Category: Club Tijuana

PRESS RELEASE:                            
July 3, 2026

MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 1, Club Tijuana 2
Quakes edged by LIGA MX side as Leroux scores for San Jose; Black and Blue return to MLS play Wednesday, July 22, to host Orlando City SC at PayPal Park

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Earthquakes fell to LIGA MX’s Club Tijuana 2-1 in an international friendly at PayPal Park on Friday night.

Club Tijuana struck first in the sixth minute when Adonis Preciado headed in an Ignacio Rivero corner kick to make it 1-0 for the visitors. The Earthquakes almost answered in minute 10 when a Timo Werner cross from the left wing was almost headed home by a surging Jamar Ricketts in the box. San Jose equalized in minute 16 when high pressure resulted in Preston Judd recovering the ball on the right wing and then feeding Beau Leroux in the center of the box. The midfielder took one touch and calmly slotted the ball past Xolos goalkeeper Salím Hernández to make it 1-1. In minute 25, the Quakes had an excellent chance to score when Hernández came off his line and Daniel Munie was point-blank range in front of net but the ball was cleared before he could shoot. In minute 40, Judd had his own chance in the six-yard box, but his backheel for the far post was just wide. Two minutes later, Xolos recaptured the lead when Preciado took the ball on the left wing, cut inside, and uncorked a curler for the far post past Quakes goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. to make it 2-1 to close the first half.

After intermission, San Jose made wholesale changes, substituting out all 11 starters. The second wave of Quakes created chances almost immediately. In minute 48, Jack Skahan unleashed a long-range attempt from the edge of the box that was deflected over the crossbar. In minute 61, Club Tijuana called on their bench to replace half the lineup. Ramping up their sense of urgency as time wound down, the Black and Blue had their opportunities to equalize once more but could not find the second goal. In minute 89, Paul Marie created space in the box on the middle left channel but his attempt was blocked; the ensuing corner floated dangerously but was punched away. Homegrown midfielder Edwyn Mendoza, making his Quakes debut, had a shot blocked in the first minute of stoppage time. San Jose gave it one last go when Jack Jasinski’s cross from the right wing spun toward net, but Marie’s header landed wide left.

The Earthquakes return to Major League Soccer play Wednesday, July 22, when they host Orlando City SC. Kickoff from PayPal Park is set for 7:30 p.m. PT, with the match airing on Apple TV (English/Spanish) and via local radio on KSFO 810 AM (English) and La Kaliente 1370 AM (Spanish).

GAME NOTES

WELCOME BACK: San Jose returns to PayPal Park for the first time since Major League Soccer took a break for the FIFA World Cup™ for an international friendly with LIGA MX’s Club Tijuana. The Earthquakes entered the pause tied for first place on points in the Western Conference at 10-3-2 (34 GF, 15 GA). 

TIJUANA SNAPSHOT: As far as Xolos’ status, they went on a five-game unbeaten tear to close the LIGA MX Clausura—beating the likes of Club Pachuca and Tigres UANL while drawing with Chivas Guadalajara and reigning Concacaf Champions Cup holders Cruz Azul—only to narrowly miss out on the Liguilla quarterfinals by just one spot. Though budding star midfielder Gilberto Mora has been selected by the Mexican National Team for the FIFA World Cup, leading scorer Kevin Castañeda and assist man Ramiro Arciga offer plenty of firepower for the Xolos’ attack, while goalkeeper José Antonio Rodríguez remains their rock in the middle.

ALL-TIME SJ vs. TIJ RECORD: The Earthquakes had never faced Club Tijuana, but tonight marked Xolos’ second trip to PayPal Park since they beat then-fellow LIGA MX side Monarcas Morelia 2-1 in 2016. Overall, the Quakes had won three of their last four home games against LIGA MX competition entering tonight.

RECENT EARTHQUAKES MATCHES AGAINST LIGA MX CLUBS 

Date	LIGA MX Opponent	Venue	Competition	Result
Oct. 7, 2021	Cruz Azul	PayPal Park	Friendly	W, 2-0
July 30, 2023	Tigres UANL	PayPal Park	Leagues Cup	L, 1-0
July 27, 2024	Chivas Guadalajara	Levi’s Stadium	Leagues Cup	W, 1-1 (4-3 PKs)
Aug. 9, 2024	Club Necaxa	PayPal Park	Leagues Cup	W, 5-0

QUAKES DEBUTS: Goalkeeper Francesco Montali and Homegrown midfielder Edwyn Mendoza made their Earthquakes debuts tonight. Montali started the second half and kept his net clean, while Mendoza came on in minute 76, attempting one shot.

                                                                                                                                                 
San Jose Earthquakes 1 – 2 Club Tijuana
Friday, July 3, 2026 — PayPal Park; San Jose, Calif. 
Weather: 73°F Sunny
Attendance: 
*all stats unofficial

Match Officials: 
Referee: Victor M. Rivas
AR1: Seth Martin
AR2: Conrado Garcia
4th Official: Eduardo Hernández Garcia

Scoring Summary:
TIJ (0-1) – Adonis Preciado (Ignacio Rivero) 6’
SJ (1-1) – Beau Leroux (Preston Judd) 15’
TIJ (1-2) – Adonis Preciado (unassisted) 43’

Misconduct Summary:
SJ – Ronaldo Vieira (caution) 45’
TIJ – Unai Bilbao (caution) 86’
TIJ – Jesus Vega (caution) 90+3’

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Earl Edwards Jr. (GK) (Francesco Montali HT) (GK); Jamar Ricketts (Vitor Costa HT (Edwyn Mendoza 76’), Reid Roberts (Dave Romney HT), Daniel Munie (Max Floriani HT), Benji Kikanović (Jack Jasinski HT); Ronaldo Vieira (C) (Jonathan Gonzalez HT), Beau Leroux (Noel Buck HT), Nick Fernandez (Ian Harkes HT); Timo Werner (Paul Marie HT), Ousseni Bouda (Darius Johnson), Preston Judd (Jack Skahan HT). 

Substitutes not used: Nate Crockford (GK); Nonso Adimabua.

CLUB TIJUANA: Salím Hernández (GK); Pablo Ortíz (Jesus Vega 61’) , Alejandro Gómez, Unai Bilbao, Rafael Fernández; Iván Tona (Aldahir Pérez 61’), Ignacio Rivero (Angel Zapata 61’), Yael Padilla (Frank Boya 61’); Adonis Preciado (Fernando González 82’), Ramiro Árciga (Mourad El Ghezouani 61’), Diego Abreu.   
 
Substitutes not used: Jose Corona (GK); Joban Gonzalez, Aaron Mejía, Eduardo Armenta, Jesus Orduño, Ramiro Franco.

EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA

On his objectives for the group’s first match back from the league break:
“The main thing was getting some match fitness. Secondly, our organization as a team, which I thought wasn’t good at times in the first half. It was a little better in the second half, but we still lacked quality in the final third.” 
 
On the biggest challenge of returning from the extended break:
“Like anything else in a preseason, it’s going to take a little time. We open up in three weeks, so we have a little more time to continue improving our team.” 
 
On the impact of the team’s new additions and returning players:
“It’s going to take a little more time, but we’re moving in the right direction. Hopefully we’re a little better next week with practice games against Seattle [Sounders FC] on Wednesday and [FC] Dallas on Saturday. We’ll extend everyone’s minutes to about 60 on Wednesday, then finish up against San Diego [FC] the following week. That gives us enough preparation to have the team ready for our season opener on July 22.

####