SAN JOSE, Calif. — Leave it to Chris Wondolowski to help the Earthquakes open the 2016 season with a celebration Sunday at sold-out Avaya Stadium.
San Jose’s star goal scorer got the game winner a half minute into the second half as the Quakes defeated the Colorado Rapids 1-0 to kick off the Major League Soccer season exactly as they envisioned. An upgraded roster still working out the kinks gave the 18,000 fans something to cheer about as the Earthquakes won a season opener for only the second time since re-entering MLS nine years ago.
For the Rapids, meanwhile, it was more of the same, an inability to score, which plagued them throughout the 2015 season. A revamped roster did little to change that.
Rapids midfielder Dillon Powers said of Wondolowski’s game winner: “It was just an inopportune time to give up a goal early in the half and then we were chasing the game a bit.”
Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni said the Rapids had their chances.
“We created more than enough opportunities regardless of who was on the field to put us in good position to win this game. But one play makes a difference.”
A year ago the Rapids started the season with four consecutive scoreless games.
“I’m not this guy who dwells on the past,” Mastroeni said. “I’m a forward-thinking person. We have the type of attacking group if one goes in we’re going to score in bunches. It’s one game. Their goalkeeper came up big on a few plays. It’s more we fell asleep on one play when they scored.
“We set out in preseason to be a team that tactically understands what we are trying to achieve. In six weeks, we’ve come so far and today was an exhibition of players understanding what the roles are, believing in it and doing everything they can to put themselves in position to win the game. Unfortunately you can do all that and still not win.”
Rapids midfielder and former San Jose player Sam Cronin said the Rapids are much improved, though the score Sunday may not have indicated it.
“In relation to last season we are a much more talented team. Everybody walks off the field proud there. That’s the game, we fell asleep for 15 seconds. We just have to make some more tackles down there. But we recovered well and got ahold of the game again. This is just a little blip on the radar.”
After a scoreless first half, the Earthquakes struck almost immediately after intermission.
Wondolowski stunned the Rapids with a charge into the defensive wall. He redirected a long serve from new winger Alberto Quintero into the net, much to the frustration of Colorado defender Axel Sjoberg who was marking the Quakes forward.
