action shoots – instaimage

NIAA Girls Soccer 5A Northern Region Championship, November 5, 2022

It’s been a long LONG time since I’ve “blogged” so I thought I’d start with the end of the season Girls 5A Northern Region Championship game!

If you’d like to skip to the images…

https://bit.ly/2022NVGirls5ANorthChampionship

I’ve been around the area shooting regional sports since 2007 but today was the first time I got to… let’s just say “experience” the wind at McQueen High School… To say it’s remarkable is an understatement… it was BLOWING HARD today! Wow! But it didn’t seem to deter the girls from getting after it on the pitch today!

To give you a little background… McQueen came into this game as the #2 seed coming out of the regular season. Galena arrived as the #5 seed which meant they had to play away at Carson on Monday… being the #2 seed, McQueen had a first round bye. Monday Galena squeaked past Carson with a 78th+ minute go ahead goal to win 2-1. They then faced the #1 seed at Reed on Wednesday, they won on Penalty Kicks after the two 15 minute over time periods. McQueen faced Douglas on Wednesday at Wooster (did I mention it snowed Tuesday…) and were able to win 1-0. So heading into this game Galena had already played just shy of 5 halves of play in two games, McQueen played a single game…. to back up a quick second, during the regular season, Galena v McQueen resulted in two 1-1 ties, home and away….

From the start to the last whistle of the second overtime game it was game on for both teams. Both had some action in front of the goal and some balls bouncing around in front of the goal but nothing that wasn’t handled by the defense and we ended regulation and overtime at 0-0. (seemed familiar from the regular season results)

Onto Penalty Kicks… There’s always a lot of debate about penalty kicks…. some people like them, some people hate them… I’ve been involved with this game for 43 years now and I look at it like this… they’re a part of the game, you NEED to practice them to be good at them, you know it’s a part of the game so shame on you if you haven’t worked on them (you’ve likely worked for YEARS on other things, this should be added to the list, ESPECIALLY right before a tournament…).

To say a penalty shootout is nerve-racking is an understatement… I’ve been in several over the years as a player (not as a coach yet) and I was in the first five shooters… fortunately I converted (at least in the shootouts…).

The cruelty of the game and the shootout today snagged McQueen and gave Galena the Northern Region Championship.

Both teams will go on to play in the State Championship Tournament down in the Vegas area next week. Good Luck to both teams in Vegas, Rep Northern Nevada with your heads held high, we’re all rooting for you!

Onto the photos… it was a beautiful day aside from the wind… for photos, overcast is always good, kills the really hard shadows and you can somewhat still get away with shooting in any direction on the field… I still shoot from the south end of the fields when possible just incase the sun peaks out. I’ve tried to pick some photos that show the intensity of the game… The full gallery can be found here…

https://bit.ly/2022NVGirls5ANorthChampionship

A beautiful day for soccer. The scene before the game between the Galena Grizzlies and the McQueen Lancers, McQueen High School, Reno, NV

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, September 4, 2022

Vancouver Whitecaps Forward CHRISTIAN DÁJOME (11) shields the ball against San Jose Earthquakes Midfielder JACKSON YUEILL (14) during the MLS match between the San Jose Earthquakes and the Vancouver Whitecaps at PayPal Park in San Jose, California

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

San Jose Earthquakes Forward JEREMY EBOBISSE (11) and the starting eleven huddle prior to the MLS match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo at PayPal Park in San Jose, California

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.”####

July 2022, not your normal July…

This is a tough one to write this year… with all good intentions I had every ambition to be out at the Nevada District 1 Little League Tournament this year… both life… and unfortunately death… both got in the way of that this year. We tried with all our best efforts to schedule to be available to be at the entire tournament (with how it turned out, with it split, there would have been no way but… intentions…)… and if 2021 was any indication, the tournament would be after July 4th. Unfortunately that wasn’t to be entirely. So I missed the entire pool play “section” of the tournament to begin with with a family vacation (gotta get in the time away when we can, crazy busy year we always have…).

This brings me to the championship round of the tournament… We arrived back in Reno at 10:00 AM, red eye flight to get us back… this would give me about 30 hours to get prepped for the tournament at Washoe. 10:30 AM my dad called… we all have those people we know when they call, somethings up and you pick up, no matter what you are doing, you stop and answer that phone. For me, when my dad calls, something is up. Don’t get me wrong, we talk often, but he doesn’t call anyone. We were at IHOP in Reno awaiting our table (red eye, no meals on the planes, Airport food at 6:00 AM in LAX didn’t appeal…)…

“They are taking Sue to the hospital”… Sue is my step mom. This isn’t one of those Dad ran off with some new girl kinda things. Sue has been my step mom for 43 years. If you ever met them, I introduced them as “my parents”. She’s very significant in our lives. Long LONG story short, about 6:10 PM on July 4th, my step mom accepted the call from God. To say that this put my dad in a tailspin is an understatement… as he said, “… everything I did was for us…” So after several more discussions with my dad on Monday, July 4th, I decided it best to drive down to the Bay Area to be with him for a few days.

