Premier Rugby Sevens Western Conference Championships, July 15, 2023
Category: Action Photography
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Seattle Sounders, July 12, 2023
| MEDIA RELEASE: July 12, 2023 MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 2, Seattle Sounders FC 0 Quakes victorious at home, Espinoza breaks all-time club assist record SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes defeated Seattle Sounders FC 1-0 on Wednesday night at PayPal Park. A goal and record-breaking assist from Cristian Espinoza helped the Quakes earn three points at home and win the 2023 Heritage Cup. The Quakes opened the scoring in the 19th minute on a penalty kick from forward Cristian Espinoza. Jeremy Ebobisse was brought down in the box by the Seattle defense before Espinoza fired a shot into the bottom left corner to take the lead. Forward Jack Skahan almost doubled the lead in the second half, but his one-time volley in the box was ruled offside. San Jose eventually found their second goal in the 65th minute from defender Miguel Trauco, who struck a full volley from outside the box past Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland. Espinoza tallied the assist on Trauco’s goal and is now the all-time assist leader for the Quakes (51), passing club legend Shea Salinas. The Earthquakes will take a break from MLS league play and prepare for the inaugural Leagues Cup tournament. The Quakes will open the tournament on the road against the Portland Timbers on Saturday, July 22. Kickoff from Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, is slated for 7:00 p.m. PT and will be streamed globally on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, FS1 and Univision. GAME NOTES The Earthquakes now hold an 8-7-8 record (32 pts.) during the 2023 MLS regular season and currently sit in fifth place in the 14-team Western Conference.San Jose currently holds a 14-15-9 record against Seattle, including a 6-5-5 record at home.With tonight’s win, the Quakes earned their second win of the season against the Sounders to claim the Heritage Cup for the second year in a row. The Heritage Cup is an annual competition between the two teams with North American Soccer League (NASL) heritage, taking place across both regular season matches. The Earthquakes have only lost once in their last five matches against Seattle and have not lost to their Pacific Northwest rival at home since May 12, 2021. San Jose have only lost once in 12 home matches this season (7-1-4). Forward Cristian Espinoza scored his 11th goal of the season and 26th of his MLS career. Espinoza has now successfully converted nine consecutive penalty kicks and has made nine of ten overall during his MLS career. He is now tied for the fifth most goals in Quakes history with Vako. Espinoza, who tallied his 51st MLS career assist on Trauco’s goal, now holds the all-time record for most assists in Quakes history.Defender Miguel Trauco scored his third goal of the season and of his MLS career. Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski earned his fourth shutout of the season and 18th of his MLS career. Midfielder Tommy Thompson made his 200th career appearance for the Quakes, entering as a sub in the 85th minute. He is the fourth player to reach that milestone in team history. MATCH INFORMATION2023 MLS Regular Season San Jose Earthquakes 2 – 0 Seattle Sounders FC Wednesday, July 12, 2023 – PayPal Park, San Jose, Calif. Attendance: 13,577 Man of the Match: Cristian Espinoza Scoring Summary: SJ (1-0) – Cristian Espinoza (penalty kick) 19’ SJ (2-0) – Miguel Trauco (Cristian Espinoza) 65’ Misconduct Summary: SEA – Nouhou (caution) 41’ SEA – Leo Chu (caution) 45+4’ SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Paul Marie (Benji Kikanovic 90+1’), Tanner Beason, Rodrigues, Carlos Akapo; Miguel Trauco, Carlos Gruezo, Judson (Cam Cilley 90+3’), Jack Skahan (Tommy Thompson 85’), Jeremy Ebobisse (Ousseni Bouda 90+3’), Cristian Espinoza (C). Substitutes not used: Emi Ochoa (GK), Jonathan Mensah, Daniel Munie, Will Richmond, Niko Tsakiris. SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 3; FOULS: 9; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 2 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC: Stefan Cleveland; Nouhou (Reed Baker-Whiting 81’) Jackson Rogen, Yeimar Gomez Andrade, Cody Baker (Alex Roldan 46’); Joao Paulo (Josh Atencio 66’), Nico Lodeiro (C) (Dylan Teves 67’), Albert Rusnak, Leo Chu, Obed Vargas; Heber (Raul Ruidiaz 66’)Substitutes not used: Andrew Thomas (GK), Abdoulaye Cissoko, Fredy Montero, Andrew Thomas. SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; FOULS: 9; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 1 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH LUCHI GONZALEZ On the team building strong performances and momentum: “We started the game [last week] really well against LAFC. The game planning was really good, and the guys were executing. Tonight, we started similar in terms of our principles. We were trying to build pressure and win the ball and attack, but it was different also. We have to be ready to tweak each game and moment based on what’s available. What I want to grab are the things that have helped us compete. I feel like we have built momentum in a positive way in the past few weeks in terms of competing and responding. You just feel the guys are always ready to respond and compete, and I am proud to coach them. Those are the things we want to do with energy, enthusiasm, and intensity.” On preparing for the inaugural Leagues Cup tournament: “We’ll work in a positive way to get everyone full force. We want to approach Leagues Cup with as many healthy guys as possible. We are taking the next steps against very good opponents, which are going to be Portland [Timbers] and Tigres [UNAL]. We’re excited to have a little time off with family and friends to recharge our batteries, and then get back to work next week.” SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD CRISTIAN ESPINOZA On seeing how far he has come since first joining the club: “I remember when I arrived here, I was very excited to play [at San Jose] and to play in the MLS, and to have this experience. To be honest, I didn’t expect what would happen [breaking the club assist record]. I am really happy with this moment and with everything that has happened before. I am very thankful for my teammates.” On what this season means to him being a record breaker and an all-star: “It makes me feel very happy because I can see all the effort and sacrifices that I made in every single training session since I arrived here paying off now. At the same time, I try to keep the focus on trying to help the team. I think that is the most important thing for me.” #### |
