San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake, February 22, 2025

MEDIA RELEASE:                            

Feb. 22, 2025

MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 4, Real Salt Lake 0

San Jose triumphant in new coach Bruce Arena’s Earthquakes debut; Cristian Espinoza dazzles home crowd with three assists

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes defeated Real Salt Lake 4-0 on Saturday night in front of 17,432 fans at PayPal Park to open the 2025 Major League season.

San Jose struck first in the 28th minute when Cristian Espinoza passed to recently signed midfielder Beau Leroux on the right wing. The debutant’s incisive pass rolled through the box to a streaking Jamar Ricketts, who scored his first MLS goal.

The Earthquakes doubled their advantage in the 70th minute when Espinoza’s corner kick was headed home by a leaping Rodrigues. Four minutes later, San Jose put the match away when Espinoza’s long ball, his third assist of the night, found forward Ousseni Bouda, who coolly finished to put the Quakes up 3-0. Defender Vítor Costa added an exclamation point in the 84th minute when he slotted a Mark-Anthony Kaye pass into the back of the net for the final 4-0 margin.

The Black and Blue will now head out on their first road trip of the season to take on Sporting Kansas City next Saturday, Mar. 1. Kickoff from Children’s Mercy Park will take place at 5:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as on local radio via KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM (English) and 1370 AM La Kaliente (Spanish).

GAME NOTES

With the win, San Jose moved to 17-15-12 all-time vs. RSL (61 GF, 62 GA) with a home record of 11-7-5 (40 GF, 28 GA).

The 4-0 final margin is the Quakes’ largest victory in a season opener in club history.

Defender Jamar Ricketts, who was selected in the first round of the 2024 SuperDraft (13th overall), scored his first MLS goal in the 28th minute. Midfielder Beau Leroux, who was selected in the second round that year (42nd overall), and team captain Cristian Espinoza supplied the assists.

Forward Cristian Espinoza extended his run of consecutive MLS regular-season games played tonight to a current league-high of 110 (Oct. 2, 2021 – present). The streak is not only a Quakes record but now fifth longest in MLS history and second among all field players in MLS history, passing Darlington Nagbe (May 1, 2021 – Apr. 6, 2024). Goalkeeper Luis Robles holds the league record with 183 straight appearances (Sept. 29, 2012 – May 12, 2018).

Forward Cristian Espinoza’s three assists marked his 10th career multi-assist game in MLS play, giving him 74 total helpers to extend his career club record.

Defender Rodrigues scored his first goal of the season in the 70th minute and fifth career goal in MLS play.

Forward Ousseni Bouda scored his first goal of the season in the 74th minute and third career goal in MLS play.

Defender Vítor Costa’s first goal of the season in the 83rd minute was his third career goal in MLS play.

Midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye’s first assist in the 83rd minute was his 27th career assist in MLS play.

Goalkeeper Daniel made eight saves and earned his first clean sheet of the season, which was also his seventh career shutout in MLS play.

Midfielder Beau Leroux, who signed a first-team contract just yesterday, dished his first MLS assist. He was  not only making his first MLS start for the Quakes but also his MLS debut. A San Jose native, Leroux scored five goals last season for the Quakes’ MLS NEXT Pro team, The Town FC.

A grand total of 87 Quakes players made the starting lineup in their MLS debut, with the most recent being defender Oscar Verhoeven on July 20, 2024, at Minnesota United FC. Of those 87 players, Leroux now becomes the 11th to have made a goal contribution, with the most recent being Oswaldo Alanis on Feb. 29, 2020, against Toronto FC.

Tonight’s win gives Bruce Arena his 263rd win in MLS regular-season play, a league record. The late great Sigi Schmid is second with 240 victories.

Defender Dave Romney, midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye, forward Chicho Arango and forward Josef Martínez also made their Black and Blue debuts Saturday night.

San Jose Earthquakes 4 – 0 Real Salt Lake

Saturday, February 22, 2025 – PayPal Park; San Jose, Calif.

Weather: 60°F Clear

Attendance: 17,432

Match Officials:

REF: Malik Badawi

AR1: Corey Rockwell

AR2: Stefan Tanaka-Freundt

4TH: Brandon Stevis

VAR: Shawn Tehini

AVAR: Joshua Patlak

Scoring Summary:

SJ (1-0) – Jamar Ricketts (Beau Leroux, Cristian Espinoza) 28’

SJ (2-0) – Rodrigues (Cristian Espinoza) 70’

SJ (3-0) – Ousseni Bouda (Cristian Espinoza) 74’

SJ (4-0) – Vítor Costa (Cristian Espinoza) 83’

Misconduct Summary:

RSL – Alexandros Katranis (caution) 54’

SJ – Cristian Espinoza (caution) 73’

SJ – Ian Harkes (caution) 81’

SJ – Mark-Anthony Kaye (caution) 87’

RSL – Diego Luna (caution) 90+3’

SJ – Daniel (caution) 90+4’

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel (GK); Rodrigues, Bruno Wilson, Dave Romney; Jamar Ricketts (Vítor Costa 83’), Ian Harkes, Beau Leroux (Mark-Anthony Kaye 46’), Cristian Espinoza, Hernán López (Amahl Pellegrino 68’); Chicho Arango (Preston Judd 87’), Josef Martínez (Ousseni Bouda 67’).

