The San Jose Earthquakes reminded MLS that ‘Goonies never say die’ this past Saturday, beating visiting Seattle Sounders with a last minute 2-1 victory in front of a crowd of 10,744.
The Earthquakes (14-5-5) entered the match rested from a bye week and still first in the league, a position they’ve held for the last few weeks. The Sounders (10-6-7) went to Buck Shaw Stadium straight from LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, where they lost the US Open Cup to Sporting Kansas City in penalties. Seattle had previously won the last three US Open Cups.
After an hour of scoreless play, the Earthquakes went up 1-0 off of a Simon Dawkins goal in the 70th minute. Dawkins whipped the ball into the near post from ten yards out after a throw-in was cleared right to his feet.
Just minutes after entering the match, Freddy Montero got the equalizer in the first minute of stoppage time. Montero took advantage of a loose ball in the middle of a scrum after a Brad Evans throw-in bounced in front of the goal. This was Montero’s seventh goal of the season.
In true Goonies fashion the game was far from lost for the Earthquakes. With just seconds to spare it was Steven Lenhart who saved the day with a header into the net off of a Shea Salinas corner kick. It was the second consecutive stoppage time goal from Lenhart after equalizing with Chicago on July 28th.
This game is the seventh time this season that the Earthquakes have tied or won in the last four minutes of a match. The Earthquakes now have a thirteen game unbeaten streak at home, going 9-0-4 since August 13, 2011.
Chris Wondolowski, Alan Gordon, and Stephen Beitashour were named to the USMNT squad for a midweek match against Mexico in Mexico City on August 15. That game can be caught on ESPN2 at 4:30 PM.
The Earthquakes return to action August 18 at Stade Saputo against sixth in the East, Montreal Impact (10-13-3).
(image courtesy of Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