| Earthquakes Communications Contacts: Ryan Negrette – Coordinator, Communications rnegrette@sjearthquakes.com C: 408.489.8891 |
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Portland Timbers, June 17, 2023
| MEDIA RELEASE: June 17, 2023 MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 0, Portland Timbers 0 Quakes extend home undefeated streak to nine, unbeaten in last five matches SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes and the Portland Timbers played to a scoreless draw on Saturday night at PayPal Park. The Quakes extend their home undefeated streak this season to nine games (6-0-3), their best home start to a season since 2005.San Jose featured a heavily rotated lineup due to national team call-ups, missing defenders Carlos Akapo and Miguel Trauco, and midfielders Carlos Gruezo and Jamiro Monteiro.Goalkeeper Daniel made a goal line save in the 47th minute to keep the match 0-0. Neither side was able to break the deadlock, with both teams hitting the post on multiple occasions.The Earthquakes will now prepare for two matches next week, first traveling to face Houston Dynamo FC on Wednesday, June 21. Kickoff from Shell Energy Stadium is slated for 5:30 p.m. PT and will be streamed globally on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, as well as on local radio via 810 AM The Spread (English) and 1370 KZSF (Spanish). GAME NOTESThe Earthquakes now hold a 7-5-6 record (27 pts.) during the 2023 MLS regular season and currently sit in fourth place in the 14-team Western Conference.San Jose now hold a 6-16-10 all-time record against the Portland Timbers, including a 6-4-6 record at home.The Quakes home undefeated streak (7-0-3) is on pace for their best home unbeaten streak since 2019 (10-0-2), and they have not lost at home since Sept. 24, 2022.San Jose have not lost at PayPal Park in 12 consecutive matches, with their last loss at the stadium dating back to Aug. 3, 2022.The Earthquakes have conceded one goal in four matches for the first time since Aug. 28, 2015.Goalkeeper Daniel has gone undefeated in his last five games in goal (2-0-3), making 26 saves and earning three clean sheets in that span.Midfielder Niko Tsakiris made his first start of the season and first since Oct. 9, 2022. MATCH INFORMATION2023 MLS Regular Season San Jose Earthquakes 0 – 0 Portland Timbers Saturday, June 17, 2023 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. Attendance: 14,188 Man of the Match: Daniel Scoring Summary: None. Misconduct Summary: POR – Santiago Moreno (caution) 18’ POR – Dario Zuparic (caution) 44’ SJ – Cade Cowell (caution) 51’ SJ – Paul Marie (caution) 54’ POR – Eric Miller (caution) 64’ SJ – Tommy Thompson (caution) 90+1’ SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel; Tanner Beason, Rodrigues, Jonathan Mensah, Paul Marie; Niko Tsakiris (Jack Skahan 76’), Judson (Tommy Thompson 63’), Jackson Yueill (C); Cade Cowell (Benji Kikanović 90+4’), Jeremy Ebobisse (Ousseni Bouda 90+4’), Cristian Espinoza.Substitutes not used: JT Marcinkowski (GK), Cam Cilley, Daniel Munie, Will Richmond. SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; FOULS: 8; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 4 PORTLAND TIMBERS: David Bingham; Claudio Bravo, Dario Zuparic, Eric Miller, Zachary McGraw; Evander, Diego Chara (C), Cristhian Paredes, Dairon Asprilla, Santiago Moreno (Sebastian Blanco 72’); Franck Boli (Jaroslaw Niezgoda 72’). Substitutes not used: Hunter Sulte (GK), Noel Caliskan, Nathan Fogaca, Diego Gutierrez, Marvin Loria, Larrys Mabiala, Justin Rasmussen. SHOTS: 16; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 15; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 2 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH LUCHI GONZALEZ On tonight’s result: “I think the draw was fair. I liked our foundation in terms of build-up. We got into their half a lot, but we didn’t turn those finishing attack phases into crosses and shots in the volume that we wanted. I am happy with the foundation of how we moved the ball forward, especially against their high press. Getting zero goals against at home is always going to be positive and we’re going to grab that. We always want to win at home in front of our families and fans. At the same time, adding a point is positive. We’ll grab that, rest, and prepare for the next one.” On goalkeeper Daniel’s performance: “It’s great to have Daniel in a rhythm of staying healthy and having another positive performance. He is showing that he can be consistent in games as well, so credit to him. Congrats to Daniel in being important in tonight’s shutout.” SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD CRISTIAN ESPINOZA On tonight’s result: “We kept their goals to zero, so that is a good thing for us. We keep improving our defense, but now we can focus on our offense. We have a couple days to work on that before we go to Houston. We will try to take three points there.” On facing a solid Timbers defense: “I think that the other teams have been more aggressive in marking me, Jebo [Jeremy Ebobisse], and Cade [Cowell]. They know that when we have space, we are dangerous. This is something that we can improve on. We can improve our movements in those situations when the defense is tight on our backs. We have a couple days to rest and to improve in what we can do better in. We will go to Houston with everything we’ve got.” #### |
| Earthquakes Communications Contacts: Pedro Ortiz – Manager, Communications portiz@sjearthquakes.com C: 650.457.3512 |
San Jose Earthquakes II vs. Tacoma Defiance, June 11, 2023
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Philadelphia Union, June 10, 2023
| MEDIA RELEASE: June 10, 2023 MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 2, Philadelphia Union 1 Quakes extend home undefeated streak to eight, snap Philadelphia’s nine-match unbeaten streak SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes defeated the Philadelphia Union 2-1 on Saturday night at PayPal Park. Jeremy Ebobisse and Miguel Trauco found the back of the net as the Quakes extended their home unbeaten streak to eight (6-0-2). They are also unbeaten in their last four matches (2-0-2).The Quakes opened the scoring early with an eighth minute strike from forward Jeremy Ebobisse. Cade Cowell, receiving a long ball over the defense, dribbled into space and found Ebobisse at the top of the box. He one-timed a low shot into the corner for a 1-0 lead. Philadelphia traded blows by scoring off corner kick in the 17th minute to finish the first half level. San Jose battled back in the second half to find the game-winner in the 57th minute from defender Miguel Trauco. Carlos Gruezo collected the ball near the top of the