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Wondolowski nets hat trick as Earthquakes roll over Rapids to move step closer to Supporters Shield

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Chris Wondolowski has been scoring goals at an amazing clip this season, and on Saturday night he bagged another three to help San Jose stay in the lead for the MLS Supporters' Shield.

Wondolowski broke San Jose's franchise record for goals in a season with his three tallies and the Earthquakes defeated the Colorado Rapids, 4-1, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

The Quakes got off to a fast start, with Marvin Chavez scoring the opening goal less than two minutes into the match. Wondolowski doubled San Jose's lead nine minutes later after Rafael Baca took the ball down the left flank and found the prolific striker in the box.

Minutes into the second half, Wondolowski added another to put San Jose up 3-0 when he gathered a loose clearance and deflected a shot off of Colorado's Drew Moor and into the net.

With six minutes to go in the match, Wondolowski completed his hat trick, putting the Quakes up 4-0 and breaking the franchise record for goals in a season, previously held by Ronald Cerritos. It also put him two goals shy of Roy Lassiter's all-time record of 27 goals in a season.

The Rapids scored a consolation goal in stoppage time through Andre Akpan, but it mattered very little for a Colorado team that did not have much to play for. San Jose, on the other hand, extended its lead in the Supporters' Shield race to six points over Sporting Kansas City.

Here are the match highlights:

What did you think of the match? Will Wondolowski catch Lassiter's all-time record? Do you see San Jose holding onto the Supporters' Shield? What do the Rapids need to change for next season?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I think he just signed a new contract last year. It’s an interesting situation with Wondo, he is not exactly young. He has a unique skill set, he knows how to get open and finish, but he is fairly slow for a forward, most potential midlevel European suitors would probably view him as a role player…maybe a luxury as a late sub. I think he stays put, even with the prodding from JK to have potential nats players find a higher level out of their comfort zone. Honestly, I don’t think it would work out well for him. I’d rather see him stay in MLS and torture the Seattle fans.

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  2. Well i don’t think there is survey data on this so we are all just giving our opinions. But the American soccer fans i talk to don’t like the idea of our soccer league just copying other American sports where the regular season is just all about playoff seeding. I think MLS thinks they can attract the casual fan for playoffs just like the NHL and NBA attract the casual fan. But it’s not working and the TV ratings show this.

    I’m not against a post-season tournament. But i think MLS would get a lot more credibility if they separated the regular season from the post season with the winner of the regular season being the league champ and the winner of the post season tournament being the MLS Cup winner. Right now the MLS cup winner is considered the league champ.

    we’ll see how the TV ratings are for this years playoffs.

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  3. A hat trick from left half, the dude’s off the ball movement and finishing are amazing. Hope he stays hot in the playoffs. Not a popular opinion, but I still think he could useful as a late sub for the nats. Everyone remembers the sitter he missed, but most don’t remember the last game he played where he forced the keeper to make a couple of impressive saves to deny goals. He’s a talisman, give him another chance.

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  4. Most Americans are used to playoffs since just about every other major sport in the US has them. I doubt many fans look at the playoffs as a gimmick. That being said, I do think there should be more value placed on the supporter’s shield. Concacaf CL is nice but there should be more rewards for a team that proves they are the best through out the season.

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  5. Gotta disagree. Euro football is NOT the only football in the world. Lots of respectable leagues have playoffs and a champion like FMF, a tournament called La Laguilla, for example.

    It’s ok to be different and have our own identity.

    That said, I still generally agree that the supporters shield should matter more too. By earnings and trophy and stuff like that.

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  6. supporters shield should be the league title. These soccer playoffs are not the way to go. Most Americans are being educated into the game through Euro leagues and see this playoff stuff as a sad gimmick.

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  7. But lets call in Eddie Johnson instead Wondo and Kenny Cooper who have much higher goal totals this season.

    #KlinsmannAndGulatiHaveAnAgenda

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  8. Correction. Stern John and Mamadou Diallo scored 26 in a season, in 1998 and 2000 respectively, tying them for second behind Lassiter’s 27 in ’96. Wondo is currently third with 25 just ahead of Twellman’s 24 in ’02.

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  9. Wondo is gonna get another big raise to go with a contract to keep him here thru 2015 at least. I think 15-20 goals per year is worth at least $500k- if not more and give him a DP tag to go with it. Makes me shake my head at all these ridiculous salaries for useless DP’s around the league. If there was ever a sure thing in MLS it’s Chris Wondolowski.

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  10. Actually, that is the way they are counted. It is only an own-goal if the shot was clearly off-target before it was deflected.

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  11. The man can score goals….call it opportunity….call it skill….call it luck…call it right place at the right time….doesn’t matter the man just knows how to score. You don’t score 25 in an MLS season on luck/opportunity. Secondly you don’t become the highest goal scorer repetitively (meaning you are certified…lol) don’t get called up to the national team….like really?

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  12. Because it deflected off Moor?

    But I hate when goals like this are called OGs. If the shot is on goal and deflected off a defender, it should be a goal.

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  13. He is 2nd in goals scored in a MLS season right now at 25….Roy Lasitter scored 27 in the inaugural season so he’s 2 away from tying the record and 3 away from breaking it…..I think he’ll get at least 1 in the next game….

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  14. He broke Cerritos’s record for all time goals for the club. He broke the club record for goals in a season in 2010, then his own record this year.

    Reply

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