Slumping San Jose Earthquakes lose 2-1 to Real Salt Lake after controversial call

The San Jose Earthquakes’ winless streak extended to six games Saturday night after an official’s controversial call helped lead to a late, game-deciding goal in a crushing 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah.

Real Salt Lake’s Braian Ojeda scored his first goal of the season to snap a 1-1 tie in the 81st minute, roughly two minutes after San Jose was forced to briefly play a man down after an official ruled Cristian Espinoza took too long to come off the field after being replaced by Ousseni Bouda.

With San Jose playing with just 10 players because of the substitution infraction, Ojeda received a pass 30 yards out and raced toward goal before blasting a low shot from outside the area that bounced off San Jose goalkeeper Daniel and into the net to cap the scoring.

Rather than belabor the game-changing call by officials with reporters afterward, San Jose coach Bruce Arena wants to hear the opinions of those who should know best.

“The Professional Referee Organization should look at the game and let them critique it,” said Arena, whose squad hasn’t won an MLS game in a month. “What bothered us was on the (winning) goal, they didn’t allow our substitute to come on the field while three other players went on and they scored a goal with us playing with 10 men.

“I’ll let PRO analyze the game. I’d be interested to hear their comments.”

Espinoza, who played well again after shining in Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game where he assisted on a goal, joined Arena in searching for answers after the game.

“I don’t know what had happened, to be honest,” said Espinoza. “I gave the (captain’s) armband to Chicho (Arango), so I had to waste a little bit more time just to go off a few meters away, to give it to him. Then I just jogged out of the field. I didn’t understand why they gave us … I don’t know if it was a minute or two minutes with a man down.”

San Jose (7-8-10), which hasn’t won an MLS game in a month and has just one league win in nearly two months, fell to 10th place in the West with 29 points.

Real Salt Lake (9-4-11) jumped into eighth place and into position for the 7th vs. 8th play-in that determines the final playoff berth.

San Jose scored the game’s first goal in the 51st minute when former Real Salt Lake star Arango created the scoring chance. Arango, who heard constant booing from the crowd of 19,238 fans in Utah, caused a turnover that resulted in Espinoza corralling the ball. Espinoza then gave the ball back to Arango, who floated a pass from the right wing that Josef Martinez headed in from close range for his 10th goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

However, it took just six minutes for RSL to even the score as an unmarked Diogo Goncalves’ low cross from the left wing caused an own goal by San Jose defender Jamar Ricketts to make it 1-1.

San Jose now takes a two-week break before resuming MLS play on Saturday, Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at PayPal Park.

San Jose’s captain said he and his teammates need to do what it takes to get back on track.

“It’s really frustrating, to be honest. We’re working really hard, but it’s not enough,” said Espinoza. “Everyone has to step up a little bit more, including myself. We have to try to do things better and go back to the basics, and go back to how we played at the beginning of the season with that intensity.

“It’s very clear. When everybody is engaged in the same way, with the same intensity, it’s a different team.”

Wire services contributed to this report.