The San Jose Earthquakes and D.C. United battled to a scoreless draw in the final game of the MLS Central Showcase in front of 4,342 fans at Cal Poly's Alex G. Spanos Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The first scoring chance came in the 23 minute as Kei Kamara, who found the net twice against Columbus on Friday, elevated for a deep ball sent into D.C. United box but collided with keeper Zach Wells.
In the 44 minute Ned Grabavoy flicked a header into open space behind the D.C. defense and Kamara met the ball in stride, but Gonzalo Martinez quickly made up the distance and prevented Kamara from turning the corner.
Gallardo, who was kept quiet for most of the first half, cracked a shot from 25-yards out just before the first-half whistle, but San Jose keeper Dan Benton was right there to make the save.
Five minutes into the second half Luciano Emilio found open space behind the defense and was ready to shoot from 10 yards out but Matt Taylor came in for a tackle and wrested the ball away.
Kamara found himself with another golden opportunity in the 59th minute as he flicked a shot on the doorstep of the goal, but the shot deflected off a D.C. United defender and took a soft bounce into Wells legs. D.C. United cleared the ball and the game remained scoreless.
In second half stoppage time, Taylor had a great opportunity to score but Jose Carvallo, who came on for Wells midway through the second half, managed to dive to his left as the ball rolled toward the post and got a hand on it.
The Earthquakes improved to 2-1-2 in the preseason and will return to the Bay Area Monday to continue preseason training.
San Jose Earthquakes 0:0 D.C. United
MLS Preseason Exhibition - 24 February 2008 - 1 p.m. PT
Alex G. Spanos Stadium - San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Attendance: 4,342
Scoring Summary:
None
First Half Lineups:
DC United (5-3-2): Zach Wells, Gonzalo Peralta, Marc Burch, Fred, Marcelo Gallardo, Luciano Emilio, Devon McTavish, Gonzalo Martinez, Bryan Namoff, Dan Stratford, Jaime Moreno.
San Jose Earthquakes (4-4-2): Dan Benton, Jason Hernandez, Ryan Cochrane, Nick Garcia, James Riley, Shea Salinas, Joe Vide, Ramiro Corrales, Ivan Guerrero, Ned Grabavoy, Kei Kamara.
Second Half Lineups:
DC United (5-3-2): Zach Wells (Jose Carvallo 61), Gonzalo Peralta (Pat Carroll 74), Marc Burch (Ryan Cordeiro 74), Fred (Josh Gardner 67), Marcelo Gallardo (Justin Moose 61), Luciano Emilio (Jerson Monteiro 73), Devon McTavish (Quavas Kirk 73), Gonzalo Martinez (Domenic Mediate 73), Bryan Namoff (Dane Murphy 78), Dan Stratford (Brady Renfrow 89), Franco Niell (Jamil Walker 47).
San Jose Earthquakes (4-4-2): Dan Benton, Jason Hernandez, Ryan Cochrane, Nick Garcia, James Riley (Chris Pozniak 74), Shea Salinas (Yuri Morales 66), Joe Vide, Ramiro Corrales (J.P. Rodrigues 74), Matt Taylor, Ned Grabavoy (John Fishbaugher 82), Kei Kamara (Adam Smarte 82).
Misconduct Summary
DC - Marc Burch caution (reckless foul) 10
DC - Dan Stratford caution (reckless foul) 11
SJ - Joe Vide caution (reckless foul) 12
DC - Devon McTavish caution (reckless foul) 14
