Chavez Scores As Earthquakes Draw With Rapids 1-1
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Marvin Chavez scored his first goal of the season to help the San Jose Earthquakes pull out a 1-1 tie against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.
Chavez drilled a knuckling free kick from 30 yards out in the 78th minute to beat Colorado goalkeeper Clint Irwin. The Honduran international was only available because MLS commissioner Don Garber upheld an appeal of his two-game suspension Wednesday.
Colorado (4-4-4) played a man down from the 90th minute on after defender Shane O'Neill brought Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski down just outside the penalty area, but San Jose (3-4-6) couldn't score.
Nathan Sturgis put Colorado ahead in the 26th, neatly turning home a Martin Rivero corner kick at the near post. The shot squirted between San Jose midfielder Rafael Baca, who was manning the post, and goalkeeper Jon Busch.
Atiba Harris almost doubled the Rapids' lead in first-half injury time when he fielded a long free kick in the Earthquakes' penalty area, spun free of defender Justin Morrow and clanged a shot off the near post.
Colorado would be denied by the woodwork again in the latter stages when Sturgis' header from an 84th-minute corner bounced off the crossbar. Four minutes later, Busch came off his line to deflect Deshorn Brown's breakaway attempt.
Earthquakes midfielder Walter Martinez seemed destined to find his first MLS goal in the 49th minute, ripping a half-volley from 27 yards, but Irwin climbed the ladder to push it over the crossbar.
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