Goals by Thiago Martins, Hector Cuadros and Douglas Sequeira vaulted Chivas USA to a 3-3 draw against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium. Sequeira's goal, in the first minute of stoppage time, captured the first MLS point for the expansion Red-and-White.
The match picked up intensity in the final 15 minutes after taking on a defensive posture through most of the second half. Sequeira converted with a header off a free kick from second-half substitute Antonio Martinez as Chivas USA overcame a late Earthquakes advantage.
Chivas USA had just conceded a one-goal lead by allowing two goals in a five-minute stretch late in the second half. San Jose center back Troy Dayak scored off a looping header from a Brad Davis free kick in the 75th minute and Brian Ching followed with another header in the 79th minute.
The Red-and-White had taken the lead in the 73rd minute when Ezra Hendrickson delivered a cross from the right side to Cuadros, who hit a powerful header into the far right corner to make it 2-1.
After going scoreless in its opener, a 2-0 loss to D.C. United, Chivas USA did not take long to get on the scoreboard against the Earthquakes, taking the lead just three minutes into the match as left back Orlando Perez set up Thiago Martins.
Perez's cross cleared the head of San Jose defender Ryan Cochrane and was collected by Martins, who chested the ball down and slid it past onrushing keeper Pat Onstad for the first goal in Chivas USA history and a 1-0 lead.
Despite the strong start, Chivas USA was unable to generate much in the way of serious scoring chances in the first half as Onstad was not forced into a single save.
And after establishing the majority of the possession early, Chivas USA was put under pressure toward the latter part of the first half. Chivas finally conceded in the final minute of the first half, when Davis bent in a terrific free kick from the edge of the penalty area to level the score going into the halftime break.
Starting center back Ryan Suarez had to leave the game in the 58th minute from an injury he sustained during a corner kick collision just a few minutes earlier, and the Earthquakes were able to take advantage late.
Though Chivas USA took a second lead of the game, and even after the two goals in quick succession from the home side, Sequeira's battling header from the heart of the penalty area as he held off a defender sent the expansion side back home with their first league point.
Next Saturday, the Quakes head to Chicago to tackle the Fire (8:30 p.m. ET), while Chivas USA hosts FC Dallas (10 p.m. ET, HDNet) at The Home Depot Center.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Brad Davis (San Jose Earthquakes)
Danny Kadah is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
CD Chivas USA (0-1-0) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (0-0-1)
April 9, 2005 -- Spartan Stadium
Scoring Summary:
CHV -- Thiago Martins 1 (Orlando Perez 1) 3
SJ -- Brad Davis 1 (unassisted) 45
CHV -- Hector Cuadros 1 (Ezra Hendrickson 1) 73
SJ -- Troy Dayak 1 (Brad Davis 1) 75
SJ -- Brian Ching 1 (Brad Davis 2) 79
CHV -- Douglas Sequeira 1 (Jesus Ochoa 1) 90
CD Chivas USA -- Brad Guzan, Ezra Hendrickson, Douglas Sequeira, Ryan Suarez (Jesus Ochoa 58), Orlando Perez (Isaac Romo 83), Hector Cuadros, Aaron Lopez, Ramon Ramirez, Arturo Torres, Thiago Martins (Antonio Martinez 87), Matt Taylor.
Substitutes Not Used: Javier Barragan, Francisco Mendoza.
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Thiago Martins 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Thiago Martins 2); FOULS: 25 (Ramon Ramirez 5); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 5 (Ramon Ramirez 5); SAVES: 4 (Brad Guzan 4)
San Jose Earthquakes -- Pat Onstad, Craig Waibel, Ryan Cochrane, Troy Dayak, Wade Barrett, Brian Mullan (Dwayne De Rosario 71), Ricardo Clark (Ian Russell 76), Danny O'Rourke, Brad Davis, Ronald Cerritos (Alejandro Moreno 80), Brian Ching.
Substitutes Not Used: Chris Aloisi, Jon Conway, Tighe Dombrowski, Kevin Goldthwaite, Wes Hart, Roger Levesque.
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Brian Ching 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Brian Ching 3); FOULS: 19 (Brian Ching 6); OFFSIDES: 1 (Dwayne De Rosario 1); CORNER KICKS: 7 (Brad Davis 5); SAVES: 1 (Pat Onstad 1)
Misconduct Summary:
SJ -- Brian Ching (caution; Tackle from Behind) 17
CHV -- Thiago Martins (caution; Pushing, Holding) 33
CHV -- Ramon Ramirez (caution; Tackle from Behind) 40
SJ -- Brian Mullan (caution; Tackle from Behind) 60
SJ -- Ryan Cochrane (caution; Pushing, Holding) 71
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Referee's Assistants: -Jose Corro; Emiliano Monje
4th Official: Marcel Yonan
Weather: Sunny-and-58-degrees
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.