Substitutes not used: Earl Edwards Jr. (GK), Daniel Munie, Nick Lima, Max Floriani.

POSS.: 42.5%; SHOTS: 14; SOG: 9; CORNERS: 6; OFFSIDES: 2; SAVES: 8; FOULS: 13; xG: 2.7

REAL SALT LAKE: Rafael Cabral (GK); Justen Glad, Philip Quinton (Bryan Vera 58’), Javain Brown (Emeka Eneli 46’), Alexandros Katranis (Sam Junqua 57’); Braian Ojeda (Bode Hidalgo 77’), Pablo Ruiz, Diego Luna, Nelson Palacio, Tyler Wolf; Forster Ajago (Diogo Gonçalves 68’).

Substitutes not used: Mason Stajduhar (GK), Kobi Henry, Dominik Marczuk, Lachian Brook.

POSS.: 57.5%; SHOTS: 22; SOG: 8; CORNERS: 5; OFFSIDES: 2; SAVES: 4; FOULS: 15; xG: 2.0

EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA

On starting the season and his Quakes era with a win:

“The scoreline wasn’t fair. I don’t think that’s a 4-0 game. They had a lot going against them coming in with their game Wednesday in Costa Rica and those challenges and all of that, so as a starting point, let’s be fair about that. But our team played well. It was a good team effort, and obviously, we’re building a team that hasn’t experienced a whole lot of success, so to kick off the season with a win is great. … But let’s keep this in perspective.”

On the team’s overall performance:

“We have a lot we can learn from this. We made some mistakes. We have to get better. But the nice part of this team is that when we started to rebuild the roster, we wanted the team in place for the whole preseason, instead of bringing in guys this week or last week and two weeks from now. So we’ve had a month to try to become a team, and they needed to understand me, and I needed to understand them. So that’s been positive every day. They’ve actually gotten better, so I’m encouraged by that. But we have a long, long way to go. The Real Salt Lake team is going to be a real hard, hard team to play against when we go into Salt Lake. I can promise you that.”

On Ousseni Bouda’s goal and the overall depth on the roster:

“Bouda played very well for us in preseason and every day we saw things in that showed that he’s a really promising player. … We have, oddly enough, four players that didn’t dress tonight that can challenge to get in our first 11 at some point. So, you know, the roster is pretty good. And I think we have some good young players that have come out of our academy system that you know, have a promising future in the league.

On the attacking foursome of Josef Martínez, Chicho Arango, Cristian Espinoza and Hernán López:

“I think our attacking group is going to get better. It’s the hardest thing in this sport. That’s why they pay these guys that score goals a lot of money around the world. in time, we’ll hopefully have a good attacking team. You’re going to see Martínez and Arango scoring goals, Espinoza setting them up and López being an improved playmaker. He’s still young. He’s got a lot to learn. But he’s shown segments in games where he’s a real promising player. There’s a lot of stuff, but to me, the most encouraging part is that our back line was good, and that’s obviously an area that was our primary concern.”

On tempering expectations and not taking too much from one game:

“I think we need a couple months to actually see what this team’s about and where we need to go. And tonight was great to get three points and have a good showing, but we certainly have a way to go. So you know, I don’t have any anything set in stone at this point, and hopefully, as we continue to move forward as a team, we’ll create a pretty consistent mentality and a style of play right now.”

EARTHQUAKES FORWARD CRISTIAN ESPINOZA

On the changes made by the new coaching staff in the preseason:

“During preseason, I remember when the coaching staff came to me with the idea that playing this with this tactic, playing me in the right side, going forward. To be honest, I was really used to playing that position, even when we play in 4-2-3-1. I always try to help the team defensively. Tonight, I feel really comfortable in that position, I am really happy, because I can help the team with the assist.”

On the performance of Chicho Arango and Josef Martínez in their debuts:

“They are doing a really good job in their positions. They force the defenders to play low balls, and that’s really important for us. They made a lot of sacrifices today that really helped the team. That’s what the team is about. Everybody has to be engaging in the defensive part and also in the offensive part. Hopefully in the future, both of them can score more goals and be more in front of the board.”

