With the 2017 season officially in the books, the San Jose Earthquakes have plenty to be proud of on and off the field. A trip to the postseason for the first time in five years and a spot in the U.S. Open Cup semis for the first time since 2004 highlight the calendar year.
Let’s takes a look at how individuals on the team fared this year and how they impacted the club.
Chris Wondolowski
The captain had another captain-esque season. Leading the team in both goals (13) and assists (8), Wondo earned his seventh overall and fourth consecutive team MVP award.
With the Earthquakes equipped with more attacking options, Wondolowski was asked to drop a bit deeper in the offense and play a more creation-minded role. He responded by setting a career-high in assists while still surpassing the 10-goal plateau with relative ease. He became the first player in MLS history to do so in eight consecutive seasons and is now tied for second on the league’s all-time goal-scoring list. Sitting just 11 goals behind Landon Donovan for one of the most prestigious individual honors in the league, 2018 could be one to watch for the Danville native.
Wondo also played an important role in the team’s climb in the U.S. Open Cup, tallying two goals in the quarterfinals against the LA Galaxy and appearing in all four games.
