For nearly 75 minutes, it seemed the Columbus Crew would see their winning streak and stint atop the Eastern Conference come to an end.
But then in a span of 11 minutes, the Crew exposed the San Jose Earthquakes with three defense-splitting goals before holding on for a 3-2 come-from-behind victory Saturday night at Buck Shaw Stadium.
A Ramiro Corrales header put the home side ahead just three minutes before halftime, but Robbie Rogers scored twice and substitute Brad Evans added a third to put Columbus in the driver's seat. Ryan Johnson pulled a goal back for San Jose to make for a tension-filled final few minutes, but the Crew hung on for a priceless road victory.
The result sees the Quakes remain rooted to the foot of the Western Conference table. Columbus extended their wining streak to five games, and moved back into first place in the East, two points ahead of Chicago. The comeback over the final 17 minutes also marked the first time in MLS this season that the team which scored first went on to lose.
The opening exchanges were played out entirely in midfield, but it was the Crew who first took control. Their sizable height advantage in defense blunted San Jose's direct approach, while in attack, Rogers found space down the left wing.
One such foray in the 12th minute almost saw the Crew break on top. Rogers' hard work won a corner kick, and Schelotto's subsequent delivery was headed against the bar by Ezra Hendrickson.
Columbus kept the pressure on, winning several more corner kicks. The last of these forced a weak punch from Cannon, but when the ball fell to Stefani Miglioranzi in the box, the Crew midfielder could only shoot over.
San Jose countered by finding some space on the wings, with Ronnie O'Brien seeing plenty of the ball. His feed in the 19th minute found Kei Kamara with some room near the top of the box, but his shot was deflected wide by the Crew defense.
The Quakes then had a glorious chance to break on top in the 28th minute, when Eric Denton's pass gave Ivan Guerrero a clear look at goal, but the Honduran failed to put enough bend on the ball, and his shot went inches wide of the far post.
The Crew received a blow in the 31st minute, when Miglioranzi was stretchered off the field with what was diagnosed as a left quadriceps stain, forcing him to make way for Evans.
The Quakes continued to find space out wide, and just missed connecting on a series of crosses. But the home side's persistence paid off just three minutes before halftime, when Denton's attempted cross was knocked over the end line. Ronnie O'Brien swung in the resulting corner, and Corrales' diving header gave Hesmer no chance in the Crew goal.
San Jose nearly doubled their advantage just five minutes after the break, when O'Brien's curling effort was snared by Hesmer.
Columbus responded with several attacks going through Frankie Hejduk. The most dangerous of these came in the 56th minute, when his delicate chip from a half-cleared corner kick was touched over the bar by Cannon.
The Quakes 'keeper nearly gifted the Crew an equalizer in the 61st minute when he slipped trying to clear a ball in his own penalty area, allowing Alejandro Moreno to steal the ball. But Cannon was able to force the Venezuelan into a poor shooting angle and Moreno could only put his shot across the face of goal.
San Jose manager Frank Yallop brought on Shea Salinas and Ryan Johnson in effort to settle the match, but Columbus, with Emmanuel Ekpo entering the game for Eddie Gaven, cranked up the pressure, and soon took over the game.
Cannon was forced into two sprawling saves just seconds apart in the 71st minute, one at the feet of Hendrickson, and a second from an Evans header.
It proved to be the briefest of respites. Ekpo's pass from midfield released Rogers on a clear breakaway on the left, and he coolly slotted home the equalizer between Cannon's legs before wheeling away to celebrate the present for his 21st birthday, which comes in just two days' time.
Ten minutes later, Rogers added his second on a pass from Moreno, this time rounding Cannon to score into an empty net. The remarkable sequence was completed by Evans, who with the Quakes' backline exposed, was put through by Schelotto and hit his shot into the roof of the net.
The Quakes weren't done, as Johnson nodded home Ned Grabavoy's corner with just three minutes remaining, but it wasn't enough, as San Jose remained winless at home, while Columbus continued their hot start.
Jeff Carlisle is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
