Although a new-look Real Salt Lake took the field on Saturday night, with three new signings gracing the team's roster, the additions weren't enough to turn around the team's fortunes as the San Jose Earthquakes claimed a 1-0 victory at Rice-Eccles Stadium to extend the RSL losing streak to three games.
Mark Chung scored the game's only goal just before the end of the first half and with it Real's dwindling playoff hopes took another blow, as they suffered their 11th loss in 15 games. Real now trail the fourth-place Colorado Rapids by nine points with nine games to play as the two teams ahead of RSL both won over the week.
In the early going Real looked as if they had found a combination that could beat the Western Conference-leading Quakes. With regular 'keeper D.J, Countess riding the bench and rookie Jay Nolly getting just his second career start Real pushed the offensive.
But in the 11th minute, Alejandro Moreno saw a shot beat Nolly -- but not the left post. Then barely a minute later Ronald Cerritos made a run right down the heart of the field shadowed closely by Brian Dunseth.
Cerritos got the half step he needed as he entered the penalty area and ripped off a shotm but Nolly found himself in the perfect position as he came off his line and smothered what looked to be a certain goal.
Real started to have some success in getting to the Earthquakes goal. First, in the 19th minute, Chris Brown nearly caught out the San Jose defense from an Andy Williams corner. With the ball flying low, Brown hit it with his heel as it approached the near post, catching Pat Onstad off guard, but the Quakes 'keeper was able to get to the shot.
Then in the 27th minute Williams stole the ball and made a nice run into the box. The Jamaican international wound up to shoot, hesitated to allow a Quake defender to step past him and then whipped a shot in at Onstad. But again the San Jose netminder made a beautiful save to send the ball over the crossbar.
The Quakes took the lead in the 41st minute on a nice individual effort by Chung. He gathered the ball tight in the corner and made a run into the box. After a hip fake to get past his defender, Chung threaded the ball inside the near post and past a helpless Nolly.
Real head coach John Ellinger had given one of his new signings -- Jamaican international Robert Scarlett -- a start in Saturday's game. In an attempt to regain the offensive momentum his team had had early in the game, Ellinger brought on another new acquisition, Adolfo Gregorio, on to start the second half.
The move nearly paid off, as Gregorio had a few chances to grab the equalizer. The first came in the 61st minute off a Real free kick, as the ball was floated into the box where Gregorio was able to put a head on it. His shot looked headed for the upper corner when Onstad again got his palm on the ball to push it away.
Then again with time ticking away he found himself in the air with another clear chance. Again he put his head on it and seemed to have tied the game, but the ball sailed just over the bar, and with it the Real hopes.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Mark Chung (San Jose Earthquakes)
David Hale is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
San Jose Earthquakes (11-4-8) vs. Real Salt Lake (5-14-4)
August 20, 2005 -- Rice-Eccles Stadium
Scoring Summary:
SJ -- Mark Chung 5 (unassisted) 41
San Jose Earthquakes -- Pat Onstad, Danny Califf, Eddie Robinson, Wade Barrett, Kelly Gray, Brian Mullan, Ricardo Clark, Dwayne De Rosario, Mark Chung (Ian Russell 81), Alejandro Moreno, Ronald Cerritos (Brad Davis 75).
Substitutes Not Used: Chris Aloisi, Jon Conway, Danny O'Rourke.
TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Ronald Cerritos 2, Mark Chung 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Ronald Cerritos 2, Mark Chung 2); FOULS: 16 (Eddie Robinson 5); OFFSIDES: 7 (Alejandro Moreno 4); CORNER KICKS: 3 (3 tied with 1); SAVES: 6 (Pat Onstad 6)
Real Salt Lake -- Jay Nolly, Rusty Pierce (Adolfo Gregorio 46), Nelson Akwari, Brian Dunseth (Brian Kamler 85), Paul Broome, Andy Williams, Kenny Cutler, Jason Kreis, Robert Scarlett, Chris Brown, Jordan Cila (Dante Washington 64).
Substitutes Not Used: Matt Behncke, Gustavo Cabrera, D.J. Countess, Leslie Fitzpatrick, Kevin Novak, Seth Trembly.
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Jason Kreis 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Dante Washington 2); FOULS: 15 (Andy Williams 4); OFFSIDES: 2 (Chris Brown 1, Andy Williams 1); CORNER KICKS: 5 (Andy Williams 5); SAVES: 3 (Jay Nolly 3)
Misconduct Summary:
SJ -- Eddie Robinson (caution; Tackle from Behind) 57
Referee: Hilario Grajeda
Referee's Assistants: Chris Strickland; Paul Scott
4th Official: Feliciano Palomino
Attendance: 15,127
Time of Game: 1:49
Weather: Sunny-and-95-degrees
All Statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.