box and found Trauco, who fired his long-range shot into the top-right corner. The Earthquakes will next host the Portland Timbers on Saturday, June 17. Kickoff from PayPal Park is set for 7:30 p.m. PT and will be streamed globally on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, as well as on local radio via 810 AM The Spread (English) and 1370 KZSF (Spanish). GAME NOTESThe Earthquakes now hold a 7-5-5 record (26 pts.) during the 2023 MLS regular season and currently sit tied for third in the 14-team Western Conference.San Jose currently holds a 5-5-4 all-time record against the Philadelphia Union, including a 3-2-2 record at home. Tonight’s win snapped Philadelphia’s nine-game regular season undefeated streak.The Quakes earned their first win against the Union since Sept. 8, 2013.The Earthquakes extended their home unbeaten streak to eight (6-0-2), becoming one of four MLS clubs undefeated at home this season. It is also the club’s first win against an Eastern Conference team this season.Forward Jeremy Ebobisse scored his seventh goal of the season and 51st of his MLS career. He is now tied with Brian Ching for sixth most goals in club history (25).Defender Miguel Trauco scored his second goal of the season and of his MLS career. His goal marked his first game-winning goal of his MLS career.Forward Cade Cowell tallied an assist on Ebobisse’s goal, marking his third assist of the season and 15th of his MLS career. Tonight was his first appearance since returning from the FIFA U20 World Cup.Midfielder Carlos Gruezo tallied an assist on Trauco’s goal, marking his third assist of the season and tenth of his MLS career.Goalkeeper Daniel has gone undefeated in his last four games in goal (2-0-2), making 22 saves and earning two clean sheets. MATCH INFORMATION2023 MLS Regular Season San Jose Earthquakes 2 – 1 Philadelphia Union Saturday, June 10, 2023 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. Attendance: 15,512 Man of the Match: Miguel TraucoScoring Summary: SJ – Jeremy Ebobisse (Cade Cowell) 8’ PHI – Damion Lowe (Kai Wagner) 17’ SJ – Miguel Trauco (Carlos Gruezo) 57’ Misconduct Summary: None. SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel; Miguel Trauco, Tanner Beason, Rodrigues, Carlos Akapo (Paul Marie 81’); Jamiro Monteiro (Jonathan Mensah 86’), Carlos Gruezo, Jackson Yueill (C) (Judson 82’); Cade Cowell (Benji Kikanović 73’), Jeremy Ebobisse, Cristian Espinoza.Substitutes not used: Michael Baldisimo, Ousseni Bouda, JT Marcinkowski (GK), Tommy Thompson, Niko Tsakiris. SHOTS: 10; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; FOULS: 13; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 6 PHILADELPHIA UNION: Andre Blake (C); Jack Elliott, Jakob Glesnes, Damion Lowe (Jack McGlynn 24’), Nathan Harriel, Kai Wagner; Daniel Gazdag, Jesus Bueno (Quinn Sullivan 76’), Leon Flach (Chris Donocan 87’); Mikael Uhre (Joaquin Torres 76’), Julian Carranza.Substitutes not used: Joe Bendik, Brandon Craig, Andres Perea, Jeremy Rafanello, Matt Real. SHOTS: 19; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; FOULS: 21; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 0 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH LUCHI GONZALEZ On tonight’s win against the Philadelphia Union: “At the end of the day we put away our chances and that’s what is most important. I thought we were efficient in the chances we had, and we showed high quality in our finishes. Both of the goals were excellent. Defensively I’m really proud of the guys in the run of the play. I mean we conceded on a corner, but in the run of play defended well, covered each other and handled Philadelphia’s attack and found a way to win. These are not easy games; you have to grind through them and find a way. I’m proud that we put away our chances.” On the team performing well in stoppage time: “Recently I think we’ve just talked about it, reflected on it, and taken it very personal and focused on it as a team. How can we make it our strength? How can we make it San Jose’s time in stoppage time where we’re focused and excited? We’ve worked hard to put ourselves in that position and we’re excited to get the job done. We ourselves have intentionally tried to turn that script, turn that mentality, and approach it so we show more courage in it. It’s all a process. Every game is going to be a little bit different. We have to be ready to adapt. I am proud of our guys.” SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES DEFENDER MIGUEL TRAUCOOn scoring tonight’s goal and earning the win: “Being able to score this goal, which was aesthetically pleasing, is special and it was helpful for us to earn the three points. That makes me really happy as well as the team’s full effort on the field. It’s a pleasure playing with this team because everyone played well and thanks to God I was able to score the goal, which makes me happy.” On his thought process prior to scoring his goal: “Those decisions come in the spirit of the moment. I try to take a shot whenever I have a ball in front of me and in front of the net. I had good control of the ball and I didn’t think about it twice. I had the confidence in shooting it towards goal and it turned out to be a beautiful goal. But most importantly is that it helped us earn the three points. That’s what makes me the happiest.” #### |
| Earthquakes Communications Contacts: Pedro Ortiz Manager, Communications portiz@sjearthquakes.com C: 650.457.3512 |
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, September 4, 2022
| MEDIA RELEASE: Sept. 4, 2022 MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 Quakes earn second straight victory at PayPal Park; Rodrigues makes MLS debut in shutout SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2-0 on Sunday evening at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. Center back Rodrigues made his MLS debut and led the Quakes to their first shutout victory since May 5. San Jose jumped out to a very early lead, scoring in the fourth minute. Cade Cowell dribbled past two defenders before playing a lateral pass towards the center of the penalty area. An onrushing Jackson Yueill redirected the ball towards Jeremy Ebobisse, who curled his first-timed shot into the back of the net. The Quakes were able to double their advantage before halftime. Jamiro Monteiro played a long switch to Cristian Espinoza on the right wing before darting to the top of the penalty area. He received a return pass from Espinoza and hit a low left-footed shot just out of reach of goalkeeper Thomas Hasal. Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski made six saves to keep Vancouver off the scoresheet and earn his third shutout of the season. The Earthquakes will now prepare for two back-to-back road matches, first traveling to Ohio for the Quakes’ first-ever road match against FC Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 10. The match will kick off from TQL Stadium at 4:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Bay Area, KNBR 1050 (English), and 1370 KZSF (Spanish). GAME NOTES The Earthquakes currently hold a 7-12-9 record (30 pts.) during the 2022 MLS regular season.San Jose is now 9-10-12 all-time vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, including an 6-1-8 record at home.The Earthquakes are now 7-8-6 in MLS play under interim head coach Alex Covelo.Forward Jeremy Ebobisse scored his 15th goal of the season and 42nd of his MLS career. It also marked his first game-winning goal of the season and sixth of his MLS career. Midfielder Jamiro Monteiro scored his fourth goal of the season and 13th of his MLS career. He has now tied his single-season career high in goals (2019). Forward Cade Cowell tallied an assist on Ebobisse’s goal, marking his fifth assist of the season and 12th of his MLS career. It also marked his first game-winning assist of the season and second of his MLS career. Midfielder Jackson Yueill tallied an assist on Ebobisse’s goal, marking his second assist of the season and 12th of his MLS career. It also marked his first game-winning assist of the season and fourth of his MLS career. Midfielder Cristian Espinoza tallied an assist on Monteiro’s goal, marking his 12th assist of the season and 42nd of his MLS career. He is now two assists away from tying Eddie Lewis for the most assists in a single season in club history. Espinoza is also now two assists away from tying Richard Mulrooney for the second most assists in club history. Defender Rodrigues made his MLS debut, starting and playing 90 minutes. Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski made six saves and recorded his third shutout of the season and 13th of his MLS career. Tonight marked San Jose’s first shutout since June 11 (0-0 at NSH), and first at PayPal Park since May 7 (1-0 vs. COL). It also marked San Jose’s first multi-goal shutout victory since Oct. 20, 2021 (4-0 vs. ATX).The Earthquakes are now unbeaten in five straight home matches against Whitecaps FC (3-0-2). MATCH INFORMATION 2022 MLS Regular Season San Jose Earthquakes 2 – 0 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. Attendance: 13,211 Man of the Match: JT Marcinkowski Scoring Summary: SJ (1-0) – Jeremy Ebobisse (Jackson Yueill, Cade Cowell) 4’ SJ (2-0) – Jamiro Monteiro (Cristian Espinoza) 34’ Misconduct Summary: VAN – Andres Cubas (caution) 31’ VAN – Ryan Gauld (caution) 43’ VAN – Tristan Blackmon (caution) 62’ SJ – Benji Kikanović (caution) 90+1’ SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Tanner Beason, Nathan, Rodrigues, Tommy Thompson (Paul Marie 81); Eric Remedi (Jan Gregus 70), Jackson Yueill ©, Jamiro Monteiro; Cade Cowell (Benji Kikanović 70), Jeremy Ebobisse, Cristian Espinoza.Substitutes not used: Matt Bersano (GK), Oskar Ågren, Judson, Shea Salinas, Jack Skahan, Niko Tsakiris. SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 9; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 6 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC: Thomas Hasal; Ranko Veselinovic, Tristan Blackmon, Javain Brown (Marcus Godinho 66); Alessando Schöpf (Sebastian Berhalter 78), Julian Gressel, Andres Cubas, Ryan Gauld, Russell Teibert © (Leonard Owusu 78); Cristian Dajome (Pedro Vite 53), Brian White (Toisant Ricketts 78). Substitutes not used: Cody Cropper (GK), Florian Jungwirth, Jake Nerwinski, Ryan Raposo, SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 6; FOULS: 11; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES: 3 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES INTERIM HEAD COACH ALEX COVELO On defender Rodrigues making his MLS debut: “He is a physical and powerful player that could also help us out with aerial balls. With the ball, he was very comfortable today. He had a very good game defensively and offensively. Obviously physically he is not in the best of conditions but will improve step by step.” On the team’s performance tonight: “I’ve said it before, these guys are pretty good at understanding the game plan. Sometimes we win and sometimes not, but they are good. We knew that Vancouver was going to present this 3-4-3 with those wingbacks divided a little bit more and leave the three center backs a little bit behind. We knew that as soon as we could rotate the ball and create some pressure, we had to go for the one vs. one, whether with Cristian [Espinoza], Jebo [Jeremy Ebobisse], Cade [Cowell], or Jamiro [Monteiro] charging and find the ball to the wings. They read it very well and I think I was sitting on the bench for the majority of the first half.” SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER JACKSON YUEILL On the Quakes’ first goal: “We talked in training during the week about Cade’s [Cowell] speed and his ability to break out and get past and when we did that, we needed runners in the box. Once I saw him going, I saw Jebo [Jeremy Ebobisse] drift to the back a little bit and I decided to attack that space. The ball was a little bit behind me and I knew Jebo was in that area, and I didn’t know exactly where. I tried flicking it if he was a little bit in front of me, and luckily it went right to him and he had a phenomenal finish, so all the credit goes to him because it’s a tough goal, and to Cade as well because of his speed and the correct path he chose to do. Great team goal and credit to Jebo.” On Rodrigues’ debut and performance tonight: “It’s never easy for someone to come to a place, not speak the language, only have a week of training and step onto the field, but I thought he performed really well. He’s got a great partner there with Nathan and was able to communicate and help him throughout the week, get him acclimated to the team and the guys quickly and [Rodrigues] has done a great job. I think you can tell his defensive abilities are really, really good. He made really, really good tackles and his timing is really good. The more he’s with us, the more he’ll get used to the guys. His confidence will grow. I thought he was really good tonight and we’re happy to have him here in San Jose.”#### |
Earthquakes Communications Contacts: Jake Pisani – Director, Communications jpisani@sjearthquakes.com C: 650.483.0701 Pedro Ortiz – Manager, Communications portiz@sjearthquakes.com C: 650.457.3512 |
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Houston Dynamo, July 17, 2022
