Bongokuhle Hlongwane scores 2 goals, Minnesota beats Earthquakes 2-1
Bongokuhle Hlongwane scored two goals, his first multi-goal game this season, to help Minnesota United beat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 Saturday night.
Hlongwane redirected a long throw-in by Joseph Rosales that was parried by goalkeeper Daniel De Sousa Britto — known simply as "Daniel" — and bounced off the crossbar. Hlongwane was the for his own rebound but his putback attempt was stopped by defender Vítor Costa de Brito, but this time, Hlongwane was able to find the back of the net to make it 2-1 in the 64th minute.
Minnesota (10-11-6) has just two wins since a 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on June 1, a span of 12 games, and both victories have come against the Earthquakes.
San Jose (5-20-2), which beat Real Salt Lake 2-0 last time out, has lost four of its last five games.
Robin Lod, from just outside the penalty area played a ball that led Hlongwane to the corner of the 6-yard box, where the 24-year-old forward slipped a one-touch shot through the legs of Daniel into the net to make it 1-0 in the ninth minute.
San Jose's Ousseni Bouda, a 24-year-old in his third MLS season, scored his second career goal and first this season to make it 1-1 in the 33rd.