Earthquakes 2, Toronto FC 1
Chris Wondolowski set up the tying goal and scored the winner to lead the San Jose Earthquakes to a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC on Wednesday night.
Wondolowski scored in the 81st minute, using his right knee at point-blank range to jam home Walter Martinez's flicked header off Marvin Chavez's corner kick. It was the fifth goal this year for Wondolowski, who tied the MLS single-season record with 27 last season.
The win ended a six-game winless streak for San Jose (3-3-5), which reached .500 for the first time in more than a month. Toronto (1-5-4) saw its victory drought extended to eight straight matches.
Earthquakes rookie Adam Jahn tied things up three minutes into the second half with his fourth goal of the season. Jahn beat Toronto goalkeeper Joseph Bendik with a left-footed strike from 10 yards, having been freed up when Wondolowski one-timed a quick throw-in from Dan Gargan.
Justin Braun put Toronto up 1-0 in the 14th minute with his fifth career goal against San Jose. Doneil Henry headed Darren O'Dea's long free kick and Braun, returning from a one-match absence due to a foot injury, wrapped a left-footed volley around his marker to beat San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch from 5 yards.
Toronto has allowed seven goals in the final 15 minutes of matches this season, and this is the third straight match for Toronto in which a game-winner has been struck beyond the 80th minute.
San Jose, last season's Supporters' Shield winners with the league's best regular-season record, vaulted into a tie for fourth place in the congested Western Conference standings.
Wondolowski almost generated a pair of goals in the first half. His sixth-minute header to the far corner was barely turned aside by a superb, leaping save from Bendik.
In the 45th minute, Wondolowski fed a low cross from the end line to the top of Toronto's 6-yard box, but teammate Shea Salinas blasted his open shot over the crossbar.