Chris Wondolowski's two late goals lift Quakes past RSL

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:07 am

Chris Wondolowski scored two late goals to rally the San Jose Earthquakes to a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Friday night at Salt Lake City.

Wondolowski entered the match in the 72rd minute and quickly sparked the San Jose attack. He knotted the score on a rebound in the 83th minute and headed in the winner in the 87th.

The two goals -- Wondolowski's first two of the season -- increased his MLS all-time record tally to 168 and gave the Earthquakes (3-1-0, 9 points) their third straight victory. Wondolowski has 12 career goals against Real Salt Lake.

Rubio Rubin scored a picturesque first-half goal on a bicycle kick for Real Salt Lake (2-1-0, 6 points). He has three goals in the past two games.

San Jose had trouble creating chances prior to Wondolowski entering, as it had put just two shots on targets.

Just three minutes after Wondolowski's introduction, Cristian Espizona sent a strong right-footer on net, and Real Salt Lake goalkeeper David Ochoa made the save. Another solid Earthquakes chance occurred in the 79th minute, but Carlos Fierro headed the ball over the crossbar.

Fierro then was involved in the tying goal as he ripped a left-footed shot that was stopped by Ochoa. The rebound went right to Wondolowski, who pounded the ball past Ochoa to tie it at 1.

Four minutes later, Fierro had the ball on the flank and Wondolowski was in the box. Despite two RSL defenders shadowing Wondolowski, Fierro sent the cross in, and Wondolowski leaped and headed the ball past Ochoa.

In the 43rd minute, RSL went up 1-0 as Rubin's goal was set by a header pass from Damir Kreilach. The ball was placed in an area where Rubio could corral it with his chest despite tight coverage from San Jose's Tanner Beason.

After the ball tapped off his chest, Rubio lowered, turned and sent a right-footed rocket bicycle kick toward the net. It sailed over the right hand of Earthquakes goalie JT Marcinkowski and into the net.

Justin Meram had multiple strong scoring chances for RSL. In the 16th minute, Meram's powerful right-footed shot smacked off the crossbar, and Meram missed wide on shots in the 56th and 73rd minutes.