By ,
Published May 02, 2016
San Jose, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - The San Jose Earthquakes welcomed the dawning of a new era in club history in style on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire at Avaya Stadium.
As a club the San Jose Earthquakes have been in existence in some form since 1974 in the old incarnation of the North American Soccer League, and over their history the club has never had a stadium to call its own.
That changed on Sunday with the opening of the brand-new Avaya Stadium, and it didn't take much time for the Quakes to find the first goal in their new digs.
The hosts opened the scoring after just five minutes when Matias Perez Garcia served a tantalizing corner kick into the penalty area. Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson came off his line to claim the ball but couldn't get there which allowed rookie Fatai Alashe to knock home the loose ball.
The 'Quakes doubled the lead in the 21st minute when Perez Garcia sent a free kick into the box that was directed on goal by Clarence Goodson with a powerful volley. Johnson made the save but spilled rebound and Ty Harden poked it home for his first goal in MLS.
The Fire pulled one back just prior to the half-hour mark when Joevin Jones slid one across the pitch to a wide-open Harry Shipp, who took his time and calmly slotted it past San Jose goalkeeper David Bingham for the club's first goal of the season.
Chicago was able to create some positive play and quality scoring chances in the second 45 minutes, but the 'Quakes defense held and they did an excellent job of killing the game in the final minutes to claim their second straight victory.
Chicago, with the defeat, has lost its first three matches of the season for the first time in franchise history.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/quakes-open-avaya-stadium-with-win-over-fire