Santa Clara, CA (Sports Network) - Marvin Chavez and Alan Gordon scored and FC
Dallas missed a penalty kick in extra time as the San Jose Earthquakes escaped
with a 2-1 win Wednesday at Buck Shaw Stadium in MLS.
Chavez scored his first goal of the season in the 12th minute and Gordon added
his career-high eighth in first-half stoppage time. Chris Wondolowski missed a
chance for his 18th goal, as a penalty he converted was retaken and saved.
Dallas nearly punished San Jose, as Hernan Pertuz scored in the 89th and Zach
Loyd won a penalty early in stoppage time. But Jair Benitez fired the penalty
high over the crossbar, as the Earthquakes held on for all three points.
San Jose (13-4-4) posted its league-high 13th win and stayed unbeaten in nine
matches at Buck Shaw with seven wins and two ties in nine matches. It lost its
one home game played at AT&T Park.
FC Dallas (4-10-7), which snapped a 13-game winless skid over the weekend, was
unbeaten in four matches, as it tied its previous three games in the streak.
Dallas tried to build on the momentum of a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids on
Saturday, as it had two chances inside 2 minutes, including a Brek Shea shot
that cleared off the line.
San Jose settled in after the slow start, and Chavez - who used to play for FC
Dallas - scored his first goal with the Earthquakes. Chavez turned a pass from
Shea Salinas into the bottom right from 18 yards.
Gordon deposited a pass from Sam Cronin just before halftime, giving him three
more goals than his previous career high of five in 2008.
Wondolowski appeared to put the fixture away, and score his 18th goal, but San
Jose had a player enter the area before the kick was taken, and his second try
was saved by Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman on the hour mark.
Pertuz pulled a goal back late in normal time when he dove to meet a pass from
Jackson, and Dallas continued to pressure in stoppage time. Loyd drew the foul
from Simon Dawkins to win the penalty, but Benitez failed to convert.
The defender, who has never scored in MLS, lifted his attempt over the bar and
San Jose held on through the remainder of added time for the win.
FC Dallas hosts the Portland Timbers on Saturday and San Jose visits Vancouver
Whitecaps FC on Sunday.
The Sports Network