If, at the start of the season, anyone had guessed that San Jose Earthquakes striker Chris Wondolowski would pass Edson Buddle for the lead in the Golden Boot race on the final weekend, he’d have been laughed at.
And then, maybe, he would’ve been asked who Chris Wondolowski is.
No more. Wondo is a phenomenon in San Jose and beyond.
His goal in the Quakes’ 4-1 loss to Kansas City on Saturday night was his 18th of the season, one more than Buddle, who has been at the top of the scoring chart all season long.
Wondolowski pulls one back for San Jose
Not that the Golden Boot race is over.
Buddle has one more chance to regain his lead when he and the LA Galaxy play their final game of the season, against FC Dallas, on Sunday night at The Home Depot Center. And Buddle has said he is very focused on winning the Golden Boot.
Wondolowski may be in the conversation for MVP but he does not feel his one-goal lead will hold up in the end as far as the scoring race is concerned.
“I’m not too confident,” Wondolowski said after Saturday's match in Kansas City. “If I was a betting man, I’d put Buddle on at least two tomorrow, and one gets me anyways.”
Should both players finish tied atop the scoring charts with 18 goals, the tiebreaker would be assists and Buddle has two compared to Wondolowski's lone helper on the season.
In addition to the Golden Boot, Buddle and the Galaxy also need at least a tie to capture the Supporters’ Shield.
It all comes down to Sunday night at The Home Depot Center: The Supporters’ Shield, the Western Conference title, and the Golden Boot.