This brings me to my “involvement” with the tournament. I’m gonna be very honest, I work very hard at these and really try to make something special for the people… 2007 was my first All Star Tournament… if you remove 2020 as a non-year, this marks my 15th year doing these tournaments (16th actual chronological years)… none of the kids competing this year were born when I started. Over the years we’ve developed a method of trying to create something special and no doubt about it, it’s been very hard. This year given I had two game slots, Saturday at 10:30 AM and Sunday at 10:30 AM (championship Sunday)… I’m not sure if I got much of anything for anyone so we might have to chalk 2022 up to Life and Death… So, for life I apologize, I had the best of intentions… for death, my step mom, Sue, was a wonderful woman. Remarkable that she chose to take on a single dad with a seven year old son. They never had any other kids, just me… and she was my dad’s everything. She is missed, will be missed and taken too soon but she’s no longer in any pain or suffering. We were blessed to have her in our lives for the time we did.

I know when you do something long enough bad things happen in the world and statistics of “life” will have an impact on you, we all hope and pray “not us” but we are not immune to the facts of life. Baseball, Little League is supposed to a celebration of life, the All Stars, celebration of success and achievement… however I’ve been involved with this tournament for so long that we have seen tremendous tragedy over the years. People we all know and love, gone… this year we had another and I’m simply speechless. Grig McCoy, a former Washoe Little League All Star, student at Galena High School, a kid I photographed… this isn’t supposed to happen. The plan is your parents buy photos of you and when you’re old, you share them with your kids and grandkids. That’s the plan. That’s the joy I want to try to bring to the world with my work. May Grig Rest In Peace and may God watch over his family and give them comfort in this difficult time.

It’s very cliche-ish but we all get “touched” with it at some point in our lives, life is precious, there is no tomorrow so live today. Hug your loved one’s and cherish the time you do have.

I hope to see you all soon.

Behind the Lens…

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Columbus Crew, March 5, 2022

A beautiful day for Major League Soccer at the match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Columbus Crew at PayPal Park in San Jose, California

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

San Jose Earthquakes Midfielder CRISTIAN ESPINOZA (10) during the MLS match between the San Jose Earthquakes and New York Red Bulls at PayPal Park in San Jose, California

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

Carson High, Morse Burley Gymnasium… a special place that can’t be beat for atmosphere….

Tonight I got the privilege, like I have so many times in the past 13 years covering Carson High and Northern Nevada High School Athletics, to witness the great atmosphere at the Carson High Gym for the NIAA Regional Basketball Championships. If you’ve never been to a packed house game at Morse Burley Gym, do yourself a favor and make a special note to get out to a rival game next year, Carson/Douglas in particular and just soak in the great atmosphere… it will do you good! Just being there tonight makes me cherish these opportunities! What a place!

A Full House at Carson High’s Morse Burley Gymnasium for the NIAA 5A Regional Championship Basketball games, Carson City, NV

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Austin FC, October 20, 2021

Austin FC Forward MOUSSA DJITTÉ (99) takes a shot during warmups of the MLS match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Austin Football Club at PayPal Park in San Jose, California

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

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Seattle Sounders, September 29, 2021

San Jose Earthquakes Goalkeeper JT MARCINKOWSKI (1) before the MLS match between the San Jose Earthquakes and the Seattle Sounders at PayPal Park in San Jose, California

MEDIA RELEASE:
Sept. 29, 2021

MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 1, Seattle Sounders FC 3Quakes’ winning streak snapped at two
SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes fell to Seattle Sounders FC 3-1 on Wednesday night at PayPal Park. The defeat snaps San Jose’s two-game winning streak.
Sounders FC took the lead in the 25th minute. Cristian Roldan played a pass to Raul Ruidiaz at the top of the box. He cut from his right foot onto his left foot and took a low shot out of the reach of goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski.
Ruidiaz doubled Seattle’s advantage in the 42nd minute, converting a penalty kick earned by Roldan moments earlier. Seattle then added a third goal in the 49th minute, with Roldan finishing off a lateral pass from Jimmy Medranda.
San Jose pulled one back just two minutes later when a cross by Marcos Lopez was redirected goalward by defender Shane O’Neill for an own goal.
The Earthquakes will now travel to Canada to face Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, Oct. 2. Saturday’s match will kick off from BC Place at 7:00 p.m. PT and will be aired on NBC Sports California Plus, KNBR 1050 and 1370 KZSF.

