Matias Perez Garcia helps Earthquakes beat Sounders

SEATTLE — Matias Perez Garcia set up Sanna Nyassi’s first-half goal, and then scored in the second half to help the San Jose Earthquake beat the Seattle Sounders 2-0 on Saturday. Nyassi’s goal, coming midway through the 28th minute, was his second of the year. Garcia scored his first of the season after a storming run from midfield into the penalty box in the 73rd minute. David Bingham recorded his fifth shutout for the Earthquakes (6-5-4, 22 points), who halted a three-game winless streak. It was their first victory since a 2-0 win over Columbus on May 16. “It was a good week for us with the U.S. Open Cup win, then coming to a tough place and getting the full three points,” Earthquakes coach Dominic Kinnear said. “We’re kind of on the outside looking in as far as the playoff picture goes. It’s good to get this win and start catching up on some teams.” The MLS-leading Sounders (9-5-2, 29 points) were without four players who had accounted for 18 of their league-high 23 goals. Clint Dempsey (seven goals) served the first game of a three-game suspension handed down Friday, the result of an animated dispute with a referee in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to rival Portland in the U.S. Open Cup. Forward Obafemi Martins (seven goals) sustained a groin injury in that same game and will be out for three to six weeks. Forward Chad Barrett (three) also was out injured, and defender Leo Gonzalez (one) was not on the lineup card. Also missing for the Sounders was defensive midfielder Osvaldo Alonso (hamstring). The designated player was out for a third straight MLS match. Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said several of his players were tired. A few played all 120 minutes of Tuesday’s extra-time Open Cup game. “I think for us, you need a full gas tank to play well, and sometimes, when you play on half a gas tank, it makes it a little tougher,” Schmid said. “We were around the goal, we were there, and we were hitting crosses. Guys were just missing on crosses. Our quality in the final third wasn’t as sharp as it needed to be. I think that’s more fatigue-related than personnel-related.”