SAN JOSE, Calif. – It sounds like Jahmir Hyka has never seen “The Goonies.” Which makes it all the more amusing that he helped to add another scene to the San Jose Earthquakes’ budding sequel to their 2012 Supporters’ Shield-winning smash.
Hyka, who joined the Quakes this winter, scored his first MLS goal on the final attack of the match Friday night. The Albanian international’s low shot across the face of goal, coming in the 94th minute, slid just beyond the outstretched leg of FC Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez to give San Jose a 1-1 tie.
“I’m happy for the team that we drew the game because I think we didn’t deserve to lose it,” Hyka said. “I think that showed our character, our team spirit, that we fight until the last second. That is important.”
It was a second straight last-minute, point-saving performance for the Quakes, who saw captain Chris Wondolowski come up with a 90th-minute equalizer against Seattle last week. And even though many of the original “Goonies” never got a chance to play at Avaya Stadium, their spirit lived on Friday.
“It’s a whole different squad, whole different team, whole different mentality, but that belief and that fight will always be here for this club,” Wondolowski said.
In this instance, Wondolowski’s header off a long pass from goalkeeper David Bingham allowed Hyka to ward off Atiba Harris and break through against a Dallas team that came in having posted four straight clean sheets in the Bay Area. It was also the first goal allowed this season by Gonzalez, coming after Dallas spent all night sweeping clear San Jose’s attempts to bombard the box from the wings. The Quakes completed only three of 27 crosses on the evening against the center-back tandem of Matt Hedges and Walker Zimmerman.
“Obviously, [it was] frustrating at the end, with a game that was controlled, a result that was in our pocket and in the last 30 seconds we gave up that silly goal,” Dallas coach Oscar Pareja said.
“Sometimes,” said Quakes coach Dominic Kinnear, “desperation can lead to pressure being broken.”
As the Quakes head out on the road for a Wednesday date in New England followed by a Saturday trip to Houston, there should be plenty of downtime for team bonding.
Maybe the team can organize a viewing of the 1985 cult classic that gave a franchise its tagline.
“I’m not good at titles with the movies,” Hyka said. “Maybe I’ve watched it but I don’t know the titles.”
For Quakes fans, the familiarity is what’s important.
