MLS Midweek Wrap: Quakes remain stingy
By Ridge Mahoney
SEVEN NO MORE: San Jose keeper Joe Cannon was in the nets Wednesday night as Quakes blanked Chicago, 1-0, for his and theirs eighth shutout of the season.
Cannon had posted seven shutouts apiece in the 2000 and 2001 seasons.
The Quakes have conceded 18 goals in 20 games (0.90 goals per game) and could set new records for goals allowed as well as fewest goals allowed per game.
Los Angeles set the record of 29 goals allowed in 32 games (0.91 goals per game) in 1999 and Kansas City tied it the following year.
San Jose played only 26 games last year because of a shorter schedule necessitated by contraction and the cancellation of games in the aftermath of Sept. 11.
HOME IS SWEET: The victory was also San Jose's league-record 12th straight win at Spartan Stadium. The Quakes have not lost an MLS game at home since they fell, 1-0, to the Fire on Aug. 18, 2001.
ROAD WOES: D.C. United coach Ray Hudson will be hoping Paul Gascoigne, Eliseo Quintanilla and anybody else he might sign can produce away from home.
United fell in Columbus, 1-0, to run its away mark this season to 0-8-1. In those nine games United has scored only three goals.
THE LEADER: Taylor Twellman took over the MLS scoring lead with a goal and an assist in the Revs' 3-2 loss to Colorado at CMGI Field.
Twellman has 15 goals and four assists for 34 points. He could be the league's first scoring champion for the team with the fewest points.
Two players have finished fourth in scoring while playing for the worst team: Raul Diaz Arce (18 goals, 8 assists, 44 points) for the Revs in 1998 and Ronald Cerritos (12 goals, 10 assists, 34 points) with San Jose in 1997.
The only scoring champion to play for a team with a losing record is Stern John. In 1997 he banged in 26 goals and added five assists (57 points) for the 15-17 Crew.
MAMA MIA!: Mamadou Diallo has been roaring through defenses since being traded by the Revs to the Metros. He scored in his fourth straight game Wednesday at the Metros beat Kansas City, 3-1. With the Metros he has 10 goals and two assists in eight games.
Overall, his 11 goals and three assists rank him fifth among MLS scorers.