Revs Scrap to Draw in San Jose

By Greg Johnstone
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Updated: August 25, 2016

Photo credit: Kari Heistad/capturedimages.biz

The Revolution snapped a four-game losing streak in their first trip to Avaya Stadium as they fought to a scoreless draw Wednesday night against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Kei Kamara registered a game-high five shots, including two on net, but was unable to finish any of the chances. Brad Knighton started his second consecutive game, and while he only registered only one save, Knighton cleared and caught a couple dangerous crosses to help preserve his first clean sheet of the MLS season and his 9^th career MLS shutout.

The first half saw little activity as both teams failed to create chances. Chris Wondolowski came closest when he received a cross and arched a header back across the frame of goal, but Brad Knighton shifted direction and pushed the ball away. The Revolution registered the only shot on target between the two teams and also took the only shot within the box, while the Earthquakes controlled 56 percent of possession in the half.

The second half started with the same slow grind with the game turning out to be a possession battle. The Revolution came close to a break-through in the 60^th minute when Kei Kamara had a breakaway and danced around the keeper, but hit the near post to keep the game scoreless.

Ten minutes later, the Earthquakes had their best chance of the match when Chad Barrett, who entered for Quincy Amarikwa in the first half, fired a shot that just missed the top left corner of the frame.

The Earthquakes pushed hard late in the game, with a double substitution in the 76^th minute which included the addition of Henok Goitom, the former La Liga striker who made his MLS debut. Within one minute, he read a long ball perfectly and had a clear shot on goal from 15 yards out, and rifled a left-footed shot with his first touch of the game. The shot was low and just to Knighton’s left, which he stopped easily for his first save of the game.

Chances were few and far in between with the San Jose Earthquakes swinging multiple crosses into the box, hoping to connect with either Wondolowski or Gotom, but never able to register. Diego Fagundez also ended up with a shot on frame in the 86^th minute, but his effort was right at San Jose’s keeper, David Bingham.

While the Revolution might be happy with a point and putting an end to their losing streak, an argument could be made that they were the better team on Wednesday. Kamara’s shot off the post was the best chance of the night, and the Revolution led the game in shots 12-7 and shots on target 3-1.

The shorthanded Revs also debuted a new formation, starting the match with a diamond 4-4-2. With Jose Goncalves out, Jay Heaps used a make-shift centerback pairing of Andrew Farrell and Je-Vaughn Watson, and moved Kelyn Rowe to right back.

The Revolution travel back across the country for their second road game of the week to face off against the rival New York Red Bulls Sunday. Sunday’s match will be the second match between the two teams and the only match at Red Bull Arena. The Revolution notched a 1-0 victory in the first matchup, which turned out to be their lone win in their first 11 games of the season.