GAME NOTES
The Earthquakes now hold an 8-10-9 record (33 pts.) during the 2021 MLS regular season and are currently in 10th place in the Western Conference, just four points below the playoff line.
San Jose is now 11-15-8 all-time vs. Seattle, including a 5-5-5 record at home.
Rookie forward Benji Kikanovic made his third-straight start, playing 90 minutes.
Midfielder Jack Skahan made his first appearance since July 24 vs. Houston Dynamo FC.

MATCH INFORMATION
MLS Regular SeasonSan Jose Earthquakes 1 – 3 Seattle Sounders FCSept. 29, 2021 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif.Attendance: 11,361

Scoring Summary:SEA (1-0) – Raul Ruidiaz (Cristian Roldan) 25’SEA (2-0) – Raul Ruidiaz (penalty) 42’SEA (3-0) – Cristian Roldan (Jimmy Medranda, Fredy Montero) 49’SJ (3-1) – Shane O’Neil (own goal) 51′

Misconduct Summary:SJ – Judson (caution) 27’SEA – Raul Ruidiaz (caution) 38’SEA – Alex Roldan (caution) 83′

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Marcos Lopez, Nathan, Oswaldo Alanis (Cade Cowell 46), Judson (Luciano Abecasis 55); Shea Salinas (Andy Rios 54), Eric Remedi, Jackson Yueill, Carlos Fierro (Chris Wondolowski 54), Chofis (Jack Skahan 69); Benji Kikanovic.
Substitutes not used: Jacob Akanyirige, Paul Marie, Tommy Thompson, Daniel Vega.

SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 3; FOULS: 13; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 2

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC: Stefan Frei; Xavier Arreaga (Nouhou 46), Shane O’Neill, Yeimar Gomez Andrade; Cristian Roldan (Alex Roldan 82), Kelyn Rowe, Danny Leyva, Josh Atencio (Joao Paulo 46), Jimmy Medranda (Abdoulaye Cissoko 71); Raul Ruidiaz (Leo Chu 46), Fredy Montero (Alex Roldan 81).
Substitutes not used: Will Bruin, Stefan Cleveland, Ethan Dobbelaere.

SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 12; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 3

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MATIAS ALMEYDA
On the game plan for tonight’s match:“It was a different game plan because Seattle played differently. It was different because we had players that were out. It was different because back then we had few players available, and we had Florian Jungwirth in the middle of the field. But as I always say, each game and every moment is different.”
On Sounders FC containing San Jose’s offense:“I think we made mistakes on the way through. The game plan was different, and we intended to take away their game, how they play in between the lines. Once we recovered the ball, we wanted to play through the outside, not through the middle. That’s why we had Benji Kikanovic as a striker, Chofis was playing free, and we had Shea Salinas and Carlos Fierro playing on the outside. From that point of view, we should have avoided passes through the middle and in between our lines. That would have allowed us to have a free man in the back. Knowing the power that Seattle has, we couldn’t counteract their individual and collective parts. Their goals resulted from our turnovers, and a team like Seattle puts them away.”
On Seattle’s goals:“I think they came from the virtue of the opponent, but we also made mistakes on defense. The first mistake was allowing them to receive the ball in dangerous parts of the field. We hurt ourselves the most when we have the ball and give it away instead of passing it to a teammate. They took advantage of our mistakes. I’ve said all week that players like Raul Ruidíaz don’t forgive. Players like Cristian Roldan have a lot of mobility and will move into a position to score. We discussed things that could have been avoided but we have to give credit to the virtue of these players.”