| MEDIA RELEASE: July 17, 2022 MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 1, Houston Dynamo FC 2 Quakes’ home unbeaten streak snapped at eight SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes fell to Houston Dynamo FC 2-1 on Sunday evening at PayPal Park. The loss, which was San Jose’s first at home since the season opener on Feb. 26, snaps the club’s eight-match unbeaten streak at PayPal Park.Following a scoreless first half, the Earthquakes broke through in the 53rd minute courtesy of team captain Jackson Yueill. Cristian Espinoza played a free kick into the box, which was headed goalward by Tommy Thompson. The slow, looping ball bounced off the crossbar before falling to Yueill for the first-timed finish.Houston then scored the equalizer in the 71st minute.San Jose appeared to re-gain the lead when Jeremy Ebobisse’s right-footed shot from close range beat goalkeeper Steve Clark, but a last-ditch goal-line clearance kept the score tied. Houston then took the lead moments later through Thor Ulfarsson.Despite several opportunities to find an equalizer late in the match, the Quakes couldn’t find a second goal.The Earthquakes will now prepare to host Spain’s RC Celta de Vigo in an international friendly on Wednesday, July 20. The match will kick off from PayPal Park at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be streamed live on ESPN+. GAME NOTES The Earthquakes currently hold a 5-8-7 record (22 pts.) during the 2022 MLS regular season. San Jose is now 9-16-4 all-time vs. Houston Dynamo FC, including a 7-5-3 record at home.Tonight’s result sees the Quakes snap their unbeaten streak at three and their home unbeaten streak at eight.The Earthquakes are now 5-4-4 in MLS play under interim head coach Alex Covelo.Midfielder Jackson Yueill scored his fourth goal of the season and 11th goal of his MLS career. MATCH INFORMATION 2022 MLS Regular Season San Jose Earthquakes 1 – 2 Houston Dynamo FC Sunday, July 17, 2022 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. Attendance: 13,445 Scoring Summary: SJ (1-0) – Jackson Yueill (unassisted) 53’ HOU (1-1) – Sebastian Ferreira (Fafa Picault) 71’ HOU (2-1) – Thor Ulfarsson (Darwin Quintero) 76’ Misconduct Summary: HOU – Tim Parker (caution) 28’ HOU – Matias Vera (caution) 43’ SJ – Jamiro Monteiro (caution) 45’ HOU – Fafa Picault (caution) 90’ SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Paul Marie, Tanner Beason, Nathan, Tommy Thompson; Eric Remedi (Jack Skahan 83), Jamiro Monteiro, Jackson Yueill ©; Benji Kikanović (Cade Cowell 71), Jeremy Ebobisse, Cristian Espinoza.Substitutes not used: Matt Bersano (GK), Oskar Ågren, Ousseni Bouda, Jan Gregus, Will Richmond, Niko Tsakiris. SHOTS: 16; SHOTS ON GOAL: 6; FOULS: 6; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 2 HOUSTON DYNAMO FC: Steve Clark; Adam Lundkvist, Tim Parker, Teenage Hadebe, Griffin Dorsey; Hector Herrera ©, Adalberto Carrasquilla (Ethan Bartlow 90+2), Matias Vera (Sebastian Ferreira 69); Fafa Picault (Darwin Ceren 90+1), Darwin Quintero (Memo Rodriguez 80), Thor Ulfarsson (Tyler Pasher 80).Substitutes not used: Michael Nelson (GK), Sam Junqua, Zarek Valentin, Zeca. SHOTS: 13; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 12; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 4 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES INTERIM HEAD COACH ALEX COVELO On the mistakes committed tonight: “I think the mistake [on the first goal] was an individual mistake, and on the second goal we had to keep the ball out when there wasn’t a clear moment to build up, and that’s it. I don’t think it was because we were building up in the back that Houston had those opportunities. I think we committed individual mistakes and that’s why it’s a very simple analysis today.” On why he didn’t make more substitutions: “When you look at the team that we finished with, we had Jebo [Jeremy Ebobisse], who has 11 goals. You have Jamiro [Monteiro], an amazing quality player. We tried to be more offensive by bringing Jackson [Yueill] back as a ‘six’ and putting in Jack Skahan in his place, and with Cade [Cowell] and Cristian [Espinoza] trying to find crosses or individual actions on top. Shea Salinas has a Covid situation. We missed Marcos Lopez [due to yellow card accumulation]. Judson is injured because he has an old injury bothering him. So that’s all we have.” SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER JAMIRO MONTEIRO On what Houston did to shut San Jose’s midfield down: “I didn’t feel like they were making it hard for me. They were really compact, so we didn’t have a lot of space in the midfield, but it wasn’t like they were hard on me. We didn’t have enough space in this game and a lot of our balls were coming from the side instead of the midfield.” On how he will move past this result: “I just forget this game. It already happened. We lost. Now we’re onto next week. We still have 14 games. Tomorrow is a new day. We have a new week, new chances. Every week is a new chance for us.”#### |
Earthquakes Communications Contacts: Jake Pisani – Director, Communications jpisani@sjearthquakes.com C: 650.483.0701 Pedro Ortiz – Manager, Communications portiz@sjearthquakes.com C: 650.457.3512 |
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Columbus Crew, March 5, 2022
| MEDIA RELEASE: March 5, 2022 MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 3, Columbus Crew 3 Quakes play a man down for 57+ minutes; Calvo scores two, including stoppage-time equalizer SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes earned a dramatic 3-3 draw against the Columbus Crew on Saturday afternoon at PayPal Park. After taking an early 1-0 lead on a Cristian Espinoza penalty kick, San Jose dropped to 10 men when Jamiro Monteiro was shown a straight red card in the 33rd minute. Columbus took advantage by scoring three unanswered goals, including two by Lucas Zelarayan, to take a 3-1 lead into the final 15 minutes of the match. Francisco Calvo got the Quakes within striking distance by heading home a Jan Gregus free kick in the 84th minute. The two newcomers to the club connected again six minutes into stoppage time, with Calvo heading in the equalizer off a Gregus corner kick. The Earthquakes will now hit the road for their first away match of the season against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, March 12. Kickoff from Subaru Park is set for 4:30 p.m. PT and the match will be broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area Plus, KNBR 1050, and 1370 KZSF. MEDIA ASSETS CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PHOTOS OF THE MATCH CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD POSTGAME SOUNDBITES GAME NOTES The Earthquakes currently hold a 0-1-1 record (1 pts.) during the 2022 MLS regular season. The Quakes now hold a 15-20-9 all-time record against the Columbus Crew, including a 12-6-6 record at home. San Jose remains undefeated at PayPal