Parents are fond of saying, “Life isn’t fair.” I’ve said it to the kids a few times myself. In their expansion return to MLS last season, the San Jose Earthquakes had two saving graces: the midseason acquisition of Darren Huckerby and a solid defense led by longtime Kansas City Wizard Nick Garcia. Injury has kept Huckerby on the sideline for two-thirds of the 2009 campaign, and the Earthquakes vie for the worst defense this year inexplicably led by Nick Garcia’s lapses. Life isn’t fair.
The Earthquakes’ office was busy this week. San Jose sent Garcia to Toronto FC as well as discovery rights to Ali Gerba in exchange for a third round pick in the 2010 SuperDraft. At the same time the Quakes acquired Chris Wondolowski and a conditional draft pick in the 2010 SuperDraft from the Houston Dynamo for forward Cam Weaver. Weaver had one goal and two assists in nine appearances for San Jose. Wondolowski began his MLS career with the Quakes in 2005 and moved with the team to Houston the following year. He has two goals for the Dynamo this season.
“We are happy to bring Chris back home to the Bay Area,” said Quakes’ general manager John Doyle. “He is a hard worker who we think can make a positive impact for us. He understands the game well and should fit in nicely with our team.”
Saturday, the Quakes travel for the second time this year to Seattle to face the newest MLS team. The Sounders should be languishing at the bottom of their league suffering the slings and arrows that must befall an expansion club, but life isn’t fair. The Sounders won their first three and reached 4-2 before they cooled off. Despite this, the Sounders are tied for third in the Western table. They have one of the stingiest defenses in MLS led by US National Team veteran Kasey Keller in goal. With a 0.68 goals against average, Keller is second best after the Dynamo’s Pat Onstad’s 0.64. What’s wrong with this picture?
The first time the Quakes faced Seattle on April 25, the Sounders put San Jose away 2-0. Goals by rookie Steve Zakuani and Brad Evans put the kabosh on the notion that last year’s expansion side would easily handle this year’s expansion side. It was the sixth game of the Sounder’s inaugural season, and Keller hadn’t allowed a goal in 389 minutes, setting an MLS record. (Seattle lost its fourth game, 1-0, after Keller was red carded and then, of course, he missed the succeeding game, also a loss.) Since the beginning of May, Seattle has five ties along with a win and a loss bringing them back down to earth.

The Quakes, meanwhile, are beginning to show some life, if only incrementally. After enduring a five game losing streak, San Jose broke out a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake at home. Then last Sunday the Quakes earned a draw against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park. The challenge of taking on Dallas in the Lone Star State was compounded because two players were called away for national team duty, and midfielder Ramiro Corrales sat out the game for yellow card accumulation. Add to that the usual injuries, and Quakes’ coach Frank Yallop had to juggle the lineup. Brandon McDonald saw his first appearance for the Quakes at midfield, and recent defensive acquisition Aaron Pitchkolan filled in at midfield as well.
It was one of the odder games this season. San Jose fell behind when David Ferreira put the Hoops on the board in the 29th minute. With the new midfield the Quakes had difficulty with ball control and didn’t generate much offense, but tied it in the 60th minute on an own goal. Dallas defenseman Pablo Ricchetti tried to clear a Shea Salinas free kick but only succeeded in deflecting it into the net. Suddenly a point was possible if San Jose could hold on, something they have been terrible at doing this year. Then out of the blue, Quakes’ winger Arturo Alvarez got a goal in the 82nd minute, and it looked like the Quakes might escape Texas with three points. The Hoops quashed that dream when the San Jose defense had another lapse, and Kenny Cooper netted a goal five minutes later.
Still, it was the Quakes first point away from home this season. It was also the first time this season that the Quakes didn’t lose after giving up the first goal of a game. The team is now 0-6-1 when allowing the first goal. And it was the second game in a row getting points after five previous games with none. When you’re the worst team in MLS, you take whatever moral victory you can.
After missing the last seven matches due to a right quadriceps strain, midfielder Darren Huckerby returned to the field on Sunday against FC Dallas, coming in as a substitute replacing Shea Salinas in the 90th minute. With Huckerby’s return and Garcia’s departure, will the Quakes’ fortunes reverse? While Garcia struggled, it isn’t as though the Quakes have a proven closer to replace him. Ryan Cochrane remains out after ankle surgery. Kelly Gray is a likely starter, or coach Frank Yallop could move newcomers Aaron Pitchkolen or Mike Zaher into the middle from outside defender. Jason Hernandez has performed well as the other central defender, but has been plagued with muscle strains.
With the slight elevation of San Jose’s fortunes and the relative deflation of Seattle’s, will the result be different from the first tilt between the two sides? Not bloody likely, but then life isn’t fair. Look for the Quakes to regroup defensively without Garcia and for Huckerby to breathe some life into the offense.
INJURIES:
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
OUT: DF Ryan Cochrane (L ankle surgery); PROBABLE: Jason Hernandez (R oblique strain); MF Darren Huckerby (R quadriceps strain)
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
OUT: GK Chris Eylander (L medial knee bone bruise); DF Zach Scott (partial tear abdominal muscle); DF Taylor Graham (R metatarsal fracture); FW Jarrod Smith (L hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Peter Vagenas (R ankle pain); PROBABLE: MF Osvaldo Alonso (R quad strain)
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