On the debut performance of Beau Leroux:

“I’m really happy for Beau. I talked to him yesterday, and we were texting because I was really happy for him to have the opportunity to play today. I tried to give him confidence, to play calm, because he’s a really calm guy. He has to do the same thing that he was doing during the preseason. I think he played a really good game. Hopefully we can see him very often this year inside the starting 11. Also, I’m really happy for the other kids like Niko [Tsakiris], Oscar [Verhoeven]. They stepped up during preseason. This is a really good team with big names. They need to be patient and try to be ready when the opportunity comes.”

On improvements moving forward:

“Every day we are improving in so many details. When we are doing good things, maybe there’s another detail that we can fix. I think in the defensive part, we were a little bit disconnected in the end of the first half because they were pushing the game, which is normal, we need to be ready for that. In the first 15 minutes of the second half, I think that we responded really well.”

EARTHQUAKES WINGBACK JAMAR RICKETTS

On scoring his first MLS goal:

“Playing wing back, you got to be up and down the field. But as I’d seen the ball, I knew that I had to crash the back post and be aggressive. Once I’d seen the ball come across, I was like, ‘I got to be the first to win the ball,’ and that’s how I got my foot on it.”

On bouncing back from an injury-riddled rookie season:

“You know, unfortunately, last year I got injured, so I was out for most of the year, but it was kind of a blessing in disguise, because I learned a lot about my body. I was able to watch and really take in everything and learn from the vets and all the coaches. … I was ready for the moment.”

On showing his versatility playing wing back:

“Yeah, so I think it’s just having the trust from my teammates and the coaches to give me confidence to keep going forward and run, and I’m willing to work for anybody in the field as for everybody that’s willing to work for me, you know? And I think that’s what makes this group so good, And the coaching staff, they push us to work for each other. There’s no like hierarchy. Everybody just is one. And then my celebration just came from this excitement,

On opening the season with a win:

“It’s great. Everybody was just smiles in the locker room. The music was blasting. Everybody just felt happy. The coaches were happy. Everybody had a big smile. And I think it’s a this is a great steppingstone, because we got three points, but this is just a start. We have a whole, whole season ahead of us, so we can’t get too much ahead of ourselves, because it’s only one game.”

####

Earthquakes Communications Contacts:

Ryan Maquiñana – Director, Communications

rmaquinana@sjearthquakes.com

C: 650.243.8523

Jake Jansing – Coordinator, Communications

jjansing@sjearthquakes.com

C: 408.425.1329

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake, October 5, 2024

MEDIA RELEASE:                            

Oct. 5, 2024 

MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 0, Real Salt Lake 1

San Jose edged in second half to close 2024 home slate; Quakes end season on road vs. LAFC on Oct. 19

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes fell to Real Salt Lake 1-0 on Saturday night at PayPal Park in front of 16,322 fans to close their 2024 Major League Soccer home schedule.

After a scoreless first half, the visitors appeared to score first in the 56th minute, but substitute Chicho Arango was ruled offside. At the hour mark, Rodrigues almost propelled San Jose into the lead, but his header was just wide. Five minutes later, Arango stayed dangerous, launching a deep attempt that was parried away at the last moment by Quakes goalkeeper Daniel. In the 70th minute, Dominik Marczuk’s header at the far post hit the crossbar and bounced out of harm’s way.

However, in minute 78, RSL midfielder Diego Luna’s left-footed shot at the edge of the box found the back of the net to give the visitors the lead. San Jose forward Preston Judd nearly had an equalizer in minute 90 but goalkeeper Zac MacMath batted it away.

The Quakes complete their 2024 MLS season on Saturday, Oct. 19, when they travel to Los Angeles to face Los Angeles Football Club. Kickoff from BMO Stadium will take place at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as on local radio via AM 810 The Spread (English) and AM 1370 La Kaliente (Spanish).

GAME NOTES

The Quakes moved to 16-15-12 (57 GF, 62 GA) against Real Salt Lake in MLS regular-season competition, including a 10-7-5 (36 GF, 28 GA) record at home.

San Jose split the season series with Real Salt Lake after defeating them 2-0 in Utah on Aug. 24. The Quakes also saw their two-game unbeaten home streak against RSL snapped after drawing 2-2 with them in 2022 and beating them 2-1 last year.

The Quakes celebrated 50 years with Krazy George, who has been leading cheers since the club’s first match in 1974. The first 5,000 fans through the gates received a Krazy George wig courtesy of Habbas Law.

Cristian Espinoza extended his run of consecutive MLS regular-season games played to a current league-high of 108 (Oct. 2, 2021 – present). The streak is not only a Quakes record but tied for fifth longest in MLS history. He now stands equal with Darlington Nagbe (May 1, 2021 – Apr. 6, 2024) in the all-time annals and second among all field players. Espinoza can pass Nagbe in the season finale on Oct. 19 in a road contest vs. LAFC. Goalkeeper Luis Robles holds the league record with 183 straight appearances (Sept. 29, 2012 – May 12, 2018).

