Earthquakes blank Toronto FC 3-0
TORONTO (AP) -- Chris Wondolowski scored two goals and Shea
Salinas added another and the San Jose Earthquakes earned a 3-0
win over Toronto FC on Saturday.
Wondolowski almost had the hat trick, but he hit the goal post
from close range in the 87th minute.
Toronto (0-2) has never beaten San Jose at home, going 0-2-3.
Toronto showed flashes of style on offense, but did not have the
clinical finish to take advantage. And it was let down by its
defense.
Manager Aron Winter's team has allowed six goals in two MLS
games this season. Toronto lost its season opener 3-1 in Seattle
and left the field Saturday to a few boos.
"Two games, six goals," Winter said.
The opening goal came nine minutes in when former Toronto FC
midfielder Sam Cronin found Wondolowski unmarked in the penalty
box. The San Jose forward, whose six-game scoring streak was
snapped last week against Houston, headed it past Milos Kocic.
The goal followed a corner after Kocic parried a Salinas strike.
San Jose (2-1) pressed from the beginning.
"I hate conceding goals and this is a terrible start to the
season for me," Kocic said. "Six goals in two games. It's not
how defenders should play, including all of us."
Toronto began to put some passes together and Ryan Johnson had a
chance in the 27th, but couldn't get a clean shot at the ball as
a defender harassed him in the box.
The Earthquakes went on the counter-attack in the 56th minute as
Salinas slotted a low shot past Kocic.
San Jose made it 3-0 in the 67th minute. Rafael Baca broke in on
the right and sent the ball across the box as Kocic rushed out.
Wondolowski had plenty of time to get control of the ball and
score.
"We were not happy in the locker-room after the game ... It was
not a good game from our side," Winter said. "There are a lot of
things we didn't do well today."
The game was the first of five in 14 days for Toronto, which is
combining MLS play with the CONCACAF Champions League. Next up
in that competition is Mexico's Santos Laguna, which visits BMO
Field on Wednesday to open the two-leg semifinal.