COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Chris Wondolowski’s goal early in the 19th minute of the match had the San Jose Earthquakes (4-4-2) in position to secure three points against the hosting Colorado Rapids on Friday night. But James Riley rescued a point for Colorado (1-2-7) with a headed goal in stoppage time to aid his team to a 1-1 draw.
The visitors were the more aggressive team in the first half, taking the upper hand in the 19th minute when a failed clearance from a corner kick allowed Sanna Nyassi to assist an unmarked Wondolowski at the back post. He avoided goalkeeper Clint Irwin and found the back of the net.
“The corner kick came in and after we first cleared it, seems like we lost track of Wondo. It’s amazing because we talked about it all this week and he’s a guy who is sneaky like that. He was able to find space and find the goal,” Clint Irwin said of the goal.
Colorado had their best chance of the first half (43’) when Dillon Powers set up Gaby Torres on a one-on-one situation but ‘Quakes goalie David Bingham made a great save, San Jose held their 1-0 lead as time ran out in the first half.
Axel Sjoberg tested Bingham on a long-range set piece from Vicente Sanchez, but his header was tipped just over the crossbar with eight minutes to play. The Rapids continued their attack late as substitute Charles Eloundou fired a shot over the net from a dangerous position.
The Rapids scored the equalizer in the 93rd minute when goalkeeper David Bingham’s punch drifted straight to Riley, who sent a looping header over Bingham to secure the draw.
“Mike (Harrington) and I had discussed that we wanted to put another guy in there,” Riley said of the equalizer. “I pushed in and just tried to find myself in good spots and try to lock it in. I just tried to put it back in there whether it was to frame it on goal or to have someone else put it in.”
Colorado has now drawn its last four games, all by identical 1-1 scores, and have a league low 9 goals in 10 games.
Colorado will now travel to Kansas City to face the Sporting KC at Sporting Park next Saturday at 6:30 pm. You can catch that game on Mile High Sports Radio AM 1550| FM 94.1|96.9 in Boulder.
Jesse Trujillo is a producer and writer for Mile High Sports. He can be emailed at jtrujillo81@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @Jtrujillo1981