Park when hosting Columbus (2-0-2). The Quakes scored two goals while down a man for the first time since June 29, 2013 vs. LA. Midfielder Cristian Espinoza scored his first goal of the season and ninth of his MLS career. Defender Francisco Calvo scored two goals, his first two goals of the season and 11th and 12th of his MLS career. Midfielder Jan Gregus tallied two assists, his first two assists of the season and 20th and 21st assists of his MLS career. MATCH INFORMATION MLS Regular SeasonSan Jose Earthquakes 3 – 3 Columbus Crew March 5, 2022 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif.Attendance: 12,888Man of the Match: Francisco Calvo Scoring Summary:SJ (1-0) – Cristian Espinoza (penalty) 9’CLB (1-1) – Lucas Zelarayan (Steven Moreira) 40’CLB (2-1) – Gyasi Zardes (Derrick Etienne Jr.) 68’CLB (3-1) – Lucas Zelarayan (direct free kick) 73’SJ (3-2) – Francisco Calvo (Jan Gregus) 84’SJ (3-3) – Francisco Calvo (Jan Gregus) 90+6′ Misconduct Summary:SJ – Eric Remedi (caution) 16’SJ – Jamiro Monteiro (ejection) 33’CLB – Pedro Santos (caution) 45+6’SJ – Judson (caution) 75’SJ – Benji Kikanović (caution) 79’CLB – James Igbekeme (caution) 83’CLB – Lucas Zelarayan (caution) 90’CLB – Jalil Anibaba (caution) 90+5′ SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Francisco Calvo, Jackson Yueill, Paul Marie (Tommy Thompson 79); Marcos Lopez, Jan Gregus, Eric Remedi (Judson 46), Cristian Espinoza, Chofis (Cade Cowell 46), Jamiro Monteiro; Jeremy Ebobisse (Benji Kikanović 72). Substitutes not used: Tanner Beason, Matt Bersano, Ousseni Bouda, Siad Haji, Niko Tsakiris. SHOTS: 7; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 15; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 4 COLUMBUS CREW: Eloy Room; Jonathan Mensah, Milos Degenek, Pedro Santos, Steven Moreira, Darlington Nagbe, Artur (James Igbekeme 65), Lucas Zelarayan (Jalil Anibaba 90+1), Yaw Yeboah (Aidan Morris 89), Derrick Etienne Jr., Miguel Berry (Gyasi Zardes 65). Substitutes not used: Evan Bush, Marlon Hairston, Erik Hurtado, Alexandru Matan, Will Sands. SHOTS: 19; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; FOULS: 16; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES: 1 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MATIAS ALMEYDA On set pieces and how they thrive on them:“Our new arrivals have good service and are dangerous in the air. Fortunately, today they were able to execute both plays. We still have to keep working on our finishing. Today’s match was really difficult because [Columbus] scored four goals in its previous game. When we were 11v11, we were dominating the game. We played a man down against them for about 70 minutes. The moment we went down 3-1, we decided to go man to man and take more risks. We got our reward for the effort. With 10 players, we had two or three chances based off our build-up play. So, I’m really happy for the players and fans who came out today, and for us as well because we dedicate a lot of time studying the opponent and the club as well.” On adjusting tactics mid-game and how he’ll approach Philadelphia:“I understood that the game today should’ve been played with that. Especially due to the strategy of Columbus, this is a system that we already have that’s pretty well oiled for us. We’re not going to get caught up with one system. We’re looking for variations in order to get more results than last year. Today, we thought that the game should be played with that formation. We’ll see what we decide for the upcoming match.” On substitutions at halftime:“I think the players interpreted what we they had to do well. The game required that we make changes. We had to play in a different way that we spoke about at halftime. I was obligated to take [Eric] Remedi off because the ref was likely to send him off. I was liking how he was playing. But once I noticed that every time he would challenge for the ball, there would be a foul and I saw the red card coming quickly. Being a man down, we added different characteristics out wide. Without so much passing quality and dribbles that we have in Chofis, we decided to play with more aggression and speed for the counterattack. The players did well. I always say the same thing with Cade, he’s a young guy that some day, after having many more games played, when he has that chance that he had today, he’s going to shoot instead of cutting inside. But that’s the time that every player needs to become a better player.” SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES DEFENDER FRANCISCO CALVO On scoring his goals:“This is just not about Francisco Calvo. This is about the San Jose Earthquakes, about this team. I’m happy for the two goals for sure and to help the team tie the game, but I need to talk about the effort of the team. Being down 3-1 and tying the game is amazing and hopefully we can go from here.” On the team’s mentality playing with 10 men:“It was tough because we were almost 70 minutes with a man down. And it’s tough, in high level it’s tough to play with 10 [men]. About the goals, I just believed in my teammates, I know they cross really well. If it wasn’t me, I was pretty sure it was another guy who was going to score. Thank God he gave me these two goals and I could help the team. It’s a good point. When we play at home, we always want to win here, but we tied against a really good team. Remember that they just scored four goals in their last game. I don’t think they overplayed us either. They had two golazos from [Lucas] Zelarayan, and sometimes you can’t do anything against that.” On the team’s resilience today:“Yeah, that’s the right word: resilience. That’s a really good word. And everything starts with [Matias Almeyda] and his coaching staff. I think the spirit that he transmits, the will, the anger, the idea of never giving up, it all starts with him. We then transmit that one by one and in the end, we move onward with that as a team. I’m very happy for scoring my goals, grateful to God, but this is a job done by the entire team. It’s San Jose who earned the score and it’s a point that we didn’t want to let go, but we celebrate it due to the circumstances. We played around 70 minutes with a man down and it’s very difficult playing like that at the highest level.” #### |
| Contact: Jake Pisani – 408-556-7774 – jpisani@sjearthquakes.com Pedro Ortiz – 408-556-3415 – portiz@sjearthquakes.com |
San Jose Earthquakes vs. New York Red Bulls, February 26, 2022
