BY RYAN JOHNSTON
sportsnet.ca
TORONTO -- A heart-breaking goal by San Jose in extra-time earned the visitors a 1-1 draw and dealt Toronto FC's playoff hopes a serious blow on Saturday.
It was an MLS-leading 15th time this season that the Reds have allowed a goal in the final third of a match.
"We have had a go and dominated the game, but we've given an awful goal away," Chris Cummins said post-match. "I am fuming with the goal. I sensed it coming; we dropped deep and got sloppy with people out of position."
Toronto opened the scoring in the 47th minute when Canadian Nana Attakora tapped in a Dwayne De Rosario cross at the far post. It was the defender's second goal of the season.
The home team dominated possession on the chilly afternoon and owned the lion's share of scoring opportunities over the visitors from California. The Earthquakes failed to even register a shot on target in the first-half and ended the match with just three on net.
But the only one that mattered ended up in the back of the net in the dying seconds after a wild scramble to clear the ball fell to 'Quakes forward Cornell Glen, who half-volleyed a spinning attempt by a diving Brian Edwards.
"For 93 minutes I was the hero, but 93 and a half I am the worst coach in the world," Cummins added. "That is what it comes down to, that is the fine line between winning and losing, and unfortunately we are on the wrong side of that line too many times."
Cummins was hoarse from screaming at his club to push the ball forward in the final few minutes, but the team responded by falling deeper and deeper in front of its own net.
"It is not nerves; it is mistakes that kill you. We need to learn how to kill a game off," Reds captain Jim Brennan said. "It is not good enough, the last 15 minutes was not good defending by us."
Toronto FC (9-10-8, 35 points) was given a lifeline with the New England Revolution (10-10-8, 38 points) losing to Columbus on Saturday night. But with the Revolution, DC United, Seattle, Chivas USA, Colorado and Dallas all chasing the final playoff positions the Reds will need a lot of outside help. Toronto play one more home game against Real Salt Lake before finishing the regular season on the road in New York.
NOTES: Toronto FC wore pink jerseys in support of Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The Reds also wore them on June 24 in a 2-0 home win against New York … Kevin Guppy was added to the roster for Toronto under the extreme hardship rule. Guppy is a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy … In honour of De Guzman's first home game the club changed the name on the back of his jersey to 'De Guzmna' -- it was corrected in the second-half … The announced attendance was 20, 571.
