Quakes play spoiler yet again as they tie Chivas USA 2-2

The Quakes showed their prowess for being the spoiler as they stole two points from a hungry Chivas USA side at the Home Depot Center on a cold Southern California night. The match ended in a 2-2 draw as Quakes back up goalkeeper Andrew Weber came up big making 8 saves against a Chivas USA team hungry for 3 points to help them take the lead in the race for Home field advantage in the Western Conference.

"I felt good tonight, I love playing and I get focused for ninety minutes and that's what you saw tonight", Weber said after the match.

The match started off poorly for the boys from San Jose as Chivas were the aggressors early on repelling each try the Quakes had at goal and sending it back for a counter attack. Chivas broke through in the 7th minute on a Galindo goal. The goal was typical of Chivas play early on as Sacha Kljestan broke up a Quakes motion towards goal and played a beautiful through ball to a streaking Galindo who beat Weber putting the Goats up 1-0.

San Jose struck back in the 21st minute off a beautiful header by Brandon McDonald who took received a picture perfect cross from Shea Salinas. After the McDonald strike, the Goats went on the offensive for the duration of the first half with their best chance coming off a Galindo shot in the 49th minute that Weber pushed left keeping score knotted at 1-1 into halftime.

In the second half, it was the Quakes who drew first blood as Ryan Johnson scored his team leading 11th goal of the season to put the visitors up 2-1 in the 58th minute. Johnson taking advantage of some lax marking on the Chivas side received a free kick in from Chris Leitch and made the most of his efforts heading the ball past keeper Zach Thornton. The second goal by the Quakes equaled the goals conceded by Chivas in the past 6 matches.

San Jose's lead did not last long as Justin Braun put Chivas level with a beautiful header past a leaping Weber in the 66th minute. Chivas remained dangerous especially in the 70th minute when a Maicon Santos shot tested Weber but the San Jose keeper came up big again to keep the score at 2 a piece. The last big effort for Chivas came in the 90th minute when Chivas sub Eduardo Lillingston played a ball to Justin Braun who broke away from the Quakes defense. Weber came up big yet again as he was able to come off his line to kick the ball away allowing the game to end in a 2-2 draw.

"We're doing a little bit better job playing better defense and having more of a tighter shape which has made us not easy to play against" Quakes forward Ryan Johnson said after the match. "We counter pretty well and as of late, we've been doing a much better job of creating chances in the final third".

The match puts Chivas USA ahead of Houston and the Galaxy for the top spot in the Western Conference ahead of their rivals clash on Sunday. However, the news is positive for the Quakes who continue to battle on despite not being in playoff contention and will be returning to Southern California next week for their season's conclusion against their arch rival LA Galaxy next Saturday.

Perhaps San Jose Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop classified the Quakes performance best stating "Were keeping this group together and we'll be better next year."