San Jose Earthquakes 0 – 1 Real Salt Lake

Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024 – PayPal Park, San Jose, Calif.

Weather: 84°F Clear

Attendance: 16,322

Match Officials:

Referee: Mark Allatin

AR1: Matthew Nelson

AR2: Kevin Lock

4th: Malik Badawi

VAR: Luis Guardia

AVAR: Jonathan Johnson

Scoring Summary:

RSL (0-1) – Diego Luna (Braian Ojeda) 78’

Misconduct Summary:

RSL – Alexandros Katranis (caution) 45’

RSL – Anderson Julio (caution) 53’

RSL – Zac MacMath (caution) 85’

RSL – Justen Glad (caution) 90+5’

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel; Oscar Verhoeven (Vítor Costa 75’), Tanner Beason, Rodrigues, Carlos Akapo; Niko Tsakiris (Preston Judd 81’), Jackson Yueill (Alfredo Morales 75’), Hernán López; Paul Marie (Amahl Pellegrino 63’), Cristian Espinoza, Jeremy Ebobisse (Jack Skahan 63’).

Substitutes not used: William Yarbrough (GK), Daniel Munie, Tommy Thompson, Bruno Wilson.

POSS.: 45.6%; SHOTS: 5; SOG: 1; CORNERS: 2; OFFSIDES: 2; SAVES: 5; FOULS: 9; xG: 0.5

REAL SALT LAKE: Zac MacMath; Alexandros Katranis, Philip Quinton, Justen Glad (C), Javain Brown; Braian Ojeda, Nelson Palacio (Emeka Eneli 71’), Diogo Gonça lves; Diego Luna, Dominik Marczuk (Matt Crooks 71’), Anderson Julio (Chicho Arango 55’). (Andrew Brody 87’) (Lachlan Brook 87’)

Substitutes not used: Gavin Beavers (GK), Noel Caliskan, Maikel Chang,  Erik Holt.

POSS.: 54.4%; SHOTS: 14; SOG: 6; CORNERS: 9; OFFSIDES: 2; SAVES: 1; FOULS: 20; xG: 1.1

NOTE: All stats are unofficial.

EARTHQUAKES INTERIM HEAD COACH IAN RUSSELL

On the team’s attack against RSL:

“Niko [Tsakiris] and Jackson [Yueill] broke the lines decently well, but I felt like after that, we didn’t have a lot of tempo change to get in behind them. I think Salt Lake does a pretty good job. They press pretty well, but I actually liked some of the combination plays with Niko, Hernán [López] and Jackson. But I think we were missing that next step to create a big chance.”

On the lone goal of the game:

“It was a really good strike by [Diego] Luna. Good player. They had some chances early on, and then most of their chances came from outside the box. Unfortunately, that one went in. They did hit the crossbar and one back post header. But if you look at the chances, we didn’t have a lot, but we had two really big chances. One with Rodrigues’ header that normally, he can put those away, six yards out, seven yards out, and then Preston Judd had a late one. So that’s a little frustrating. I thought Salt Lake was pretty good tonight. But chance-wise, most of them were outside the box. They did have some really early on in the game. For six minutes they were on this, but I thought we dealt with it pretty well, and it was a good strike.”

On looking ahead to the season finale vs. LAFC:

“Sometimes you’re going to win; sometimes you’re going to lose. What really gets me is if a player is not working hard enough, and for the most part, this group works hard, that’s going to be a big test. LAFC is very good, and they’re still playing for positions in the standings. We do match up pretty well against them. We beat them already this season. so just go down there, play good football, defend well, look at their chances and try to hurt them.”

EARTHQUAKES FORWARD PAUL MARIE

On areas of improvement for next season:

“We are going into the offseason after the next game. I think there’s always areas of the game to improve. Individually, everybody will be able to do their thing. I’ll do my thing. I’ll like to work on the physicality, on being more fit, on being more sharp on the ball. I’ll do all of this, and I’ll work with the coaches on it.”

On transitioning from defender to the forward position late in the season:

“I see myself competing for that position. I think I’ve shown defensively that I can help a lot. You have someone who’s completely acting on the job of doing his defensive part and helping the team. I can definitely get sharper in the final third and help a lot more, but I see myself competing in that.”

On the fans sticking with the team throughout the campaign:

“We have a lot of respect for the people who stayed with us the whole season. We’ve been very lucky to have the support we’ve been having with the stadium and all the fans coming to see us. They pay to come see us, so we have a lot of respect for that. We would love to give them a lot more than what we have been giving them. But we just love their support all year long, and hopefully next year we can give them a little bit more.”

