Quakes earn moral victory in draw

TORONTO -- All that matters for the San Jose Earthquakes is that they left BMO Field, where Toronto FC is unbeaten this season, with a crucial point after playing to a scoreless draw Saturday. It was a huge moral victory for a team that was breaking in three new players with little training, and didn't even have their regular coach on the sidelines.

"We got a point on the road, we were under pressure and kind of held our own," said assistant head coach Ian Russell. "[We] got a point and that's good."

Russell was in charge for the match as head coach Frank Yallop was suspended after being ejected from last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Colorado. Russell said the players felt no extra pressure going into a tough road environment without their usual coach.

"We had a game plan," Russell said. "Obviously for us, me and [goalkeeper coach Jason Batty], it was a little more pressure because we were running it, but we were comfortable."

By the second half, the game plan clearly became "defense first," as the Earthquakes struggled to mount a counterattack against a Reds squad that outshot them 11-4 in the match. But while the offensive struggles continued for San Jose, the backline held strong, and goalkeeper Joe Cannon came up with three key saves to preserve the clean sheet. It was the sixth shutout of the year for Cannon, tying him for Kansas City's Kevin Hartman and Real Salt Lake's Nick Rimando for the league lead.

Cannon's biggest save came in the 68th minute. After defender James Riley was called for a controversial foul in the penalty area against TFC striker Abdus Ibrahim, the Reds were awarded a penalty kick. Former MLS MVP Amado Guevara lined up for the shot, but Cannon kept his composure and blocked Guevara's attempt at the left side of the goal.

The 'keeper said that his past experience with Guevara helped him make the save.

"I think Amado has taken a couple of penalty kicks against me and he's gone both ways," Cannon said. "But judging by his penalty kicks in the past I feel like [left is] his stronger side. To be honest, I think if he puts it where he wants it, I don't think the goalie has too much of a chance. I think he kind of got under it a little bit and I was fortunate enough to wait until he struck it.

"You take what you know from a player and playing with them for so long. You go with your gut, since if you don't go with your gut, when I sit at the hotel tonight I'll be second-guessing myself."

It was the fourth scoreless draw of the year for San Jose, whose 11 goals scored in 17 games are by far the lowest total in Major League Soccer. The Quakes acquired midfielder Fernando Lima and strikers Darren Huckerby and Scott Sealy earlier in the week in an attempt to shake up the moribund attack, and the trio were all in the lineup against Toronto.

Lima and Huckerby came off for substitutions in the 63rd and 64th minute, respectively, due to the fact that both players aren't fully fit since their former club's seasons ended in May. Saturday's match, according to Huckerby, was the first time that all three new players really had a chance to spend an extended amount of time playing with each other.

"Scott only met the lads yesterday and me and Lima only met at the beginning of the week," Huckerby said. "It was tough. Three days training in two months. You know it's very hard to get into the game but like I say the first one's out of the way now and I'm looking forward to getting back and start playing a few home games and we'll see how it goes."

There is really nowhere to go but up for the Quakes as they head into the All-Star break last in MLS with 14 points. San Jose begins a three-game homestand on July 27 against the New York Red Bulls.