Weekly Update: Road warriors

This Week

Following a come-from-behind 1-1 tie on the road against Toronto FC, the San Jose Earthquakes play their first of two straight games in Southern California this weekend against Chivas USA on Saturday, Oct. 17 at The Home Depot Center. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet California and 1220 KDOW.

Earthquakes vs. Chivas USA All-Time

MLS Regular Season:
2-3-3

Home:
1-2-1

Away:
1-1-2

Playoffs:
0-0-0;
U.S. Open Cup:
0-0-0

All-Time Scoring:
San Jose - 9, Chivas USA - 8

Earthquakes Schedule for the Week of 10/12/09

Tuesday, Oct. 13 - 10:15 a.m. -Training at West Valley College

Wednesday, Oct. 14 - 10:15 a.m. - Training at West Valley College

Thursday, Oct. 15 - 10:15 a.m. - Training at West Valley College

Friday, Oct. 16 - Travel to Los Angeles

Saturday, Oct. 17 - 7:30 p.m. PT - Earthquakes at Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center live on Comcast SportsNet California and 1220 KDOW

Injury Report
Out: Darren Huckerby (R - hip surgery); Andre Luiz (L - knee sprain); Jason Hernandez (L - ankle fracture/sprain); Chris Wondolowski (R - knee sprain).

Last Game
Earthquakes 1, Toronto FC 1; Oct. 10, 2009; BMO Field; Toronto. The San Jose Earthquakes helped dash the playoff hopes of Toronto FC at BMO Field by salvaging a 1-1 tie on a stoppage-time goal from Cornell Glen. An unmarked Glen, a second-half substitute, pounced on a deflected cross off the head of Toronto defender Nana Attakora and slammed the ball into the back of the Toronto goal in a wild goalmouth scramble. It was Attakora's 47th-minute goal which had given Toronto a 1-0 lead and the possibility of earning a vital three points in their postseason battle. The match had the promise of ending in a 0-0 stalemate after a relatively lackluster first half gave way to Attakora's second goal of the season for his hometown Reds. Attakora raced into the penalty area and first-timed a left-footed shot past Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon and into the San Jose goal. The play developed when Canadian international Julian de Guzman sent a chip pass to former Earthquakes midfielder Dwayne De Rosario on the right wing. De Rosario then threaded the needle with a pinpoint rolling cross to an onrushing and unmarked Attakora, who made no mistake sending the ball past Cannon at point-blank range at the left post. Toronto nearly added to their lead in the 56th minute after a frantic goalmouth scramble which saw defender Chris Leitch and De Rosario tangling for the ball on the San Jose goal line before the play was ruled offside. Defender Jason Hernandez was injured during the play and was stretchered off the field, replaced by rookie striker Quincy Amarikwa, as coach Frank Yallop searched for some offensive spark after failing to hit the target with any shots in the opening half. The Quakes came close to leveling the score later in the second half, but midfielder Antonio Ribiero sliced his hard shot wide of the goal in the 76th minute and then midfielder Chris Wondolowski missed a close range effort one minute later.

Last Game vs. Chivas USA
Earthquakes 0, Chivas USA 1; May 2, 2009; Buck Shaw Stadium; Santa Clara, Calif.
The San Jose Earthquakes fell at home to Chivas USA 1-0 on a 53rd minute goal by forward Justin Braun at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Red-and-White's Justin Braun netted the game's only goal in the 53rd minute, but it had more to do with a Quakes' mental lapse than any brilliance on the part of the visitors. Jonathan Bornstein's harmless looking cross looked like easy pickings for the San Jose defense, but when neither goalkeeper Joe Cannon nor defender Nick Garcia dealt with the situation, Braun stole in to score his first goal of the year. The Quakes came flying out of the gate, pressing Chivas high up the field, and they came within inches of breaking on top in the second minute. A sharp exchange of passes ended with Ramiro Corrales feeding Shea Salinas on the right side of the box, and his low shot was just touched off the post Thornton. A spell of end-to-end action ensued, with Chivas' Eduardo Lillingston testing Cannon with a ninth-minute effort, but the Quakes responded by carving out another clear opening for Alvarez that he fired right at Thornton. Chivas were back on the attack in the 12th minute with Lillingston's through ball forcing Cannon to save at the feet of Paulo Nagamura. Both teams continued to create half-chances, but it was the Quakes who were making more headway. An innocuous high-arcing pass from Convey somehow landed at the feet of Alvarez in the 24th minute, but his attempted chip was touched over the bar by Thornton. The second half was barely two minutes old when the Quakes' Chris Leitch suffered an apparent concussion after getting tangled up with Chivas' Jonathan Bornstein. After a lengthy delay, Aaron Pitchkolan made his Quakes debut in place of Leitch in the 53rd minute, but before they knew it, the Quakes fell behind to Braun's opportunistic strike. The Quakes created two half chances in the next 12 minutes. Johnson's attempted cross was tipped over the bar by Thornton, and a neat one-two between Alvarez and Amarikwa saw Alvarez's header go wide. The Quakes thought they had scored an equalizer in the 81st minute, but Johnson was adjudged to have been offside prior to heading the ball in off a goalmouth scramble. The home side's last best chance of the net came in the 88th minute when Amarikwa won a duel with Shavar Thomas and found Johnson in the box, but the Chivas defense prevented the San Jose forward from getting a clean look at goal, and his shot went wide.

