Quakes refuse to roll over for Chivas
McDonald, Johnson power San Jose to draw with southern rival
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- Chivas USA rally for draw with Quakes
- Highlights: SJ 2, CHV 2
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But that didn't mean the Quakes were going to roll over for Chivas USA.
Brandon McDonald and Ryan Johnson scored goals on either side of halftime as San Jose escaped The Home Depot Center with a 2-2 draw against the playoff-bound and aspiring conference top seed Chivas USA.
"It's a good point for us. We well deserved a point," San Jose coach Frank Yallop said. "It's good to come to a place like this where it's difficult to get a result and score two goals away from home is very good."
San Jose improved to 7-13-9 and while they long ago secured last place in the Western Conference table, the club's season has regardless born some fruit in the latter stages. San Jose won at D.C. United on Sept. 28 and damaged their playoff chances, tied Toronto a week ago and also potentially spoiled the Reds' hopes of a playoff spot and could have cost Chivas USA a chance to win the Western Conference.
While it still does not amount to chasing a playoff spot, the results nonetheless are positives the club will take.
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"Any game you play away from home is important to get something out of," Yallop said. "A tie is good. You try to get a win obviously but winning away from home in this league is not easy. There are signs there that we can win away from home."
Chivas USA got the early lead, though, as the club threatened to sprint out to a big lead. Maykel Galindo scored on a breakaway seven minutes in and Chivas USA players continued to test Andrew Weber with several shots in the following moments.
But McDonald leveled the match in the 21st minute. Chris Leitch slipped a ball to Shea Salinas from the right side of the field on a set piece. Salinas whipped the ball to the front of the goal from the right corner and McDonald buried a shot into the back of the net.
Johnson broke a 1-1 tie 12 minutes into the second half. Leitch again initiated the play, this time sending a set piece directly to the front of the goal. Johnson hit a high-arching header over Thornton's head and into the back of the net.
However, Braun beat Weber in the 66th minute with a header of his own to tie the game. Weber had charged off his line to try and stop the ball.
He stopped short of second-guessing himself, though.
"It's a decision that, I'm still young and I'll learn from but I think the result, 2-2, is a good result for us," he said.
Still, Johnson said that he was disappointed in that the Quakes let the hosts back into the game.
"It's kind of been the story of the season," Johnson said. "We would get up on teams and would somehow let them get back into games, would let them tie the game or lose it. It's been a recurring things with this team and that's one thing we have to correct for next year."
Johnson, though, did say his team was playing better of late, particularly on the road, as the players try and show well in order to maintain their spot on the team.
"That's the attitude that we have. We're a team that doesn't give up and we're trying to get better as a team," he said. "We're a young team and we're trying to learn how to manage games. We did a good job of getting the lead after a little bit of a slow start but it's just a learning process for us."
While the club failed to win yet another road game -- the Quakes have won just once away from home this season -- the attitude around the club is much better now than it was just a few months ago, Yallop said.
"It becomes a bit of belief," Yallop said of having pulled out another road result. "Now, we can't wait for next weekend. 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."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
