- Darwin Quintero (5')
- Michael Boxall (52')
- Kevin Molino (90'+2')
- Tommy Thompson (45'+2')
Minnesota pull out home win over San Jose
In a battle of two MLS playoff contenders, Minnesota United held serve at home, coming away with a 3-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes Wednesday night.
Minnesota (8-7-3, 27 points) came into the game in sixth place in the Western Conference, one point back of San Jose (7-7-4, 25 points) but now holds the two-point lead.
It was the first MLS loss for San Jose since May 11 as the Earthquakes had run off a 4-0-2 record since then to jump into the thick of the playoff race after starting the season 0-4-0.
Tied 1-1 at the break, Minnesota got the game winner in the 52nd minute off a Michael Boxall goal.
The big defender pushed up from the back, making a run into the attacking third. He tried to push a ball through to the right, but it deflected off a San Jose defender and right back towards Boxall, who never broke stride.
He got to the ball a step before San Jose goalie Daniel Vega and pushed it home for the lead.
San Jose controlled the game after that, but Minnesota iced it on a Kevin Molino goal two minutes into stoppage time.
Minnesota got on the board just five minutes into the game when Darwin Quintero put home a volley off a cross from Ethan Finlay.
Finlay got loose in the right side of the penalty box before sending the cross to Quintero. Vega did get a hand on the ball but was unable to keep it out of the goal.
The goal put to a rest a scoreless streak of 205 consecutive minutes for the San Jose defense.
San Jose tied it in stoppage time at the end of the first half when a Magnus Eriksson free kick from 20 yards out on the right side of the field was deflected off the stomach of Tommy Thompson and into the goal to make it 1-1 at the break.
Game Information
MLS Standings
Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LA Galaxy | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | +6 | 18 |
Vancouver Whitecaps | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | +8 | 16 |
Real Salt Lake | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | +7 | 15 |
Colorado Rapids | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | +2 | 15 |
Minnesota United FC | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | +4 | 14 |
Houston Dynamo FC | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | +1 | 13 |
LAFC | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | +1 | 12 |
Austin FC | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | -1 | 12 |
St. Louis CITY SC | 9 | 2 | 6 | 1 | +1 | 12 |
Sporting Kansas City | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | +1 | 11 |
Portland Timbers | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
Seattle Sounders FC | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
FC Dallas | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -5 | 5 |
San Jose Earthquakes | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | -11 | 3 |