Misc. Notes

Quakes in the Community

What:
School Assembly

Who:
Brandon McDonald

Location:
Ardenwood Elementary in Fremont

Date:
Thursday, Oct. 15

Time:
1:40-2:40 p.m.

Details:
McDonald will speak to the students about the importance of healthy lifestyles and nutrition.

Glen Scores Tying Goal in Stoppage Time

Earthquakes forward Cornell Glen drew San Jose level in the third minute of stoppage time in Toronto to help the Quakes salvage a draw with Toronto FC. The striker from Trinidad and Tobago came on as a substitute in the 77th minute for Shea Salinas and the goal was Glen's fourth of the season.

Amarikwa Nets First

Quakes rookie forward Quincy Amarikwa notched his first career MLS goal on Oct. 7 against FC Dallas. He took a pass from Shea Salinas and chipped it past FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala to tie the game. The goal was nominated for MLS Goal of the Week.

Three Game Unbeaten Streak on Road

With their 1-1 draw in Toronto on Saturday, the San Jose Earthquakes are now unbeaten in their last three matches away from home. The Quakes tied Colorado on Sept. 23 1-1 and defeated D.C. United Sept. 27 to start the streak. San Jose closes their season with two more road games, Saturday, Oct. 17 against Chivas USA at 7:30 p.m. PT and against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. PT, both at The Home Depot Center.

Alvarez and Sanchez Make Debuts at the Azteca in World Cup Qualifying

San Jose Earthquakes midfielders Arturo Alvarez and Ramon Sanchez both played on Saturday, Oct. 10 in Mexico City at Estadio Azteca the first time in their international careers. Alvarez started and played 48 minutes, while Sanchez started and played the full 90 minutes in El Salvador's 4-1 defeat at the hands of El Tri.

Elliott Helps New Zealand's Chances to Qualify

Earthquakes midfielder Simon Elliott played for New Zealand in the first leg of their playoff with Bahrain to qualify for the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa. Elliott started and played the full 90 minutes for the All Whites, who earned a 0-0 draw on the road. They will host Bahrain in the final leg on Saturday, Nov. 14 in Wellington, New Zealand.

Quakes Remain Unbeaten at BMO Field

The San Jose Earthquakes pulled out a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Saturday, Oct. 10 thanks to a stoppage time goal from forward Cornell Glen. This result, coupled with last season's 0-0 draw in Toronto means that the Earthquakes have not lost a match at BMO Field.

Team Awards Announced

The San Jose Earthquakes announced the recipients of the team's end-of-season awards Oct. 7 prior to their match against FC Dallas. Forward Ryan Johnson took home the team's Most Valuable Player award, while Chris Leitch was named Defensive Player of the Year and Shea Salinas was recognized as the U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year. The team's Most Valuable Player Ryan Johnson has had a career season in 2009 with San Jose, netting a team-high 10 goals to date. That run has included a three game goal-scoring streak earlier in the season. He also had a two-game scoring streak from Sept. 27-Oct. 3. The Jamaican forward scored the first goal of the season for the Earthquakes in a 3-2 win over the Houston Dynamo on March 28 and never slowed down. He has provided a big spark emotionally for the team with his unmatched work ethic both in match-play and on the training field. He is the first Quakes player since 2004 to score 10 goals or more in a season. Leitch came to the Earthquakes in 2009 via a trade with the New York Red Bulls and immediately provided much-needed stability in the Earthquakes backline. He has notched a career-high five assists out of his right back spot and helped lead the team's young defensive core with his veteran presence. He has also played the game very cleanly, being given just two cards in his 25 appearances so far for the club. Humanitarian of the Year Shea Salinas has been an extremely active member of the greater San Jose community in 2009. The Texas native has made countless appearances at schools, churches and youth centers all around the Bay Area. Salinas has mentored many children in the community, teaching them about the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle and working hard both in the classroom and in their communities. He has worked on Earthquakes community projects such as Amway Kicks for Kids, Get Earthquakes Fit and many other endeavors.

