QUAKES FALL 0-1 IN SEASON OPENER
16 shots were not enought to beat Matt Reis last Saturday - Photo: Nap - TheProjectFC
Clang! That was the sound of Cam Weaver’s golden opportunity to put the San Jose Earthquakes ahead in the 30th minute going to waste. Weaver found himself six yards away with the ball being spilled to him by Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis, who was prone on the field. The net was wide open and gaping but Weaver hit the ball with too much power, not enough precision and not enough technique and it caromed off the cross bar. Huckerby’s effort off the rebound sailed wide.
It was a shame for the San Jose faithful because the initial move to create the chance was a joy to behold. Arturo Alvarez, playing the wide right midfield position, got the ball on the right flank and cut inside onto his favored left boot. He unleashed a low shot from just outside the box to the far post. Reis dived to parry it away and onto Weaver’s foot who only needed to touch it across the line but it was not to be. With a 1-0 lead the whole complexion of the game changes and New England wouldn’t be able to sit back and wait to counter. The fans would have exploded, the Quakes could have poured it on and perhaps gone into the half with another goal but that didn’t happen. It was a miss that would have dire consequences on the result for the home side.
The first twenty minutes of the match saw the Quakes on their heels a bit. They had trouble maintaining possession and were out muscled by the stout Revolution midfield players, such as Sharlie Jospeh, probably the top defensive midfielder in MLS.
However, their fortunes began to turn midway through the first half as the revamped Quakes midfield began to link up with each other and their forwards. New signing and American World Cup veteran Bobby Convey, with the team for less than two weeks, began to get a hold of the ball and keep possession. Ramiro Corrales began to assert some control in the center of the park. Darren Huckerby and Arturo Alvarez attacked down the flanks and created danger even switching sides of the field at times. The New England backline featured two rookies and no longer had Parkhurst anchoring the middle. The Revolution was also missing forward Taylor Twellman and veteran midfielder Steve Ralston. It was ripe to be defeated.
Unfortunately for the Earthquakes the first half ended 0-0 despite San Jose having more of the ball. The second half started slowly for the both teams and then suddenly a half chance turned into a goal for Kheli Dube and the Revs.
The goal came from a routine long ball by midfielder New England midfielder Jeff Larentowicz. Centerback Kelly Gray slightly mistimed his leap and the ball glanced backwards off his head and into the penalty area behind. Any defender who has ever played the game knows the dread of this feeling when it happens in this part of the pitch. In the center circle there is time to recover but not in front of goal. The ball fell to Dube’s foot and he blasted it past Joe Cannon before Leitch could adjust. It wasn’t much of an opportunity yet Dube took full advantage with a first rate finish and gave the Revs the 1-0 lead. It would be all they would need.
San Jose proceeded to take most of the possession and began to attack in waves but now the Revolution could get 10 men behind the ball and clog up all the space. Time and time again the Revs would block shots and passes before they ever troubled Reis. The inexperienced New England defenders proved to be athletic and well coached. Still Frank Yallop made some changes that helped improve the attack. Quincy Amarikwa came on for Ryan Johnson, who was playing on a sore ankle and not as aggressive as usual and several minutes later Shea Salinas came on for Arturo Alvarez to add a spark down the right.
Darren huckerby couldn't find the solution - Photo: Nap - TheProjectFC
Amarikwa brought energy and hustle and eventually got onto a ball just in front of goal but his flicked effort went wide. Salinas got some decent crosses in and Huckerby did as well just missing Weaver. Eventually Pablo Campos came on for Weaver in the 83rd minute and with just minutes to go in the match Darren Huckerby put a short cross onto his head right in front of goal. It was another excellent chance but the header whistled wide of the left post. It should have been the second Earthquakes goal of the night but instead it was nothing. San Jose could have salvaged a point but at the end they were left with three points dropped. New England was filled with relief as they hustled off the field. The San Jose fans, who had chanted and cheered and put up with some rain felt letdown and cheated.
Still the home side fans have some reason to be optimistic. The team, only in its second year back after all, had performed well, had given up almost no opportunities to the opposition and had created many more. Yet luck and finishing was not on their side so they had lost. Huckerby, Alvarez, Convey, and Corrales showed signs of a dynamic attacking midfield, that will only improve as the season progresses and they continue to play together. They can all interchange positions and attack in varied ways. Indeed it is a far more potent midfield than the Quakes trotted out in the first game last season. It was just that none of the chances created were finished. Amarikwa and Campos showed potential in their first MLS game and Weaver showed he could be a force. Indeed he should have been the hero yet his chance was blown off the crossbar. Clang!
