The San Jose Earthquakes got the better of the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday, as Dominic Kinnear's current team beat his old team 3-1 at Avaya Stadium.
The Quakes opened the scoring just three minutes in, as Chris Wondolowski sent in a low cross from the right flank that Alberto Quintero got a touch to in front of goal. His run beat Dynamo defender Jalil Anibaba and goalkeeper Tyler Deric, and the touch took a wicked bounce before trickling past the Dynamo duo and inside the near post.
Ricardo Clark's goal pulled Houston level just before halftime. As a teammate's shot was blocked out to the top of the box, Clark ran onto the ball and unleashed a true one-timer that flew unimpeded into the net.
San Jose regained the lead five minutes after the break, as Quintero and Anibal Godoy played a give-and-go that Godoy finished past Deric.
Quintero nabbed his second goal of the night in the 70th minute, as he received a pass from Wondolowski and buried the shot.
The Dynamo's night went from bad to worse in the 79th minute, as Deric was sent off for denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity, and Anibaba had to go in goal because Houston head coach Owen Coyle had already used all three substitutes on the night.
Box Score
- 3' – SJ – Alberto Quintero (Chris Wondolowski, Simon Dawkins)
- 43' – HOU – Ricardo Clark
- 50' -- SJ -- Anibal Godoy (Alberto Quintero)
- 70' -- SJ -- Alberto Quintero (Chris Wondolowski)
- Full box score
- Stats
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Three Things
- PANAMANIAN CONNECTION: It was a night where Panama national teammates Quintero and Godoy ran the show for San Jose. The midfielders, who had never played together for the same club until this season, put their national team experience to good use, dictating play and keeping the Dynamo defense off balance all night. Could this be a sign of things to come at the Copa America Centenario?
- BATTLE GOES OVER THE LINE? Dynamo defender Abdoulie Mansally and Earthquakes defender Marvell Wynne had a spirited one-v-one battle on the night, but it could be argued each player had a play that went too far. Mansally appeared to push Wynne into the video board outside the endline in the first half, and Wynne looked none too pleased with the tumble as he ran back onto the field. But his high, studs up tackle on Mansally in the second half, which required treatment, also looked like a serious play that was frankly unnecessary.
- SAVE ANIBABA! Although an outfield player was forced to go in goal just last weekend, it's not very common to see the situation unfold as it did. Perhaps most impressive was that Anibaba did not allow a goal in his 10 minutes filling in as goalkeeper, and he even notched a save.