Johnson in Top 10

Quakes forward Ryan Johnson netted his 10th goal of the season on Oct. 3 against the New York Red Bulls to become the first Quakes player since 2004 to reach double digits in goals. Brian Ching was the last Earthquakes player to reach 10 goals when he scored 12 in 2004. Ronald Cerritos' 15 goals in 1999 are the all-time single season record for San Jose. Johnson is tied for seventh in the MLS in goals scored.

Broadcast Adjustment

The team's match on Saturday, Oct. 24 at the LA Galaxy will now air on Comcast SportsNet California at 7:30 p.m. PT.

Cannon Alone at the Top in Career Starts and Minutes Played

Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon is the all-time leader in franchise history for starts and minutes played with 158 (starts) and 14,391 (minutes) after his start on Saturday, Oct. 10 in the team's 1-1 draw against Toronto.

Corrales Passes Mulrooney in Career Appearances

Earthquakes captain Ramiro Corrales passed former Quakes midfielder Richard Mulrooney in appearances as a member of the Earthquakes with 164 on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at home against FC Dallas. He added to his own record on Saturday, Oct. 10 against Toronto FC in the 1-1 draw, giving him 165 appearances.

Corrales to Make 150th Start for San Jose

If Earthquakes midfielder/defender Ramiro Corrales starts on Saturday, Oct. 17 against Chivas USA, he will make his 150th carrer start as a member of the San Jose Earthquakes. Corrales is third in franchise history for all-time starts.

Burling to Face Former Team

Earthquakes defender Bobby Burling will face off against his former side, Chivas USA, for the first time since San Jose acquired him Sept. 11. San Jose sent a third round pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft to Chivas USA in exchange for Burling, who spent his first two and a half seasons in Los Angeles with Chivas USA.

San Jose Leaders vs. Chivas USA

Arturo Alvarez has three career assists against Chivas USA ... Joe Cannon has registered three wins and four ties, with one shutout against Chivas USA in 13 appearances in his career.

Chivas USA Leaders vs. San Jose

Forward Ante Razov leads the team with seven goals and five assists against the Earthquakes in his 22 career appearances ... Sasha Victorine has four goals and two assists in his career against San Jose ... Justin Braun has a pair of goals against San Jose in three appearances... Jesse Marsch has scored a goal in his career against San Jose ... Goalkeeper Zach Thornton has six career wins and six ties with five shutouts against the Quakes in 17 appearances ... Head coach Preki Radosavljevic is 3-0-1 as a coach against the Earthquakes.

Earthquakes-Chivas USA Connections

Quakes defender Jason Hernandez played for Chivas USA from 2006-2007 with many of the current members of Chivas USA ... Ante Razov split his 2005 season with the Columbus Crew, where he played with current Quakes midfielder Simon Elliott and in New York, with current Quakes defender Chris Leitch ... Razov played on the United States national team with Quakes midfielder Bobby Convey ... Defender Ante Jazic of Chivas USA played with the Los Angeles Galaxy from 2006-2007 and the Canadian national team from 2004-2006 under current Quakes head coach Frank Yallop ... Paulo Nagamura also played under Yallop while with the Galaxy in 2006 ... Sacha Klestjan played at Seton Hall University for two years (2003-2004) with Quakes defender Jason Hernandez ... 11-year veteran Carey Talley played with Bobby Convey in D.C. from 2000-2001, with Arturo Alvarez in Dallas in 2005 and with Ryan Johnson with Real Salt Lake in the second half of the 2006 season ... Chivas USA defender Shavar Thomas has been a member of the Jamaican national team, where he has trained with Quakes forward Ryan Johnson ... Ryan Johnson also played with Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton for part of 2006 in Chicago ... Sasha Victorine played for the Los Angeles Galaxy alongside Simon Elliott from 2000-2003 ... Chivas USA assistant coach Carlos Llamosa played for one season in D.C. with Bobby Convey and with Jason Hernandez at Chivas USA ... Chivas USA backup goalkeeper Jon Conway played with the San Jose Earthquakes from 2000-2005 ... Chivas USA defender Kevin Harmse played with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 under current Quakes coach Frank Yallop ...Yallop also coached Marcelo Saragosa in Los Angeles in 2006 ...Midfielder Marcelo Saragosa played in Dallas with current Quakes Arturo Alvarez (2006-2008) and Aaron Pitchkolan (2006-2009).

