SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Clarence Goodson scored on a header early in the second half and the San Jose Earthquakes ended a six-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Friday night.
Quincy Amarikwa chipped the ball high on net in the 53rd minute, with Goodson getting his head on it from point-blank range and putting it in the upper corner for his second goal of the season.
San Jose (8-10-5) has 29 points and is three points behind Seattle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Just a minute earlier Colorado’s Dillon Powers put a header off the post. The Rapids (5-9-9), who lost their third straight, are last in the West with 24 points.
“We had a couple of chances to get a point out of it but we weren’t good enough to get a win,” Rapids defender Bobby Burling said. “We go down 1-0 and we’re chasing the game at that point. The best chance came off an early cross and Dillon having a header on goal but not enough chances going forward.”
Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni said he was disappointed with the result.
“It was a pretty even first half. Good chances going both ways. In the second half, again, we started right and just one moment when we were shut off on a free kick and tuned out and then we’re reacting,” Mastroeni said. “Some poor marking in the box and it cost us the game.”
Amarikwa, who had scored in the previous four games, had the only good chance in the first half but was robbed by the quick hands of Clint Irwin.
