Chris Wondolowski stands on the threshold of the all-time MLS scoring record as he leads his San Jose Earthquakes into Harrison, New Jersey to visit the New York Red Bulls in a nationally-televised clash on Saturday afternoon (3:30 pm ET | Univision, Twitter — Full TV & streaming info).
Wondo remains on 144 goals, and with his next strike will draw level with Landon Donovan’s 145 career regular-season goals.
The bad news for his quest: This is a meeting of the first- and last-place finishers in last year’s overall regular-season standings, and it’s taking place at Red Bull Arena, a traditional house of horrors for Wondo and the Quakes.
RBNY are undefeated in six regular-season meetings with San Jose at the venue (4-0-2) since it opened in 2010. And Wondolowski has tallied just one goal in six regular-season visits to RBA.
There is a silver lining for fans of Wondo and/or the Earthquakes: Those stats don’t include their sole postseason trip to Red Bull Arena, the second leg of their Conference Semifinals series during the 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs.
That occasion was a festive one for the visitors, as they won 3-1 to overturn a 1-0 Red Bulls win in the first leg in San Jose and advance to the next round in a major upset over RBNY, who had finished first in the Eastern Conference regular-season standings after welcoming Designated Players Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez that summer.
Wondo scored the Quakes’ third goal in that playoff clash after a brace from Bobby Convey put them in the driver’s seat. Can he do it again this weekend to further his pursuit of history?