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD CHRIS WONDOLOWSKI
On what went wrong in the game plan:“I think that we compounded our mistakes and I mean that by saying Seattle is such a tough opponent and you need to be able to move them side to side with possession. You need to be able to wear them down and also be able to try to expand them and so that you can take out pockets in their organization and we weren’t able to do that. They pressed very high. They did a great job of sending their wing backs up on us and we were missing passes that we normally make and when we miss those passes, it kind of compounds and then we were on our back foot. We were defending a little bit deeper and then we’re not able to trigger our press in the right area of the field and then again when you’re not able to do that, we’re a step late. When we’re not doing it at the right place or at the right time, we’re a step late, against Seattle when given that time can tear you apart.”
On why the team appeared indecisive in attack:“Yeah, when we’re unable to keep a steady possession then we are unable to send our wing backs and send our outside backs forward unless we have that secure possession and when we don’t have those guys coming forward, we end up isolating ourselves way too much. Leaving ourselves one on one or in a lot of cases especially against Seattle 1v2. They do a great job especially with their back three. That’s one of their best traits is they’re able to push out and those three center backs do such a great job whether they’re following a number 10 or a number 9 into the space both behind or in front. I think that’s what they do best, closing down that space and so when we’re unable to keep that possession, secure that possession, it really hurts us and it puts us in some precarious positions.”
On how this result affects the team’s confidence:“It hurts in the sense that it’s at home. We feel extremely confident that when we are at home that we need to pick up points and it doesn’t matter the opponent. That being said, you look at the other results, today it didn’t do us too much damage, but that being said it would’ve been a perfect day to move up the table. So, we’re still outside looking in, but we have a huge one against Vancouver on Saturday and if and when we pick up three points there, we can really start to get a move in. The faith hasn’t wavered one bit in the locker room and we still feel confident. We feel that we can do a lot of great things in these seven games and really start clicking.”

####

Contact:
Jake Pisani – 408-556-7774 – jpisani@sjearthquakes.com
Pedro Ortiz – 408-556-3415 – portiz@sjearthquakes.com

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) September 25, 2021

Los Angeles Football Club newcomer Goalkeeper JAMAL BLACKMAN before the MLS match between the San Jose Earthquakes and the Los Angeles Football Club at PayPal Park in San Jose, California

MEDIA RELEASE:
Sept. 25, 2021

MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 2, LAFC 0Reigning MLS Player of the Week Chofis tallies one goal and one assist
SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes defeated Los Angeles Football Club 2-0 on Saturday night at PayPal Park. The Quakes are now 5-2-4 in their last 11 matches and are just three points below the playoff line in the Western Conference. San Jose also extended their winning streak vs. LAFC to four matches.
The Quakes jumped out to an early lead in the third minute. Chofis, the reigning MLS Player of the Week, played a through ball past multiple defenders to Benji Kikanovic, who dribbled around the goalkeeper before passing the ball into the empty net.
San Jose then doubled their lead in the 47th minute. Marcos Lopez played a pass across the front of goal and Chofis first timed his shot past goalkeeper Tomas Romero. Chofis has now tallied six goals and an assist in the last three matches.
Quakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski made three saves in the shutout. It marked his fourth shutout of the season and second shutout victory.
The Earthquakes will remain in San Jose to host Seattle Sounders FC on Wednesday, Sept. 29, presented by Intermedia. Wednesday marks the Quakes’ annual College Night and will kick off from PayPal Park at 7:30 p.m. PT. The match will be broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area Plus, KNBR 1050 and KZSF 1370.

GAME NOTES
The Earthquakes now hold an 8-9-9 record (33 pts.) during the 2021 MLS regular season and are currently in 10th place in the Western Conference, just three points below the playoff line.
The Quakes extended their winning streak against LAFC to four. San Jose is now 4-5-0 all-time vs. LAFC, including a 3-2-0 record at home.
San Jose earned their second shutout victory of the season and first since July 31 (1-0 vs. SEA). Tonight’s win was also the first at PayPal Park since Aug. 8 against LAFC (W 2-1). It marked the Quakes’ first shutout victory by multiple goals since Oct. 28, 2020 vs. RSL (2-0).
Midfielder Chofis scored his team-leading 11th goal of the season and 11th of his MLS career. He has now scored six goals in the last three matches and is the league’s leading scorer during the month of September (6). He has also scored in consecutive matches vs. LAFC. Additionally, Chofis tallied an assist on Kikanovic’s goal, marking his third assist of the season and first game-winning assist.
Chofis became the first Earthquakes player to score in three straight matches since Vako in July 2019.
Rookie forward Benji Kikanovic scored his second goal of the season and of his MLS career. He has now tallied one goal and one assist in the last two matches.
Defender Marcos Lopez tallied an assist on Chofis’ goal, marking his first assist of the season and fourth of his MLS career.
Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski secured his fourth shutout of the season and ninth of his MLS career.
Midfielder Shea Salinas entered the match as a substitute in the 82nd minute, marking his first appearance since Sept. 4 against the Colorado Rapids.

