Sporting blanks Earthquakes in shootout

Tim Melia stopped all three of Quakes’ shootout attempts.

San Jose Earthquakes Shea Salinas (6) scores during the MLS Cup Playoffs soccer match against the Sporting Kansas City. Final 3-3 Shootout 3-0 KC win on penalty kick in OT Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020, in Kansas City, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

2020.11.22 – Top-seeded Sporting Kansas City converted all of its shootout tries to beat the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday after finishing overtime tied 3-3 in the MLS Cup Western Conference playoffs.

Sportings’ goalkeeper Tim Melia has been known for his heroics in penalty shootouts and Sunday was the latest example of the veteran’s impact in those situations.

After a winner wasn’t found in the 30 minutes of extra time, it was Melia who stood on his head in the shootout. Johnny Russell, Ilie Sanchez, and Khiry Shelton all put away their penalties while Melia denied Oswaldo Alanis, Jackson Yueill, and Cristian Espinoza to secure the quarterfinal win.

Melia is 6-0 in shootouts. The 34-year old goalkeeper went into the match allowing goals on just 54% (14 of 26) of the penalty kicks he’s faced, the lowest percentage in MLS history. He become the first goalkeeper in MLS history to shut out an opponent in a penalty shootout.

Top-seeded Sporting advanced to face No. 4 Minnesota, a 3-0 winner later Sunday at home over No. 5 Colorado.

The Sporting KC shootout domination followed a wild ending to regulation that saw both teams score stoppage-time goals.

2020.11.22 – (SJ Earthquakes vs. Sporting KC) MLS Cup Playoffs!

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2020.11.22 – (SJ Earthquakes vs. Sporting KC) MLS Cup Playoffs!

Gianluca Busio scored in the 91st minute off an excellent layoff pass from Khiry Shelton to give SKC a 3-2 lead.

The Earthquakes battled back, with Chris Wondolowski scoring about six minutes later, heading home a high cross to the far post by Cristian Espinoza to force extra time. It was just the second career playoff goal for Wondolowski.

Espinoza was involved in all three goals, tallying two assists. He became the first player to record 2+ assists in a single playoff match for the Earthquakes since Brian Mullan on Nov. 23, 2003.

If this was Wondolowski’s last match of his storied career he leaves the game as the MLS All-Time goal scorer with 166 goals.

“Spent. I think that’s the best emotion to describe it right now,” said Wondo when asked what emotions he was feeling after the game. “We all left it out there for 120 minutes, and to be honest, I think both teams did. I think it was one of the cleanest and most physical playoff games. I thought both teams came to tackle but still out there playing the game. We’re connecting passes. Do I wish we won? Yes, absolutely. I think that we did a lot of correct things and things that we’re proud of, but in the long run, we didn’t do enough.”

Wondo also said he still has passion for the game and would love to come back but hasn’t made that decision just yet.

“I know that the door is open, but I was fully committed to putting everything I have into this year, and I did. Now I need to re-evaluate. I just want to re-evaluate everything: my personal life, my life where I want to be, and also where the club is to see the direction that it’s going.”

Those stoppage-time goals came after Melia came up with back-to-back outstanding saves to deny Wondolowski and Cade Cowell in the 88th minute on chances that could have given the Earthquakes a late lead.

The Earthquakes enjoyed a surprising halftime lead after shaking off a fourth-minute Roger Espinoza finish with a pair of first-half goals to surprise the top seed in the West.

The Quakes stormed back in the 22nd minute when Espinoza sent in a cross that Carlos Fierro’s attempt deflected off the face of a Sporting KC defender into the back of the net. Fierro was credited with his first career playoff goal.

San Jose gained its only lead in the 35th minute off a quick counter attack. Espinoza once again led the charge down the right side where his cross found a wide open Shea Salinas into the middle from 10 yards out and Salinas buried the ball past Melia for a 2-1 lead and give Matias Almeyda’s side the advantage at the break.

“Yeah, it was wild,” said Salinas. “For me, it was an extremely emotional game just not knowing how many more of these opportunities I’m going to have. To be 2-2 when I was subbed off, I was excited for Cade [Cowell] because I know he can make a difference, but it was also really difficult because I now didn’t have control. It was emotional, but for us to fight back, the cross from Cristian [Espinoza], and the goal from Wondo [Chris Wondolowski] there at the end was just insane. My heart still hurts a little bit from the game, but it was an awesome experience.”

Sporting KC equalized just two minutes into the second half, with Ilie Sanchez scoring in the 47th minute off a pass from Busio.

A goal-less extra time period set the stage for Melia, who entered the match with the best penalty save percentage in MLS history, and he only improved that number with his perfect three-save performance.

2020.11.22 – (SJ Earthquakes vs. Sporting KC) MLS Cup Playoffs!

KPIX CBS TV5 – San Jose Earthquakes Fans Show Support In Their Cars

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2020.11.22 – (SJ Earthquakes vs. Sporting KC) MLS Cup Playoffs!

No fans were allowed inside San Jose Earthquakes Stadium this year, but there were plenty outside. Vern Glenn reports on the Quakes “Car Crazies” that packed the pitch.