalty after a video review showed defender Chase Gasper tripped Tommy Thompson just inside the box.
Minnesota then scored three consecutive goals, the first two off of defensive breakdowns. The final goal came in first-half stoppage time after Kashia tackled Opara on a corner kick. But goalkeeper Daniel Vega blocked Luis Amarilla’s penalty shot only to see Robin Lod blast home the rebound for a 4-1 lead.
The Quakes travel to Philadelphia on Saturday for their first road game of the seven-month regular season.