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San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy, Oct. 21, 2012, 4 p.m. PT Making the First One Count The Earthquakes are 106-11-25 since 2001 when scoring the first goal. So far this season, San Jose is 15-2-1 when scoring first, their two losses coming at Vancouver (2-1) on May 5 and at Montreal (3-1) on Aug. 18. The club was 7-4-5 in 2011, 12-0-2 in 2010, 6-1-5 in 2009 and 8-1-3 in 2008. Prior to 2010, San Jose also went undefeated in 2001 (13-0-2), 2003 (11-0-1) and 2005 (14-0-5) when scoring first. The Earthquakes were 12-2-0 in 2002 when finding the back of the net first, only giving up leads two times in losing 2-1 at the LA Galaxy on July 4, and falling at Kansas City by the same score on July 27. In 2004, the Quakes went 8-1-1 when scoring first, the best mark in MLS. The Quakes surrendered a 1-0 advantage and dropped a 2-1 decision at the LA Galaxy on July 4, 2004, losing for just the first time since July 27, 2002, when striking first. The Quakes are also impressive in the playoffs when scoring first, posting an 8-0-1 record all-time.

Scoring First Under Yallop During Frank Yallop’s tenure with San Jose, the Earthquakes are one of the best teams in the league when scoring the first goal. The Quakes are 84-10-19 (.827) in eight seasons under Yallop when striking first. The team went 36-2-3 from 2001-03 when producing the first goal of the contest. The Quakes only gave up leads two times in 2002, losing 2-1 at the LA Galaxy on July 4 and falling at Kansas City by the same score on July 27. Yallop’s team was 8-1-3 in 2008 when scoring first, 6-1-5 in 2009, 12-0-2 in 2010, 7-4-5 in 2011 and is 15-2-1 in 2012.

Halftime Success The Earthquakes remain amongst the best in league history in holding onto a halftime lead. Since the beginning of the 2000 season, the Quakes are 81-3-15 (.894) when leading at the half, including marks of 4-2-2 in 2011, 7-0-2 in 2010, 4-0-3 in 2009, 6-1-0 in 2008, 7-0-3 in 2005, 7-0-1 in 2004 and 8-0-1 in 2003. They are off to a 12-0-0 start in 2012. Despite holding a 1-0 halftime lead on May 10, 2008, vs.

Columbus, the Quakes were edged by the final score of 3-2. That game marked the team’s first loss since 1999 when holding a halftime advantage.

Follow the San Jose Earthquakes on Twitter @SJEarthquakes – Official account of the San Jose Earthquakes @QuakesMatchday – This season, follow for live updates on game days @QuakesPrez – Club President Dave Kaval is now on Twitter @SamGarza19 – The Quakes’ first-round selection in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, Sam Garza @SimonDawkins87 – The Tottenham Hotspur loanee debuted on Twitter midway through the 2012 season @JGjertsen17 – Earthquakes winger Joey Gjertsen @SercanGuvenisik – First Turkish player in MLS, newcomer Sercan Guvenisik @J_Hernandez_21 – Veteran center back and social maven Jason Hernandez @JacobHustedt – The rookie midfielder is the latest Quakes player on Twitter @JMo_row_15 – Third-year defender Justin Morrow @NewtonEvan13 – San Jose goalkeeper Evan Newton @IkeOpara – Third-year defender and U.S. U-23 national team player Ike Opara @CesarDPizarro – Quakes’ top selection in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft, Cesar Diaz Pizarro @BradRing87 – Fourth-year central midfielder Brad Ring @SalinasSJ11 – In his return to the franchise that drafted him, winger Shea Salinas @MarcusGTracy – The latest San Jose acquisition just joined Twitter @ChrisWondo – Two-time MLS goal-scoring leader Chris Wondolowski