Chivas USA fell, 2-0, Saturday night against in-state rival the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Quakes were led by a pair of Chris Wondolowski scores to come away with the home result.
The Rojiblancos looked to get numbers forward and get into dangerous spots in their attacking third from the opening whistle, as right back and youth academy product Marco Delgado worked the ball on the right wing and played it into the short area in the eighth minute. But San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch was able to get to the pass before any of Chivas’ strikers could get on the end of the entry.
In the 30th minute center back Carlos Bocanegra sent a long ball over the top that led forward Julio Morales into the box and left the young striker in a one-on-one meeting with Busch. Morales squared up to goal wide of the left post and got off a shot on frame, but Busch denied the strike. Five minutes later, Delgado played a ball from inside the midfield line to Erick Torres who was left momentarily unmarked to the right of the arc. Torres took a quick shot that landed outside the right post and into the side netting to keep the match locked at zero.
The home side went ahead in the 45th minute when Steven Beitashour played a long ball over the top into the box that defender Victor Bernardez headed back to the trailing Wondolowski, who then headed the pass past Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy’s left to go into the half leading 1-0.
The Goats looked as though they had pulled even in the 58th minute off a free kick taken by midfielder Edgar Mejia just inside the midfield line. Mario de Luna got a header on the entry and placed it inside the right post from the six-yard line, but the score was waived off for offsides.
Beginning in the 63rd minute the Red-and-White were left playing a man down after Bocanegra was sent off with a straight red on what the referee deemed as a reckless tackle in the Quakes’ offensive third. The Goats continued to look for the equalizer as they brought on midfielder Carlos Alvarez in the 76th minute for an offensive spark, but were unable to generate a comeback.
Playing with the advantage, the ‘Quakes doubled their lead in the 87th minute when Wondolowski knocked in a rebound inside the box after Kennedy denied the previous shot to secure the 2-0 result.
