Many football purists argue that the implementation of Video Referee Assitance detracts from the romance of the game. They’re a small but vocal opposition, and a bizarre VAR ruling that cost the San Jose Earthquakes an upset victory against Atlanta United most definitely created a few doubters.
After a spirited first-half performance, the Quakes claimed a stunning 4-1 lead via Chris Wondolowski’s breakaway goal, which would have brought him within two of the MLS all-time goalscoring record. However, VAR disallowed the goal for a Quakes handball at the beginning of the counter-attack and awarded Atlanta a penalty to make the match 3-2. With San Jose’s momentum totally disrupted, Atlanta went on to score two more goals and secure a farcical 4-3 victory.
All of which represented a most cruel welcome to Major League Soccer for new Quakes interim head coach Steve Ralston. Once the dust has settled, he has reason to be proud of his team’s determined performance against the league’s best side, despite the bitter ending.
After taking over from Mikael Stahre on Sunday, Ralston made immediate changes to the starting eleven, replacing Andrew Tarbell with homegrown goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski, restoring Harold Cummings to the starting lineup, and starting Danny Hoesen up top for Chris Wondolowski.
The Quakes were freed of the mental fatigue they suffered under Stahre, playing with energy and direction. Hoesen and Magnus Eriksson both tested Brad Guzan in the early moments and the team returned to basics to put Atlanta under pressure with crosses and direct passes. In the thirteenth minute, Nick Lima sneaked in behind at the far post to give San Jose a surprising opener from Shea Salinas’ cross.
Atlanta always posed danger up top, with Julian Gressel shooting on target and Miguel Almirón forcing a goal-line clearance from Guram Kashia, but the Quakes were sharper in the midfield. On the brink of the half, Hoesen capitalized on a long ball over the top to double their lead. Although Brad Guzan blocked the Dutchman’s initial effort, Hoesen recollected the ball and picked out the top corner.
Atlanta, however, immediately equalized through Héctor Villalba’s gorgeous curling effort from twenty yards, an unlucky break for the Quakes given their improved defending in the first half. The goal posed an important test of the team’s mental strength, to see if they could move past the second-half collapses that defined the Stahre-era.
The answer was, very briefly, yes. Almiron shot at Tarbell and Ezequiel Barco curled wide for Atlanta, but the Quakes withstood the pressure and Vako scored down the other end at the end of a jinxing run through Atlanta’s back-line.
When Wondolowski scored shortly, it seemed as if the Quakes had finally exorcised their demons. Then the referee reversed the call and the game turned on its head. Josef Martínez scored the spot-kick, Almirón equalized four minutes later, and Martínez completed the comeback with a stoppage time-equalizer.
