Earthquakes Earn Third Shutout of the Season in 0-0 Draw with Colorado Rapids

 
The San Jose Earthquakes picked up their third shutout of the season in a 0-0 draw against the Colorado Rapids at Buck Shaw Stadium on Wednesday.
 
The Earthquakes peppered the Rapids’ goal with 15 shots on the night, seven of which were on target. However, a stellar effort from Colorado goalkeeper Clint Irwin, including several spectacular saves, kept the sides level.
 
San Jose’s first big chance on goal came in the 23rd minute after Shea Salinas received the ball on a give-and-go from a corner kick. Salinas juked past a defender and curled a shot toward the near post where Irwin blocked it into the air. Ty Harden was first to the rebound and attempted a bicycle kick, but his shot was knocked away by a Rapids defender before reaching the goal.
 
Minutes later the Earthquakes were knocking on the doorstep once again, this time with a header from Chris Wondolowski. Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi headed a pass toward goal, finding Harden for a flicked header at the edge of the six-yard box. Wondolowski was waiting and redirected a shot toward the net, but Irwin made a one-handed diving save to knock it just past the post and out for a corner kick.

Alan Gordon had the next golden chance with an open look inside the area in the 53rd minute. Salinas slid a pass between defenders to an open Gordon, but the ensuing shot darted just wide of the target.
 
Irwin made his presence felt again in the 63rd minute. Atiba Harris blasted a shot from just inside the area that was destined for the net if not for Irwin reaching back to punch it away while diving to his left.
 
Wondolowski nearly netted the game-winner in the waning moments, tapping a shot on the run toward goal after a through ball from Salinas, but Irwin sprawled and deflected the ball with his leg. The shot was still heading toward goal, but hit the post and bounced away.
 
The clean sheet was San Jose’s third in their last four games. Jon Busch moved one shutout closer to former Earthquakes icon Joe Cannon for No. 3 on the MLS all-time list with the 79th in his career.  
 
San Jose returns to action on Saturday, May 10 against FC Dallas at Buck Shaw Stadium, presented by Gordon Biersch. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. PT on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 1590 KLIV and 1370 KZSF. The match will be played nearly 40 years to the day of the teams’ first meeting on May 11, 1974 – a 4-3 win for San Jose. The Earthquakes are celebrating their 40th anniversary this season and will have a number of themed items at the match. Johnny Moore, a player in 1974 and former general manager, will be inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame at halftime and Gordon Biersch will give 2,500 fans a commemorative throwback 1974 jersey T-shirt.

 San Jose Earthquakes (1-3-4, 7 pts.) 0:0 Colorado Rapids (4-2-3, 15 pts.)
May 7, 2014 – Buck Shaw Stadium
Attendance: 9,388
 
Scoring Summary: None.
 
Misconduct Summary: COL – Charles Eloundou (caution) 43; SJ – Victor Bernardez (caution) 78.
 
San Jose Earthquakes: Jon Busch, Andreas Gorlitz (Brandon Barklage 45), Victor Bernardez, Ty Harden, Jordan Stewart, Atiba Harris (Cordell Cato 77), Khari Stephenson (JJ Koval 81), Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi, Shea Salinas, Chris Wondolowski, Alan Gordon.  
 
SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; SAVES: 4; FOULS: 15; CORNER KICKS: 6;OFFSIDES: 2.
 
Colorado Rapids – Clint Irwin, Thomas Piermayr, Shane O’Neill, Drew Moor, Chris Klute, Kamani Hill, Jared Watts, Dillon Powers (Nathan Sturgis 70), Charles Eloundou (Dillon Serna 77), Gabriel Torres, Edson Buddle.
 
SHOTS: 16; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; SAVES: 7; FOULS: 8; CORNER KICKS: 3;OFFSIDES: 2.

 
 
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MARK WATSON

 
On Clint Irwin’s performance:

“He played well tonight. He had four or five really good saves and credit to him because he’s a really good goalkeeper and had a huge night.”
 
On performance:
“I thought that our team played well tonight. We talked about having a really good start. We hadn’t done that at home yet and that’s a trademark of ours. I thought we did that, right from the start. We had energy, forced the game and moved the ball better tonight. We had a lot of good chances and were unfortunate not to win the game.”
 
On Pierazzi-Stephenson pairing:
“I thought they both played well tonight. They hadn’t played recently and I wanted to change things up a bit. Khari [Stephenson] had a little knock and got a bit tired at the end so we had to take him off, but we didn’t want to because he was playing very well. I also thought Jean-Baptiste [Pierazzi] put in a solid, professional performance for 90 minutes and I was proud of both of them.”
 
 
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER SHEA SALINAS
 

On draw:
“We wanted three points tonight, definitely.  We only got one and that’s a little frustrating, especially playing the first of two games at home this week. We have to refocus and re-energize for Saturday. It will be a short turnaround before then. We’ll watch some video and look at some things offensively to adjust for FC Dallas.”
 
On offensive approach:
“We moved the ball well, being able to swing it side to side. At the end of the day, you need goals. That’s what you’re judged off of. It’s something to build off of. I felt our legs got tired toward the end, which was expected after playing twice in four days. We’re moving the ball well, which gives me a little more space out wide. We’ve been doing well creating chances, we just need to finish.”

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES GOALKEEPER JON BUSCH
 
On defensive effort:
“I thought the boys played fantastic tonight. We inserted Ty [Harden] into the starting line-up with Clarence [Goodson] out with an injury. Ty is a big-time, steady pro. He plays well every time he is asked to do so. Then, Brandon [Barklage] steps in for [Andreas] Gorlitz for the second half and makes two big plays on the end line against some very fast and tricky players. The boys played well tonight.”
 
On Rapid’s goalkeeper Clint Irwin:
“He always seems to get a big time save against us. He blocked a huge shot in the middle of the second half when he just got his fingers on the ball to push it over the crossbar. From my center angle on the opposite end, I thought it was a goal. You look at that play as potentially being the difference in this game. We just need one of those chances to drop. Once we get one of those to go in, we will be off and running.”