SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose Earthquakes hosted Colorado Rapids on Saturday night. It wasn’t the most interesting goal but a Chris Wondolowski panenka and a Kei Kamara header were exciting.
Chris Wondolowski Panenka Cancels out Kei Kamara Header as Rapids Draw Quakes 1-1
Both teams came into this game wanting a result. The Quakes were blown out midweek by Los Angeles FC. The Rapids haven’t won a game since March. Both coaches commented on how the team needed energy and confidence after their last game to turn the corner.
The Quakes were aided in this game by a cluster of cars on the grass behind their
The first half was a stalemate with both teams prioritizing their defensive shape. San Jose tracked back quickly. Marcos López did well marking Younes Namli. Colorado pressed San Jose to prevent them from opening the game up.
Both teams did have a quality look at goal in the first half though. Ten minutes in Diego Rubio found Kellyn Acosta shooting a gap in the defense. Acosta got to the ball with not much time or space. Daniel Vega made the point blank save.
Then in the 21st minute Chris Wondolowski drifted off the back shoulder of Danny Wilson to get open. He eventually shot for the far post but the shot was just wide, deflected out of bounce for a corner. The half ended 0-0.
Something big was going to have to happen for a goal to be scored. It came in the form of a penalty in the 58th minute. San Jose was in transition when Andres Rios crossed the ball off the outstretched arm of Sam Vines in the penalty area.
Wondo took the penalty, passing the ball on the ground and up the middle to score. William Yarbrough was caught flatfooted on the move as the ball went by him just a few feet to his left.
Colorado finally got on the scoresheet through a corner. Kei Kamara scored on an unchallenged header in the 81st minute. Cole Bassett provided the service.
The match ended 1-1.
162.
The greatest goal scorer in @MLS history.#VamosSJ pic.twitter.com/ciWD97aFFF
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) September 6, 2020
Three Takeaways:
Final pass missing: Both teams have struggled creating chances from the run of play recently. There wasn’t much action in this game when the team without the ball had numbers back and were organized. Both goals came from a dead ball situation.
Something old, something new: Kamara and Wondo continue to get it done, despite their ages. Besides then, youngsters Cole Bassett and Cade Cowell played well, continuing their good run of form in the attack. The Wondolowski panenka was something else.
Car horns: Earthquakes Stadium had some genuine atmosphere in this match. The club allowed several supporters to watch from their cars in the grass behind the stadium’s outdoor bar. They honked when the Quakes made a good play.
