Goal Scoring 101
24 minutes into the San Jose Earthquakes loss to Toronto FC on May 30, Chris Wondolowski scored his 101st goal of his career. It was also his fourth in four games, and the second in-a-row by way of penalty. What makes that accomplishment even more impressive is that 94 of the 101 goals have come in the last 6 seasons, although Wondo is playing in his 11th MLS season. That is an impressive run that sees no sign of slowing down. This year Wondo has eight of the team’s total 14 goals. Though it looks like Wondo is headed for yet another double-digit scoring season, he is going to need the help of his teammates if the Earthquakes want to stay in the Western Conference playoff race. The last time Wondo had more than half of the team’s goals was in 2010, a year the Earthquakes missed the playoffs based on goal differential. If the Earthquakes want to remain in the hunt they are going to need offensive contributions from other spots on the pitch, not just from reliable #8.
Seeing Red
Sunday’s game against Dallas had a total of seven cards shown, three of them red. The one that sparked the most debate was the red given to Mark Sherrod in the 53rd minute. As Sherrod went to make a play on a cross Dallas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy also went to make a play on the ball. Sherrod’s momentum seemed to carry him into Kennedy and as he tried to hop over the sliding keeper, Sherrod made contact with Kennedy’s head. Referee Baldomero Toledo pulled a red out of his pocket, leaving the Earthquakes down a man at that moment in the game.
Referee Toledo’s three red cards in the half had some Earthquake supporters calling for MLS to discipline him. They feel that he is a bit too loose with his card hand and it is hurting the flow of the game. I decided to look into the amount of cards handed out by Toledo and nine other random MLS referees that had officiated at least six games in 2015 to see if any of them stood out. I used MLSSoccer.com and Football-Lineups.com to find my data. Baldomero Toledo came in third place out of the 10 referees I looked at with 38 yellow cards handed out in 9 games. This gives him an average of 4.22 yellow cards a game, just behind the 4.3 average yellows a game handed out by referee Fotis Bazakos. The referee with the highest average yellow cards per game, Edvin Jurisevic, also has one of the highest red card counts at three. Toledo might be one of the stricter referees in MLS but he sure isn’t handing out cards at a rate that would warrant an investigation by the league. However, with the three red cards handed out by Toledo last match he is now the leader in red cards handed out, by almost double. MLS does have much to do to elevate the level of its officiating, but at least in this instance it does not look like we have a rogue referee that needs to be reigned in by MLS. We might actually have a rogue crew that has trouble keeping games under control and it is really affecting the growth of the league. For a more complete picture of the referee fiasco, check out this article written by a fellow writer at Last Word On Sports. It would be interesting to check the numbers at the end of the season to get a clearer picture. I know how I am spending my late October.
All-Star Game at Avaya in 2016
Major League Soccer announced that the 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game would take place at Avaya Stadium in the summer of 2016. This is great news for San Jose who will get to showcase its multiple-award-winning new stadium in the biggest spectacle in MLS. This will be the perfect excuse for anyone that is wondering if the buzz around Avaya Stadium is more about it being the newest venue in MLS or if it is really one of America’s iconic soccer venues. It already iconic to Earthquakes supporters, who have been patiently waiting for a true home for their beloved team since its first game in 1996. Come 2016 they will be ready with open arms, ready to show off not only their new home but the city of San Jose as a whole. If you make the trip next year do yourself a favor and stop by La Victoria in downtown San Jose and try the orange sauce. Just ask for it, they will know what you are talking about.