####

Earthquakes Communications Contacts:

Ryan Maquiñana – Director, Communications

rmaquinana@sjearthquakes.com

C: 650.243.8523

Jake Jansing – Coordinator, Communications

jjansing@sjearthquakes.com

C: 408.425.1329

San Jose Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas, October 2, 2024

MEDIA RELEASE:                            

Oct. 2, 2024 

MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 3, FC Dallas 2

Hernán López brace, Jeremy Ebobisse insurance goal power San Jose to victory; Quakes head into home finale Saturday night vs. Real Salt Lake

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes defeated FC Dallas 3-2 on Wednesday night at PayPal Park.

San Jose struck first blood in the 14th minute when defender Bruno Wilson collected a loose ball and funneled it to forward Cristian Espinoza on the right wing, who found Hernán López at the edge of the box. The midfielder spun and unleashed a left-footed clinical finish to beat Dallas goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer. However, the visitors would equalize in the 41st minute when midfielder Paul Arriola’s cross from the left wing was chested down by forward Petar Musa. The ball bounced over to forward Alan Velasco, whose left-footed blast evened the score heading into intermission.

In the second half, the Black and Blue went on the offensive and found the breakthrough in the 79th minute when Amahl Pellegrino’s pass from the left wing fed López for his second goal of the night. Four minutes later, the Quakes got an insurance goal to make it 3-1 when midfielder Niko Tsakiris streaked down the left wing and swept the ball over to forward Jeremy Ebobisse for the finish. FC Dallas were awarded a penalty late but Quakes goalkeeper Daniel dove to his right to save a Jesus Ferreira attempt from the spot in minute 89. Sebastien Ibeagha scored moments later for Dallas off a Sebastian Lletget assist to draw the visitors close before the final six minutes of stoppage time, but they would get no closer as San Jose secured all three points.

The Quakes complete their final homestand of the season on Saturday, Oct. 5, when they face Real Salt Lake. Kickoff from PayPal Park will take place at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as on local radio via KNBR 1050 AM (English) and AM 1370 La Kaliente (Spanish).

GAME NOTES

The Quakes moved to 30-22-22 (113 GF, 91 GA) against FC Dallas in MLS regular-season competition, including a 18-8-12 (65 GF, 44 GA) record at home.

San Jose is unbeaten at home vs. FC Dallas in their last eight games dating back to 2017 (3-0-5), with the teams battling for three consecutive draws.

2017: 1-1 D

2018: 4-3 W

2019: 2-2 D

2020: No Game

2021: 3-1 W; 1-1 D

2022: 1-1 D

2023: 1-1 D

2024: 3-2 W

Hernán López scored his fifth and sixth goals of the year in the 14th and 79th minutes, running his goal contribution total to eight in MLS play (6g/2a) and 12 in all competitions (9g/3a). Tonight also marked his first ever two-goal game since joining San Jose in May.

Amahl Pellegrino’s 79th-minute assist was his second in MLS play and fourth in all competitions, running his goal contribution total to nine in MLS play (7g/2a) and 11 in all competitions (7g/4a).

Niko Tsakiris recorded the first assist in his MLS career in the 83rd minute; it was his second assist and goal contribution in all competitions (0g/2a).

Jeremy Ebobisse’s 83rd-minute goal was his sixth goal in MLS play and 10th in all competitions, running his goal contribution total to eight in MLS play (6g/2a) and 12 in all competitions (10g/2a).

Bruno Wilson made his first appearance since injuring his hamstring on the road against NYCFC on May 31. His assist of Hernán López’s 14th-minute goal was his third of the season in MLS play, running his goal contribution total to four on the season (1g/3a).

Cristian Espinoza’s assist of Hernán López’s 14th-minute goal was his 14th of the season in MLS play, lifting him to a tie for sixth on the overall league leaderboard. The assist also puts him now at 18 goal contributions in MLS play (4g/14a) and 21 in all competitions (5g/16a).

Cristian Espinoza is the first player in Earthquakes history to have three straight seasons with 10 or more assists in MLS play (2022: 14; 2023: 13; 2024: 14 and counting).

Cristian Espinoza extended his run of consecutive MLS regular-season games played to a current league-high of 107 (Oct. 2, 2021 – present). The streak is not only a Quakes record but sixth longest in MLS history and third among all field players. He now stands one game away from tying Darlington Nagbe (May 1, 2021 – Apr. 6, 2024) for fifth all-time and second among all field players. Goalkeeper Luis Robles holds the league record with 183 straight appearances (Sept. 29, 2012 – May 12, 2018).

San Jose Earthquakes 3 – 2 FC Dallas

Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024 – PayPal Park, San Jose, Calif.