MATCH INFORMATION
MLS Regular SeasonSan Jose Earthquakes 2 – 0 Los Angeles Football ClubSept. 25, 2021 – PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif.Attendance: 16,927Man of the Match: Chofis

Scoring Summary:SJ (1-0) – Benji Kikanovic (Chofis) 3’SJ (2-0) – Chofis (Marcos Lopez) 47′

Misconduct Summary:SJ – Nathan (caution) 31’SJ – Cristian Espinoza (caution) 34’LAFC – Danny Crisostomo (caution) 39’SJ – Luciano Abecasis (caution) 64’LAFC – Jose Cifuentes (caution) 75’SJ – Marcos Lopez (caution) 86’LAFC – Raheem Edwards (caution) 90+5′

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: JT Marcinkowski; Marcos Lopez (Cade Cowell 88), Nathan, Oswaldo Alanis, Luciano Abecasis; Eric Remedi, Judson; Chofis (Shea Salinas 82), Jackson Yueill, Cristian Espinoza (Tommy Thompson 76); Benji Kikanovic (Chris Wondolowski 88).
Substitutes not used: Carlos Fierro, Paul Marie, Andy Rios, Jack Skahan, Daniel Vega.

SHOTS: 7; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; FOULS: 17; CORNER KICKS: 0; SAVES: 3

LAFC: Tomas Romero, Mamadou Fall, Diego Palacios (Raheem Edwards 59), Sebastien Ibeagha (Marco Farfan 58), Moon-Hwan Kim (Latif Blessing 59), Jesus Murillo, Francisco Ginella, Jose Cifuentes, Daniel Crisostomo, Danny Musovski (Bryce Duke 59), Cristian Arango.
Substitutes not used: Jamal Blackmon, Jordan Harvey, Pablo Sisniega.

SHOTS: 13; SHOTS ON GOAL: 3; FOULS: 21; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 0

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MATIAS ALMEYDA
On his tactics in tonight’s match:“I think we played a really intelligent game. We planned for this type of game against the formation that the opponent has been using. The players understood and responded well to the formation change we made.”
On Benji Kikanovic’s contributions and his growth:“I think Benji is one of the young players that is learning day-by-day. He has perfectly understood the identity we want the players to have at San Jose. He is a player with pace, he is good in the aerial game and has great technique. He really works a lot for the team. He was able to put away the chance that came from a great pass from Chofis. He also worked hard in the defensive phase. I am really pleased when the young players perform well. It makes me happy for them and for the club.”
On his conversations with the players about playoffs:“For us, as long as the math is there, we will try to be competitive, and we will compete until the end. They know the mentality I try to transmit to them. Sometimes we see that reflected, other times we are missing a bit, but we are generally happy with it.”

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER JACKSON YUEILL
On the team’s formation and how it impacted the match:“These last 10 games here, we know that we need to get wins, and wins at home in particular and part of that is being able to control the ball and how we press. Having Eric [Remedi], Judson and myself in the midfield really helps the team a lot. It’s important to try and fit everyone in there, and fit Chofis in there in his natural position as the number 10 and get him the ball as much as possible. I think it was a little bit of what LAFC showed and trying to work against them and finding the right spots to get Chofis on the ball and finding the right passes in behind. As you saw on the first goal, he was able to do that. The plan was to get him on the ball in central locations and try to work around him and try to eliminate LAFC’s quality as well. That was the reasoning for that, and I think it worked out well today.”
On the team’s form in the upcoming stretch run:“I think there are still a lot of games left. It’s still really close and these two games were important for us. We’ve narrowed down to the last third of the season. We learned from our first year to last year of when to push and when to hit our stride. We hit a really good stride last year going into the playoffs and that helped us a lot. I think the team is in a really good spot. Collectively, as a group, how we’re interacting, the motivation and dialogue in the locker room is really positive and great and it showed tonight that the guys have a desire to win. Even though it’s going to be close up until the end, the guys have the desire to push for the playoffs and try to get up in the table as high as we can and play as best as we can.”

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD BENJI KIKANOVIC
On the goal and his run:“I knew it right as Chofis got the ball. All three of the defenders looked at him and I was like, ‘I’m going to run in behind them.’ I know Chofis is good enough to play me the ball on time and play me a good-weighted ball and I just went. He played it on time, and I took a touch past the goalkeeper and just put it away. It was a great ball by Chofis and there’s not much to it.”
On his previous comments about wanting to be more involved:“I thought I did better than last game. I think each game, as long I’m improving, it’s good for me and good for the team. Obviously, it wasn’t the best, but it is what it is and we got the win and we’re just going to keep on going. I think the more that I play and as I get more minutes under my belt, I should be alright. But I think tonight was much better than last game. It’s an improvement but it’s not good enough.”

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Contact:
Jake Pisani – 408-556-7774 – jpisani@sjearthquakes.com
Pedro Ortiz – 408-556-3415 – portiz@sjearthquakes.com