Sun May 11 00:23:47 2008

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Rogers powers Crew to fifth straight win

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Santa Clara, CA (Sports Network) - Robbie Rogers scored two goals as the Columbus Crew scored three times in the second half to earn a 3-2 win over the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium on Saturday.

Ramiro Corrales gave the Earthquakes a 1-0 lead at halftime, but the Crew tallied three times in a 10-minute span in the second half, with Brad Evans scoring his first MLS goal for the game winner.

The win puts the Crew in first place in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Chicago, and it is also the team's fifth straight, marking the first time since 1998 that Columbus has put together five consecutive victories.

The visitors produced the first real chance of the game, with Guillermo Barros Schelotto driving a corner kick into the center of the box that Ezra Hendrickson nodded off the crossbar.

Ivan Guerrero just missed putting the hosts on top midway through the half when he took a pass inside the box on the left, turned, and fired a shot that sailed narrowly past the far corner.

San Jose put a good amount of pressure on the Crew defense in the last 10 minutes, and they found a goal right before halftime from a corner kick.

Ronnie O'Brien floated the ball towards the top of the six-yard box and Corrales got inside of his defender and sent a diving header over the head of Columbus goalkeeper Will Hesmer and just under the crossbar.

O'Brien tested Hesmer in the 50th minute when he put a shot on net from 25 yards that forced the keeper to make a leaping save, while 'Quakes keeper Joe Cannon came up with a quality stop in the 56th minute from a Frankie Hejduk shot.

O'Brien then had a chance to get on the scoresheet in the 63rd minute when Kei Kamara flicked the ball into the area on the right, allowing O'Brien to get a good look at goal. The midfielder drew Hesmer off his line but chipped the ball wide of the far post.

The Crew then threatened to even the match in the 70th minute when Hendrickson worked his way into the box and took a pass from the top of the box. However, Cannon came off his line and stopped the shot with his legs.

Five minutes later, Columbus was level when substitute Emmanuel Ekpo took a pass in midfield and played a great through ball to Rogers, who was streaking down the left wing. Rogers got into the box and then rolled a shot through the legs of Cannon to even the match.

Rogers was at it again eight minutes later, taking a pass from Alejandro Moreno and knifing through the San Jose back line before rounding Cannon to put the Crew up 2-1.

Two minutes later the lead grew to two goals as Evans was played in behind the defense by Schelotto and he beat Cannon to complete the onslaught.

The 'Quakes pulled a goal back in the 89th minute from a corner kick when Ryan Johnson headed the ball off Hejduk and past Hesmer, but the hosts were unable to muster a third goal and they suffered a second defeat in their last three games.