Weather: 89°F Clear

Match Officials:

Referee: Lorenzo Hernandez

AR1: Logan Brown

AR2: Diego Blas

4th: Marcos Deoliveira

VAR: Younes Marrakchi

AVAR: Jozef Batko

Scoring Summary:

SJ (1-0) – Hernán López (Cristian Espinoza, Bruno Wilson) 14’

DAL (1-1) – Alan Velasco (Petar Musa, Paul Arriola) 41’

SJ (2-1) – Hernán López (Amahl Pellegrino) 79’

SJ (3-1) – Jeremy Ebobisse (Niko Tsakiris) 83’

DAL (3-2) – Sebastien Ibeagha (Sebastian Lletget) 90’

Misconduct Summary:

DAL – Nkosi Tafari (caution) 15’

SJ – Paul Marie (caution) 37’

DAL – Alan Velasco (caution) 55’

DAL – Sebastien Ibeagha (caution) 60’

SJ – Carlos Gruezo (caution) 73’

DAL – Paul Arriola (caution) 74’

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel; Oscar Verhoeven, Tanner Beason, Bruno Wilson, Carlos Akapo (Vítor Costa 63’); Carlos Gruezo (Alfredo Morales 81’), Jackson Yueill (Niko Tsakiris 75’), Hernán López; Paul Marie (Amahl Pellegrino 75’), Cristian Espinoza (C), Jack Skahan (Jeremy Ebobisse 63’).

Substitutes not used: William Yarbrough (GK), Daniel Munie, Rodrigues, Tommy Thompson.

POSS.: 41.7%; SHOTS: 10; SOG: 4; CORNERS: 4; OFFSIDES: 3; SAVES: 3; FOULS: 11; xG: 2.2

FC Dallas: Jimmy Maurer; Marco Farfan, Nkosi Tafari, Sebastien Ibeagha; Ruan (Bernard Kamungo 46’), Paul Arriola (C), Asier Illarramendi (Sebastian Lletget 89’), Show; Alan Velasco (Katlego Ntsabeleng 71’), Jesus Ferreira, Petar Musa (Logan Farrington 71’).

Substitutes not used: Antonio Carrera (GK), Patrickson Delgado, Omar Gonzalez, Sam Junqua, Ema Twumasi.

POSS.: 58.3%; SHOTS: 17; SOG: 5; CORNERS: 5; OFFSIDES: 2; SAVES: 1; FOULS: 16; xG: 1.9

NOTE: All stats are unofficial.

EARTHQUAKES INTERIM HEAD COACH IAN RUSSELL

On initial reflections of the victory:

“It’s been a tough season, but these fans deserve a win. The team deserves a win. So I said [to the team], ‘Just enjoy tonight.’ The game did feel pretty comfortable. Dallas is a good team that likes to be in control of the ball. They did out-possess us; that is what it is. I’m not super concerned with that. They weren’t getting in behind us. I thought Paul Marie, as a winger, did really well at being compact and tucking in and almost played in more of a traditional 4-4-2 midfielder. Cristian [Espinoza] was a little bit higher, where we can press their three [defenders]. The compactness was really good. We looked dangerous on the break. The last four or five games have been pretty dangerous on the break, but this one, we finished our chances.”

On intangibles going San Jose’s way tonight:

“We haven’t had a lot of breaks this year. We got a pretty good one when the two players collided. We get the ball, we score on that play, and then Daniel making a huge penalty save. Overall, I just felt like we were really getting in our 18[-yard box] defensively, and we finished our chances when we had them. We had a couple big chances right away in the game as well. We came out on the front foot, which again, when you have a season like this, the players can pack it in. But they came out flying, and it was a good result.”

On rotating the lineup:

“We rotated the squad a lot — three games in a week, but we have really good quality coming in. Jackson [Yueill] started tonight. I thought he was really good. Paul Marie, very good. Bruno Wilson, he hasn’t played in four or five months, and he goes 90 minutes, just to name a few. Then Hernán [López], two goals. He’s a special player when he plays simple and doesn’t try to overdo things in bad areas. He’s one of the top players; he really is. He’s a young player still, so he’s going to continue to grow and get better. But I think you see when he plays well, the team plays well.”

On Bruno Wilson returning to action for the first time since May:

“Bruno is a player that’s really technical, very good on the ball, very calm, organized as well. He can speak three different languages, so he communicates with everyone in the back line. He’s played at a very high level. He just brings a lot of composure. I think he was all of that tonight. I think the penalty, yeah, it was a foul, but that’s just a bit of bad timing. He hasn’t played in four or five months, and then he goes 90 minutes. So I was very happy with him and Daniel.”

EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER HERNÁN LÓPEZ

On scoring two goals and if he could have netted a third:

“I was happy to score tonight. Obviously the season hasn’t gone our way, but being able to finish the season strong, we’re happy to see that and I’m thrilled with the victory … Obviously, you’d like to score three goals, but I wasn’t able to do that. I’m just very happy to be able to score two goals at home. … I was able to dedicate those goals to my mother and my father and my family.”

On adjusting to life in America and MLS with his new teammates:

“Everything is new, coming from Argentina. It’s a new team, new style of football, new culture. Everything is different. I feel like I’ve been able to adjust, and I feel really good where I am now.”

“It’s a good group. A very united group. Many different cultures and nationalities in the locker room. Even in the good times and the bad times, we’ve been there for each other.”

On what the emphasis will be in the offseason:

“I just want to go to into the offseason and work hard. Do what I can do to prepare myself the best way for the next season … At the end of the year, we’ll talk with the team and see what we need to do, as far as which details specifically we need to work on so that we can go into next season on the front foot, better and stronger.”

On looking ahead to the home finale Saturday:

“We won at home tonight, and it’s always good to win at home. We definitely want to win this last one as well for the fans so that they can see the effort we’ve been putting forward to win these games at home and to close the season strong.”

####

Earthquakes Communications Contacts:

Ryan Maquiñana – Director, Communications

rmaquinana@sjearthquakes.com

C: 650.243.8523

Jake Jansing – Coordinator, Communications

jjansing@sjearthquakes.com

C: 408.425.1329

San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy, July 31, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:                            

July 31, 2024 

MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 1, LA Galaxy 2

San Jose drops 102nd California Clásico in all competitions; Sunday’s group stage conclusion between Chivas and LA Galaxy will now determine if Quakes advance to Leagues Cup Round of 32

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Earthquakes fell to the LA Galaxy 2-1 on Wednesday night at PayPal Park in 2024 Leagues Cup West 2 Group Stage play.

The 102nd California Clásico across all competitions almost began with a Galaxy goal in the ninth minute, but goalkeeper William Yarbrough’s spectacular double save prevented two dangerous shots from crossing the goal line. In the 18th minute, Amahl Pellegrino unleashed a low shot in the box that required a kick-save from LA goalkeeper Novak Mićović to keep the match scoreless. In minute 21, San Jose had two sizable opportunities to score. However, Jeremy Ebobisse’s left-footed strike sailed above the bar, and moments later, Carlos Gruezo’s attempt in the box was turned away by Mićović, while Hernán López’s shot off the rebound bounced out of play. In the 41st minute, the visitors finally broke the deadlock when Diego Fagundez curled a shot from the left wing at the edge of the box into the back of the net.

Entering the second half down a goal, the Quakes looked to push the issue. In the 67th minute, Cristian Espinoza broke free down the right wing, but could not connect with Pellegrino on the cross. Moments later, LA’s Joseph Paintsil eluded two defenders, but he could not do so a third time, as Rodrigues recovered the ball in the box to thwart the threat. In the 73rd minute, Quakes midfielder Hernán López drew a foul a few feet from the top of the box; the ensuing free kick was blocked. In the 75th minute, San Jose’s high pressure finally paid off in an equalizer, as team captain Jackson Yueill intercepted a wayward LA pass and found Gruezo, whose through ball for Ebobisse was coolly gathered and slotted home from the top of the box. However, the visitors would emerge in the 89th minute with a goal by Miguel Berry.

Despite the loss, the Quakes’ chances to advance to the Leagues Cup Round of 32 are still alive. After earning two points from their penalty shootout win over Chivas Guadalajara last Saturday, San Jose will now await the result of Sunday’s 7:30 p.m PT match between the Galaxy (3 points) and Chivas (1 point) to close the West 2 Group Stage. The two top teams in the group after Sunday will advance to the Leagues Cup Round of 32; the Quakes would go through if the Galaxy win Sunday by any means (in regulation or via penalties).

All Leagues Cup games are broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with San Jose’s matches in the competition also airing on local radio AM 810 The Spread (English).

GAME NOTES

Leagues Cup represents a monumental new chapter for North American soccer. Beginning last year, MLS and LIGA MX pause their regular seasons each summer and all 47 first-division professional clubs in both leagues compete in the official Concacaf-sanctioned tournament, which will qualify the top three finishers to the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Tonight’s Leagues Cup group stage match marked the 102nd California Clásico across all competitions between the Quakes and Galaxy, with San Jose now holding a 33-50-19 record (143 GF, 168 GA). The Earthquakes are 28-40-17 against LA in MLS play, with a 1-4-1 record in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and a 4-5-1 record in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Quakes also went to 18-17-11 in their all-time home record against their SoCal rivals.

Quakes forward Jeremy Ebobisse stayed hot with his second goal in as many Leagues Cup games to run his total to six in all competitions in 2024.