| MEDIA RELEASE: Feb. 26, 2022 MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 1, New York Red Bulls 3 Chofis scores first goal of the season; Three players make Earthquakes debuts SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes fell the New York Red Bulls 3-1 in their 2022 season opener at PayPal Park on Saturday afternoon. Chofis scored the lone goal for San Jose, while Cristian Espinoza tallied an assist. Midfielders Jamiro Monteiro and Jan Gregus and defender Francisco Calvo all made their Earthquakes debut. The Earthquakes will remain in San Jose to host the Columbus Crew on Saturday, March 5, presented by Fastmetrics. Kickoff from PayPal Park is set for 2:30 p.m. PT and the match will be broadcast on NBC Sports California, KNBR 1050 and KZSF 1370. GAME NOTES The Earthquakes currently hold a 0-1-0 record (0 pts.) during the 2022 MLS regular season. The Quakes now hold a 17-15-9 all-time record against the New York Red Bulls. Midfielder Chofis scored his first goal of the season and 13th of his MLS career. Midfielder Cristian Espinoza tallied his first assist of the season and 31st of his MLS career. Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski and forward Jeremy Ebobisse made their 50th and 100th MLS appearance, respectively. MATCH INFORMATION MLS Regular SeasonSan Jose Earthquakes 1 – 3 New York Red Bulls Feb. 26, 2022 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif.Attendance: 16,146 Scoring Summary:RBNY (1-0) – Patryk Klimala (Lewis Morgan, Omir Fernandez) 45+1’SJ (1-1) – Chofis (Cristian Espinoza) 69’RBNY (2-1) – Omir Fernandez (Frankie Amaya) 72’RBNY (3-1) – Tom Barlow (Caden Clark) 90+2′ Misconduct Summary:RBNY – Cristian Cásseres Jr. (caution) 56’RBNY – Dru Yearwood (caution) 65’RBNY – John Tolkin (caution) 89′ SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Nathan (Tanner Beason 22), Francisco Calvo; Jackson Yueill, Jan Gregus, Eric Remedi (Tommy Thompson 65), Jamiro Monteiro, Chofis, Cristian Espinoza (Siad Haji 86), Cade Cowell (Benji Kikanovic 65); Jeremy Ebobisse. Substitutes not used: Matt Bersano, Paul Marie, Judson, Marcos Lopez, Jack Skahan. SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; FOULS: 6; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 4 NEW YORK RED BULLS: Carlos Coronel; Dylan Nealis, Sean Nealis, Aaron Long, John Tolkin; Frankie Amaya, Lewis Morgan, Dru Yearwood (Daniel Edelman 74), Omir Fernandez (Serge Ngoma 77), Cristian Casseres Jr. (Caden Clark 57); Patryk Klimala (Tom Barlow 77). Substitutes not used: Anthony Marcucci, Lucan Monzón, Ryan Meara, Zach Ryan SHOTS: 18; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; FOULS: 22; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 1 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MATIAS ALMEYDA On the goals surrendered against Red Bulls:“If you watch the three goals, which I just watched, there was no build-up play from the opponent. There wasn’t game control from the opponent to create the goal-scoring chance. What I saw on the opponent is that they pressed us when our players had their back turned. We know that we shouldn’t play through the middle because one of the strong points is Red Bulls’ pressure because we know that with our turnovers, they can break away quickly and they will catch us open – and that’s how two of those goals were scored. Two turnovers, two counters, but it was their virtue where they put away the chances that they had. But I didn’t see that they were able to hurt us through their build-up play, but rather our own mistakes.” On how long it will take for the three new players to adapt to the rest of the squad:“Surely that’s going to take some time. There are some people who pick up new systems faster than others. Also get to know their new teammates, some do that faster than others. I think the three new guys looked good today. Surely as time goes on, the better they will look just as well as the rest of the team.” SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER JAMIRO MONTEIRO On his Earthquakes debut:“I had already felt comfortable, the guys welcomed me very well. I am happy that I played my first game for San Jose. Disappointed that we didn’t get the three points, but we have a long season. We learned a lot in this game, but we will move on and make it better.” On his takeaways from the first match of the season:“The connections were really good between me and Chofis, Jebo [Jeremy Ebobisse], Cade [Cowell], and [Cristian] Espinoza. Everybody likes to come to the ball, pass in the back. We have a good connection. We train really hard on that. This is our first game, it’s a long season, and we will do better for sure. The idea that the coach has is a very good idea, but it will come for sure. We will do better.” #### |
| Contact: Jake Pisani – 408-556-7774 – jpisani@sjearthquakes.com Pedro Ortiz – 408-556-3415 – portiz@sjearthquakes.com |
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Austin FC, October 20, 2021
| MEDIA RELEASE: Oct. 20, 2021 MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 4, Austin FC 0 Wondolowski scores 169th MLS goal SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes defeated Austin FC 4-0 on Wednesday evening at PayPal Park. Four different players scored for San Jose, including Major League Soccer’s all-time leading scorer Chris Wondolowski. After a scoreless first half, San Jose struck early in the second frame. Benji Kikanovic forced a turnover in the corner and carried the ball goalward. His lateral pass bounded past several players before finding Chofis at the back post for the short-range finish. San Jose added a second just a few minutes later. Jeremy Ebobisse battled with his defender for possession of a long through ball with both eventually stumbling. Kikanovic recovered the loose ball and curled a low shot past goalkeeper Brad Stuver. The Quakes extended their lead to 3-0 in the 59th minute. Cristian Espinoza played a floating ball into the box, which was cleared only as far as the penalty spot. Chris Wondolowski volleyed the bouncing ball into the back of the net. San Jose then added a fourth goal in the 85th minute when Carlos Fierro headed home a corner kick by Cristian Espinoza. The Quakes will now prepare to host Vancouver Whitecaps FC at PayPal Park, presented by Intermedia. The match, which will celebrate the 2001 MLS Cup-winning team, will kick off at 7 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area, KNBR 1050 and 1370 KZSF. GAME NOTES The Earthquakes now hold a 9-12-9 record (36 pts.) during the 2021 MLS regular season and are currently in 10th place in the Western Conference. San Jose is now 2-0-1 all-time vs. Austin, with a 1-0-0 home record. The Quakes have scored four goals in each of their last two meetings with Austin. San Jose’s last victory by a margin of 4+ goals was vs. LA Galaxy (4-0) on Oct. 14, 2020. The Quakes recorded their first multi-goal shutout victory since Sept. 29, in which the Quakes defeated LAFC 2-0 at PayPal Park. Midfielder Chofis scored his team-leading 12th goal of