Santa Clara, CA – Simon Dawkins and Alan Gordon both scored twice as the San Jose Earthquakes downed the Colorado Rapids, 4-1, on Saturday night at Buck Shaw Stadium in MLS.
Dawkins scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season and Gordon his 11th and 12th, second on the team to Chris Wondolowski. Dawkins and Gordon both notched a goal in each half.
The Earthquakes (15-6-5) remained unbeaten at Buck Shaw in 12 games this year, as their lone home loss was in the second week of the year against the Houston Dynamo at AT&T Park.
Tyrone Marshall scored for Colorado (8-16-2), which lost for the eighth time in its last 10 matches and for the 11th time in 13 road games this season.
Dawkins opened the scoring in the 11th minute off an assist from Gordon, as he converted from 18 yards to the bottom-right corner. Gordon scored his first of the night two minutes before half when he poked home a cross from Rafael Baca.
Marshall pulled a goal back in the 54th minute as he headed in a Martin Rivero cross, but Dawkins and Gordon each added their second goals of the match in a seven-minute stretch of the second half to seal the match.
Dawkins accepted a pass from Sam Cronin at the top of the penalty area and hit a nice strike off the bounce to the bottom-right corner. Gordon added the last goal in the 75th minute off a headed assist from Ramiro Corrales.
San Jose guaranteed it will hold onto the overall lead in MLS after this week, and will host Chivas USA in its next match Sept. 2. Colorado travels to battle the Portland Timbers on Friday in its next match.
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