SAN JOSE -- The San Jose Earthquakes fell 4-3 to Liga MX's reigning champions C.F. Pachuca Saturday night at Avaya Stadium. After conceding early in the match, the Quakes rallied late scoring three goals in the second half.
C.F. Pachuca took the lead in the 12th minute. Building from Ruben Botta's pass, Erick Gutierrez shot from distance. Earthquakes keeper Bryan Meredith tried to make the save, but the ball went off the left post and into the goal.
In the 21st minute, Pachuca's Raul Lopez made the score 2-0, sending a free kick from outside the area into the top left corner of the Quakes' goal.
Lopez capitalized again in the second half from another free kick. Sending the ball into the Quakes' six-yard box in the 59th minute, it bounced over the defense and across the goal line.
Despite the three-goal deficit, the home side continued to fight. Tommy Thompson scored his second goal in an international friendly for the Quakes in the 64th minute. Shea Salinas crossed the ball from the right and Thompson found the back of the net from a diving header.
The goal marked the beginning of a three-minute, three goal series.
In the 66th minute, Pachuca were awarded a penalty after Fatai Alashe was called for a handball in the box. Botta sent the ball hard and low into the bottom left corner to make the score 4-1.
In the next play, Chad Barrett set up Salinas with a back-heeled pass. Salinas' shot went into the bottom right corner of the goal in the 67th minute.
With just moments left in the game, Salinas cut inside of the 18-yard box and found the right corner of the goal for the second time to make the final score 4-3.
The Quakes return to MLS action on Saturday, Sept. 10 against Seattle Sounders FC, presented by 7UP, at Avaya Stadium. The match will mark the sixth annual A&W Celebrity Root Beer Float Night, in which local celebrities will serve A&W Root Beer floats to fans to benefit the Positive Coaching Alliance. The game will be broadcast live on CSN California, KLIV and KZSF.
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