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Published on 10/13/1999 All articles from this issue

Cannon, Clash end MLS season with a shutout

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Special to the Town Crier

Goalkeeper Joe Cannon of Los Altos Hills recorded his third consecutive shutout Oct. 6 as the San Jose Clash concluded its Major League Soccer season with a 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Wizards at Spartan Stadium.

Rookie Cannon was forced to make only one save and stretched his streak of scoreless minutes to 325, second-longest in club history.

Cannon, a St. Francis High graduate, posted four shutouts this season.

The Clash, which won four of its final five games and seven of its last 10, finishes the season with a 19-13 record, the best mark in the team's four-year history.

The Clash went 13-3 at home, tying Dallas for the best home record in the league and falling just one win short of the MLS record of 14-2 set by D.C. United in 1998.

"If we'd won a few more games in regulation instead of in shootouts, we'd be getting ready for the playoffs," said defender John Doyle, whose team missed the MLS postseason because 10 of its victories came in shootouts, worth only one point in the standings as opposed to three for a regulation win. "But we've made progress this season, and I think we'll be a very good team next year."

Mauricio Solis scored the game's lone goal in the 54th minute on a rather courageous play. Eddie Lewis took a pass from Wade Barrett and crossed the ball from the left flank into the middle of the penalty area, where Solis and Kansas City defender Brandon Prideaux both dived for the ball. Solis got to it an instant before the players collided, heading it past goalkeeper Tony Meola inside the near post.

The goal was Solis' second of the season. Lewis, who made his 100th MLS start, set a club record with his 14th assist.

The Clash played the game without leading scorer Ronald Cerritos, who is on duty with the El Salvador national team.