Earthquakes Looking To Move Up In Season Finale
KANSAS CITY (AP) -- Chris Wondolowski and the San Jose Earthquakes are preparing for their first playoff appearance since winning the Supporters' Shield in 2005. The Kansas City Wizards are dwelling on the team's failure to advance to the postseason for the second straight year.
Still with a chance to move up the MLS Cup playoff standings, the Earthquakes close their regular season Saturday night when the Wizards play their final game at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
Back in the postseason for the first time since the franchise returned to MLS in 2008 following a two-year absence, the Earthquakes (13-9-7) could finish as high as fourth in the Western Conference with a victory over Kansas City (10-13-6) and a Seattle loss at Houston on Saturday afternoon.
With a loss or draw, San Jose would finish fifth or sixth in the conference and shift to the East playoff bracket to face New York or Columbus in the opening round.
Wherever San Jose begins its playoff push, Wondolowski deserves as much credit as anyone for the club's 5-2-2 mark since Aug. 28. The 27-year-old midfielder has scored the Earthquakes' last nine goals - tied for an MLS record - and shares the league lead (17) with Los Angeles' Edson Buddle after posting his second hat trick of the season in Wednesday's 3-0 victory over Chivas USA.
Wanting to rest his regulars with three games in eight days, coach Frank Yallop only sent Wondolowski into the match after forward Cornell Glen strained his left hamstring in the 40th minute.
"In my opinion, he is hands-down the MVP of this league," goalkeeper Jon Busch told the Earthquakes' official website. "It's because of not just the amount of goals he's scored this year, but the importance of those goals. Without him, we wouldn't be where we are."
Wondolowski, who also passed Ronald Cerritos' team record of 15 goals in the victory, now has his sights set on the Golden Boot, which goes to the league's regular-season scoring leader.
"To be honest, I'm probably going to have to score two, because I bet Edson's going to get one," Wondolowski said of the Galaxy forward who faces FC Dallas on Sunday night. "He's on a hot streak also. Most importantly, we're just hoping to get three points."
Kansas City needed three points in each of its final two games just to have a shot at making the postseason, but last Saturday's 1-0 loss at New England ended the Wizards' playoff hopes.
"It's extremely disappointing to be out of it," coach Peter Vermes told the league's official website after the match. "Especially when we still had a chance to live on and see what happened tonight and hopefully go into next week."
The Wizards, who last clinched a playoff berth with a 3-2 win over visiting San Jose on Oct. 18, 2008, will play their final game at CommunityAmerica Park with a new stadium set to open next year in Kansas City, Kan.
Including the playoffs and the U.S. Open Cup, Kansas City has won six in a row at home versus San Jose.
Wondolowski scored in a 1-0 home victory over the Wizards on Aug. 14.
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