Quakes Reduce Ticket Prices for 2010 Season

The San Jose Earthquakes announced that they will significantly reduce ticket prices for the 2010 Major League Soccer season. Season tickets start as low as $204. Season ticket prices have been reduced in all sections; Premier Midfield will now be $40 per game ($50 in 2009), Center Circle $30 per game ($35 in 2009), Sideline $20 per game ($30 in 2009), Goal View $15 per game ($20 in 2009) and Supporters Section $12 per game ($18 in 2009). For more information on season tickets, to renew season tickets or to place a deposit, call the Earthquakes Front Office at 408-556-7700. The Quakes have also created a number of new features and benefits for season ticket holders next year. A family section has been added inside the stadium, and the Supporters Section has been expanded to create an even greater home field advantage. Season Ticket Holders will additionally have access to the exclusive tailgate parking lot. Corona Cove seats will now be available as a season ticket option and an extra row of NetSuite VIP On-field seats will be added for next season. Season Ticket Holders will also have first priority to purchase Earthquakes playoff tickets and tickets for international games. They will receive a 15 percent discount on game day merchandise, invitations to exclusive events, and priority rights to seats in the new stadium. The one thing that is not exclusive to Season Ticket Holders is savings. Single game tickets are also reduced; as Premier Midfield will now be $50 ($60 in 2009), Center Circle $35 ($40 in 2009), Sideline $25 ($35 in 2009) and Goal View $20 ($22 in 2009).

Salinas Visits Noddin Elementary

Earthquakes midfielder Shea Salinas visited Noddin Elementary School in San Jose Monday, October 5 as part of the Amway Global Kicks for Kids Program. Salinas was first introduced to the students by Noddin Principal Robin Jones. The Texas native stressed the impact a healthy diet and active lifestyle had on his life growing up playing multiple sports. Salinas, a former cross country star, explained to the children how the choices he made as a child to eat healthy foods helped him achieve his goal of becoming a professional athlete. He said making healthy eating choices gave him more energy and allowed him to play better. The crowd consisted of very committed Earthquakes fans, and the children insisted on learning Salinas' eating habits in hopes to be more like him. He spoke about how small choices like choosing wheat bread and pasta can go a long way. He encouraged the students to drink water instead of soda, especially in the warm California weather. After Salinas finished speaking, he opened the floor to a question and answer session. The children asked Salinas a wide variety of questions ranging from what motivates him to play soccer to questions about the Earthquakes and their current season. To conclude the afternoon, the 5'10" midfielder signed player cards and Earthquakes staff handed out over 150 jersey replica shirts and 150 tickets, donated by Amway Global, to the students to attend the Earthquakes home game on October 7 against FC Dallas at Buck Shaw Stadium.

Cannon Among All-Time Leaders

Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon is among the all-time league leaders in a number of goalkeeping categories. He is second in goalkeeper appearances (273), starts (272) and minutes played (24,585). He is now third all-time in saves (1,121), third all-time in shutouts (68) and tied for fourth all-time in wins (98) in league history. For San Jose, Cannon is first in club history as a goalkeeper in starts (158), minutes played (14,391), saves (653), wins (60) and shutouts (38) and second in goals against average (1.33), and saves percentage (73.3). He also holds the team's all-time record for saves in a game with 12 on July 8, 2000 at Colorado.

Cannon in Quakes Record Books

Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon played 90 minutes on Oct. 10 against Toronto FC to record his 158th career game as a member of the Earthquakes. He is now third all-time in appearances.

Corrales Among All-Time Leaders

Ramiro Corrales has 149 starts and 13,242 minutes played as a member of the Quakes. He is now third place in franchise history in starts and is third in all-time in club history for minutes played.