Earthquakes salvage 1-1 tie with Crew

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) Alan Gordon scored in the 90th minute to give the San Jose Earthquakes a 1-1 tie with the Columbus Crew on Saturday night.

Gordon scored for the third time this season, connecting six days after he scored San Jose's only goal in a 1-1 tie with Chivas USA. He came off the bench in the second half to score both goals.

Gordon took a pass in the center of the box from Chris Wondolowski and sent a shot than went off the crossbar. Gordon got the rebound and beat goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum with a shot to the right corner.

Columbus' Justin Meram, making his first MLS start, scored during stoppage time in the first half.

Meram took a pass in the left side of the box from midfielder Tony Tchani and curved a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Jon Busch and into the top right corner of the net.

Busch, who played his first five MLS seasons for Columbus, hadn't allowed a goal against his former team in three previous games before Saturday.

The goal was Meram's second of his career, coming a week after he scored the Crew's first goal in a 2-1 comeback victory over FC Dallas. Meram had the Crew's only shot on goal against San Jose.

San Jose is 7-2-3, and Columbus 3-4-3.

Wondolowski, who leads the MLS in goals with 11, failed to score for the second straight game, the first time that's happened this season.

San Jose dominated the first half everywhere but on the scoreboard. The Earthquakes had six shots on goal to just one for the Crew and launched 17 total attempts to only three for Columbus.

Gruenebaum made a handful of spectacular saves in the first half.

In the 22nd minute, Wondolowski lined up for a penalty kick after Crew midfielder Eric Gehrig took down San Jose forward Steven Lenhart from behind in the box on a breakaway.

Wondolowski ripped a right-footed shot toward the right corner, but Guenebaum made a diving save. Seconds later, Gruenebaum made another diving save, this one on Lenhart's header from the center of the box after a crossing pass from Rafael Baca.