the season, his first season in MLS. His 12 goals are the most by any first-year player in MLS. His goal also marked his second game-winning goal of the season. Rookie forward Benji Kikanovic scored his third goal of the season. Forward Jeremy Ebobisse tallied the assist on Kikanovic’s goal. It marked his first assist of the season and ninth of his MLS career. Forward Chris Wondolowski scored his third goal of the season and 169th of his MLS career. Along with two postseason goals, he now has 171 combined regular season and playoff goals, surpassing Landon Donovan (170) for most all-time. Midfielder Carlos Fierro scored his second goal of the season and fourth of his MLS career. Midfielder Cristian Espinoza tallied the assist on Fierro’s goal. It marked his team-leading seventh assist of the season and 29th of his MLS career. Tonight’s shutout marks JT Marcinkowski’s fifth shutout in 2021, and 10th of his MLS career. His five shutouts are a single-season career-high. MATCH INFORMATION MLS Regular SeasonSan Jose Earthquakes 4 – 0 Austin FCOct. 20, 2021 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif.Attendance: 12,035Man of the Match: Benji Kikanovic Scoring Summary:SJ (1-0) – Chofis (unassisted) 46’SJ (2-0) – Benji Kikanovic (Jeremy Ebobisse) 53’SJ (3-0) – Chris Wondolowski (unassisted) 59’SJ (4-0) – Carlos Fierro (Cristian Espinoza) 85′ Misconduct Summary:SJ – Nathan (caution) 25’ATX – Jhohan Romaña (caution) 39’ATX – Alex Ring (caution) 45+1’SJ – Marcos Lopez (caution) 81′ SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Marcos Lopez, Tanner Beason, Nathan, Tommy Thompson (Paul Marie 58); Eric Remedi, Jackson Yueill, Cristian Espinoza, Chofis (Cristian Espinoza 58); Andy Rios (Chris Wondolowski 58), Benji Kikanovic (Carlos Fierro 65), Jeremy Ebobisse (Cade Cowell 65). Substitutes not used: Oswaldo Alanis, Tanner Beason, Judson, Shea Salinas, Daniel Vega. SHOTS: 20; SHOTS ON GOAL: 9; FOULS: 14; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 4 AUSTIN FC: Brad Stuver; Jhohan Romaña, Julio Cascante, Zan Kolmanic, Nick Lima; Tomas Pochettino, Alex Ring, Sebastian Driussi (Dani Pereira 70); Cecilio Dominguez (Rodney Reyes 46), Diego Fagundez (Kekuta Manneh 80), Moussa Djitte (McKinze Gaines 46). Substitutes not used: Sebastian Berhalter, Jon Gallagher, Hector Jimenez, Aedan Stanley, Andrew Tarbell. SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 12; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 5 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MATIAS ALMEYDA On his impressions of the match and shutout victory:“I think we played a great game. The strategy went well because we won the match by creating many opportunities to get shots on goal. When the team plays well, everyone plays well, even the guys who came off the bench. I think if we were able to maintain this consistency, intensity and style, surely our outlook would be different. It makes me happy for the young players. They showed they go for more even in a complicated present. I asked them to play for honor and they did that.” On Benji Kikanovic’s impact as a winger:“I decided for him to play on the left side. Benji, Cade Cowell, Cristian Espinoza, Carlos Fierro can all play in different positions. That is what we are looking for and try to transmit to them. I have been saying for a while that when the young players have 30 matches played for San Jose, they will be more complete. Among four to five players, younger guys such as Tanner Beason, Jackson Yueill, Benji need these minutes to improve, make mistakes and grow physically and mentally.” SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD CHRIS WONDOLOWSKI On scoring his 169th MLS goal:“To be honest, it was a bit of a combo, both relief and joy. Joy to get that win, especially a breakout win in front of our home fans. It’s been a strong point for us to be better at home and to pick up points and it’s exciting to be able to get more points at home for it to be a fortress. That’s something that we try to work on and keep trying to continue to improve. To have this breakout game at home was very satisfying, very nice. For myself, I grab joy from that and for myself it’s a bit of a relief. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it hit the back of the net, so to do that was special as well.” On the team’s confidence heading into the remaining few games after tonight’s win:“I think it’s something that was needed. I think it was great for the morale in the locker room. It was nice to have one of those tangible wins where everything went well. We worked on set pieces, and we were able to get a set piece goal. We worked on our diagonals and crosses, and we were able to get a goal like that. It was nice to have everything kind of click so I think that it’s very beneficial for us as we close on these last four games and try to make the best run as we can.” SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES GOALKEEPER JT MARCINKOWSKI On Tanner Beason’s impact in the defense:“Tanner has done really well. He’s a gamer. I think he’s someone who leaves it all on the line. I think you can see that in his save and the countless number of blocks he makes throughout a match. I think the entire team played really well tonight because of the way we pressed in the first and second half. It was really effective. Our backline was really sharp and compact, and communicated really well with each other. Nathan, Marcos Lopez, Tommy Thompson and Paul Marie played well. I think Eric Remedi had six or seven key tackles in the middle, same with Jackson Yueill. It was overall a team effort and we were fortunate to get the clean sheet.” On the team’s communication in the locker room:“Before the game, I think there was a really good vibe in the locker room. Matias Almeyda has always told us to play with love, passion and honor. I think that’s what we showed tonight. We played for each other, with each other as a team. At halftime, we tried to continue what we were doing in the first half. We created some good chances, and we knew if we kept a high intensity, goals would come in the second half. I think it was crucial getting a few early and putting ourselves on the front foot. I think that’s something we haven’t done well this year, putting teams away when we can. We let a lot of teams back into the game when they shouldn’t have been there. It was nice to finally get one where we scored goals when we needed to. After the match, it was a good vibe, but we’re ready for Saturday. It’s a quick turnaround. There’s only a short amount of time before the next game. All eyes are on Vancouver.” #### |
| Contact: Jake Pisani – 408-556-7774 – jpisani@sjearthquakes.com Pedro Ortiz – 408-556-3415 – portiz@sjearthquakes.com |