Major League Soccer: San Jose 1-1 D.C United
These days the whole world is focused on the FIFA world cup in South Africa, and the football season all over Europe is obviously closed, as it normally is in summers. However, in United States Soccer (as they like to call it) continues, and in an important match of Major League Soccer San Jose Earthquakes and D.C United played a hard fought 1-1 draw.
Despite the match ending on level terms, D.C United will be most pleased by the result. Earthquakes meanwhile will be thinking, only if they could have made more of the numerous chances, it could have been an altogether different result for them.
Andy Najar and Ike Opara were the 2 goal scorers on the day, in a match that was swinging one way then the other at Buck f Shaw Stadium.
The match started with lightening pace, United got the first corner of the match before even the first minute had gone by, D.C certainly had the major share of possession but there simply were no productive moves in the final third to make use of all that possession. Few long range efforts were all they had to show for it. But after almost 15 minutes into the first half, San Jose gathered themselves and started getting more of the ball, San Jose were simple in their approach, as they tried route one football and made use of the big striker Ryan Johnson upfront, they kept putting in long balls while he showed some good hold up play.
Ryan must have thought he had broken the dead lock, when he headed in a cross from Brandon, but just a matter of inches ruled him offside. The signs were there as United’s defence was looking unsettled.
A bad touch from Stephen King gave a chance to Sam Cronin right at the edge of the area, and he shot first time but Perkins managed to parry it away for a corner. The following corner was curled in by Covery and it was not dealt with properly by the defence. Manuel slashed at the ball hoping to clear it, but instead it fell straight to Opara and he made no mistake in slotting it home from 12 yards for his 12th goal of the season.
D.C United looked rattled from the goal and could not get back in the game for a while. San Jose continued to dominate and kept coming forward with after wave of attacks. Moreover, they could have had a second goal, when united keeper Perkins was slightly off his line but Bobby Convey could not get his shot on target.
D.C United though did settle down to some degree just before half time and came up with one of their own attacks that led to a corner, and Jackovic at the near post headed it in but Convey was at hand to clear off the line.
The teams headed to the locker rooms with San Jose in the lead.
United manager sent on Jaime Moreno and replaced Adam Cristman, who has been disappointing to say the least. The experienced player really made the difference and D.C started having some good possession of the ball.
United kept the ball for most of the first 10 minutes in the 2nd half, and continued to formulate moves through the wings. And finally the hard work paid off, when Stephen made a good run behind the San Jose Defence and latched on to a ball from Satino. King did exceptionally well after receiving the ball as he controlled it and laid it off to Najar, who was waiting at the back post. The young striker made no mistake and blasted the ball home with a beautifully timed volley.
It was game one 1-1, it was anyone’s game now, San Jose though got back on their feet very quickly and just as in the first half started making number of moves. It was looking like they would surely find a winner before the end. Bobby Convey sent in a cross to Alvarez but he could not connect and the chance went begging.
The pattern continued till the 90th minute but D.C united somehow managed to hold on and managed to get a point out of the match, 1-1 not such a bad result for D.C after all.
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