Major League Soccer

San Jose Looks To Build As Chivas USA Laments Set Piece Goals

Already out of the playoff picture, the San Jose Earthquakes are looking towards next season. Chivas USA, however, focused on two soft goals in its 2-2 draw with San Jose.

Oct 18, 2009 3:04:18 AM

MLS: Frank Yallop, coach, Los Angeles Galaxy (ISI)

Photo Gallery

Zoom

MLS: Frank Yallop, coach, Los Angeles Galaxy (ISI)

Teams

CARSON, Calif. -- Chivas USA conceded two soft set piece goals in its 2-2 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes, but head coach Preki blamed the offense for the two dropped points instead of his backline.

"We have to be better in front of the goal," he said in the post-match press conference. "We had way way too many opportunities where we made it easy for the goalkeeper: shot it at him."

Rightback Chris Leitch took both free kicks. The first he slid down the line to Shea Salinas after faking out the defense with a big run up. Salinas' cross found Brandon McDonald between two defenders to equalize midway through the first half. The second gave San Jose the lead briefly. Leitch floated a ball to the back post where no Chivas defender bothered marking Ryan Johnson, the Earthquakes' leading goalscorer this season.

"It seemed like a lack of concentration more than a miscommunication or anything like that," opposing rightback Carey Talley said. Preki's former roommate when the two played for the Kansas City Wizards disagreed with his coach's appropriation of blame. "Soccer's not really a game where you're asking your team to score three, four, five goals a game. It's a defensive game if you think about it. To score two goals a game, I think your defense has to be pretty good to know how to kill a game. That comes with defending with all 11, not just the back four."

Instead of fury, Preki showed only jealousy when asked about conceding twice from set pieces.

"It's disappointing because we haven't scored one set piece goal yet," the former United States international said of his team's offensive output this year. "I wish we could be that hungry like they were hungry today. I wish we could do that once this year. In 28 games we haven't scored a set piece goal."

San Jose rode those the two goals to a draw. Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton didn't make a save all game and Chivas outshot the visitors 20 to eight. Earthquake's goalkeeper Andrew Weber, in for the injured Joe Cannon, pulled off eight saves to keep his team in the match.

One save, in particular, decided the match. Eduardo Lillingston sprung Justin Braun in the 90th minute to put the youngster clear on goal. Weber rushed out and smothered at Braun's feet, saving what would surely have been the game-winning goal.

"I took a touch when I shouldn't have, I thought I had more space than I did," Braun said.

That save helped the Earthquakes survive a second half onslaught as the hosts searched for a game winner. The way his team held on in a game it would have lost earlier in the season gave San Jose head coach Frank Yallop hope.

"We can’t wait for next weekend," he said. "We’re playing Galaxy here and we’re looking forward to the match. We’re not dreading it. If you get beat quite often like we were in the beginning of the year you start dreading the games. Now you’re looking forward to them."

The tactician cleared out the squad midseason and thinks he found a base he can build on for next year, after missing out on the playoffs for the second season in a row.

"We had some disjointed play early in the season. We never got going and it was frustrating," admitted Yallop. Now, however, the team has posted a 2-2-1 record in its last five matches. That's something Yallop thinks he can work with.

"We’re keeping this group together for next season and adding to it."

Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com

For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page

Thank you for your comment!

Please enter your name

Please enter your location

Please share your comment!