It was the sort of howler that’s only supposed to exist in grainy YouTube blooper compilations.
San Jose Earthquakes stopper Daniel Vega accidentally misdirected a simple back-pass in a momentary lapse, sending the ball trickling into the back of his own net.
The error was so baffling that San Jose head coach Matias Almeyda could only resort to scripture, citing John 8:7. “It’s like life, at least for those of us who believe in religion,” he told reporters. “Whoever is free of sins throws the first rock, and then nobody would be left…whoever is free of mistakes, step on the field and play by yourself. Not even we would step on.”
The goal cost the Quakes the victory against in a Western Conference matchup against FC Dallas and set the tone for a rather perplexing 2-2 draw. There seemed to be little rhyme or reason to the match’s sudden shifts in momentum, and the post-match reactions from each side reflected this disaccord.
“We weren’t as sharp as we normally are, especially in the offensive third,” said Quakes captain Chris Wondolowski. “We were a little bit off.”
The match existed in a sort of vacuum given the numerous absences for each side due to the international break. The only logical throughline was Wondolowski’s continued goalscoring streak, as the forward buried a clinical finish to offset Vega’s error early in the second half.
Yet he too succumbed to the general malaise, failing to register another shot for the rest of the match.
Magnus Eriksson completed San Jose’s comeback in the fifty-third minute, only for Dallas to respond with an extended spell of pressure.
Substitute Francis Atuahene scored for Dallas in his first possession, then made more sloppy touches than any other player on the field.
Such was the disparate sequence of events that comprised today’s unusual match. Quakes midfielder Jackson Yueill suggested the heat and dry playing surface contributed to the dysfunction, while others blamed the teams’ atypically passive tactics. Perhaps, as with Vega’s error, it can only be explained by a higher power.
