San Jose Earthquakes Play Inaugural Game at Levi’s Stadium Against Seattle Sounders

For San Francisco Bay Area soccer fans this match had special feelings. Not only were the San Jose Earthquakes playing in the first-ever match at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, but local high school power-house De La Salle had two former players taking part of the action in this match. A forward and a goalkeeper, one for each team.

Earthquakes star and US National Team forward Chris Wondolowski was taking on Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei. It’s Wondolowski’s job to score goals and Frei’s to prevent them. The battle was on.

If you add to that the bitter rivalry of recent years between the two teams, and the fact that the Sounders are in first place while the Earthquakes dead last in their conference, we were about to witness a memorable match.

Most of the first half seemed to be controlled by the Sounders midfield while the Earthquakes back line struggled at times to contain Dempsey and Martins. So much so, that an argument broke out during the game between Jason Hernandez and Victor Bernardez, reminiscing of the Cameroon team during Brasil 2014. Although Seattle’s slight dominance did not seem to bear fruit as they created minimal scoring opportunities, it was San Jose getting on the score board. At the 42nd minute a beautifully played ball by Wondolowski behind Seattle’s defense found Yannick Djaló beating his mark and getting wide open to tap and squeeze the ball past a charging Stefan Frei to open the score.

The first-half goal seemed to give the Earthquakes some much needed confidence starting the second half, as they created a few scoring opportunities in the first 15 minutes. Each time the pattern was the same. Wondolowski “dressed-up” as a creative midfielder feeding magnificent balls to Djaló who was unable to find the back of the net.

On the other hand, the first-place Seattle Sounders did not seem capable of finding a good rhythm with Alonso, Dempsey, Yedlin and Brad Evans who were on an off-night. When Kenny Cooper came off the bench on the 65th minute the Sounders seemed to click. A header by Cooper saved by Busch and a beautiful bicycle-kick by Dempsey which barely missed the crossbar started tipping the pitch in favor of the Sounders, while Busch’s performance was becoming pivotal. The last 5 minutes of the match plus the additional 5 minutes of stoppage were electrifying as Seattle charged in search of the equalizer. A header off a corner kick by Seattle’s Chad Barrett was saved on the goal-line by Chris Wondolowski, Yedlin drew a couple of fouls just outside the 18, while keeper Jon Busch again made crucial saves.

As the game was expiring the 48,765 in attendance were a bit distracted by the fireworks from adjacent amusement park Great America, not knowing it was the perfect way to celebrate an Earthquakes victory.