San Jose Earthquakes hold off Salt Lake 2-1 at PayPal Park

San Jose beat Real Salt Lake 2-1 at PayPal Park, scoring twice in the first 17 minutes and then holding on after Salt Lake pulled one back. The Earthquakes moved to 14-10-9. Salt Lake fell to 12-6-15.

Ousseni Bouda, the player of the game with a Chirp Rating of 7.6, started it. He scored in the 2nd minute from a free kick, a right footed shot into the bottom left corner. He led all players with five shots. In the 17th, Benji Kikanovic made it 2-0 from very close range, again to the bottom left corner. Jamar Ricketts set it up on a fast break.

Salt Lake answered in the 23rd. Samuel Junqua crossed from the wing and Juan Manuel Sanabria headed it home from the centre of the box to make it 2-1. Nobody scored again after that first half burst.

Reid Roberts anchored San Jose with 39 accurate passes and 16 defensive interventions. Chirp's Sim gave San Jose a 40% chance before the game.