Defensive midfielder Carlos Gruezo broke up several Galaxy attacks while also earning his first goal contribution of the season with his 75th-minute assist to Ebobisse.

MATCH INFORMATION

San Jose Earthquakes 1 – 2 LA Galaxy

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 — PayPal Park; San Jose, Calif.

Weather: 76°F Sunny

Match Officials: 

Referee: Lukasz Szpala

AR1: Chris Ellliott

AR2: Cameron Blanchard

4th Official: Joe Dickerson

VAR: Daniel Radford

AVAR: Tristley Bassue

Scoring Summary:

LA (0-1) – Diego Fagúndez (Gabriel Pec) 41’

SJ (1-1) – Jeremy Ebobisse (Carlos Gruezo) 75’

LA (1-2) – Miguel Berry (Miki Yamane) 89’

Misconduct Summary:

SJ – Cristian Espinoza (caution) 56’

LA – John Nelson (caution) 60’

LA – Maya Yoshida (caution) 82’

LA – Miki Yamane (caution) 90+6’

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: William Yarbrough; Vitor Costa, Tanner Beason ( Ousseni Bouda 89’), Rodrigues, Benji Kikanović; Carlos Gruezo, Jackson Yueill (C), Hernán López (Daniel Munie 83’) ; Amahl Pellegrino (Paul Marie 72’), Cristian Espinoza, Jeremy Ebobisse.

Substitutes not used: Daniel (GK), Jacob Jackson (GK), Michael Baldisimo, Preston Judd, Alfredo Morales, Will Richmond, Jack Skahan, Tommy Thompson, Oscar Verhoeven.

POSS.: 44.6%; SHOTS: 14; SOG: 4; CORNERS: 2; OFFSIDES: 3; SAVES: 7; FOULS: 8; xG: 1.8 

LA GALAXY: Novak Mićović; Miki Yamane, Jalen Neal, Maya Yoshida (C), John Nelson (Miguel Berry 77’); Edwin Cerrillo ( Gastón Brugman 71’), Marco Delgado, Diego Fagúndez (Mauricio Cuevas 59’) , Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec; Joseph Paintsil.

Substitutes not used: John McCarthy (GK), Brady Scott (GK), Emiro Garcés, Tucker Lepley, Isaiah Parente, Eriq Zavaleta.

POSS.: 55.4%; SHOTS: 20 ; SOG: 9; CORNERS: 6; OFFSIDES: 1; SAVES: 3; FOULS: 13; xG: 2.8

EARTHQUAKES INTERIM HEAD COACH IAN RUSSELL

On overall reflections of the match:

“This one really hurts, especially because it was so late in the game and we just scored. It’s a really quality team. Galaxy is a very good team. But I still feel like we had enough chances to at least get a result in this game. But you have to finish and you have to defend late. You have to defend your box. We’ll look at the goal again, and I’ve seen it a few times, and there were three or four errors on that play that are so preventable, and that’s what’s frustrating.”

On Jeremy Ebobisse’s second goal in as many games:

“We felt pretty confident once we scored, we went to a back five, which really should prevent any diagonal balls that get in behind your back line at that point. But Jeremy’s been really good. Really good finish. I thought we pressed really well on that goal, and we played them and he finished it coolly. So two goals for Jeremy in this tournament, and he’s looking really sharp.”

On the decision to go with Will Yarbrough at goalkeeper after Daniel started his first game since March 16 last Saturday vs. Chivas:

“Daniel was really sore from last game. Daniel was out for [four] and a half months. He played a really good game, but fitness-wise, health-wise, he just didn’t feel ready to go and I have a lot of belief in Will. He made some really big saves again tonight. So whether it’s Will or Jacob or Daniel, I’ve got confidence in these guys.”

On the high pressure bearing fruit compared to the June 29 game vs. the Galaxy at Stanford Stadium:

“We got a good goal from it tonight. I thought we played tonight better than we did at Stanford. I think there’s improvement there. You still want more. At least a tie. I think a tie would’ve been a fair result with the amount of chances. They had a big chance early on with the one that hit William Yarbrough, but I think that was offside anyway. But yeah, I think we’ve improved.”

On moving forward after the result knowing the team’s Leagues Cup chances are still alive:

“We’ve had a few of these late goals. That’s frustrating, so the message is we’re going to come into tomorrow to train. Re-gen for some guys. We’ll watch some film, and then we have to move on. It is frustrating. This one definitely hurts, but you have to move on, and again, we’re still in it because of our result against Chivas, and we’ll go from there.”

####

Earthquakes Communications Contacts:

Ryan Maquiñana – Director, Communications

rmaquinana@sjearthquakes.com

C: 650.243.8523

Jake Jansing – Coordinator, Communications

jjansing@sjearthquakes.com

C: 408.425.1329