One goal conceded in six games.
The San Jose Earthquakes continued their best start in franchise history on Saturday by beating San Diego FC 3-0 at home, coming off the international break.
That’s five wins out of six games — and their second consecutive against two of the best teams in the Western Conference last season. The most surprising part about all of this? They’re doing it with a lineup of role players and local prospects.
“The biggest thing is that we look like a team,” said Bruce Arena. “It’s a complete effort by the group. And that’s important because we’re not competing with Inter Miami or LAFC for top-level players around the world.”
The Quakes, playing without star forward Timo Werner (injured) and vice-captain DeJuan Jones (out for the season), generated their offense through their off-ball press, which was coordinated and unrelenting on the warm night.
“The key is that we did it as a team, a collective,” said Niko Tsakiris, who became the second youngest San Jose player, behind Landon Donovan, to score a brace.
The promising midfielder, who has taken over the no. 10 shirt and role this season, said that pressing the visitors while they were in possession had been a focal point all week in training. And the plan worked to perfection. San Jose’s pressure led to multiple San Diego turnovers in the first half that led to all three goals, which easily could have been four or five.
It didn’t matter that the visitors had the best player not named Lionel Messi in the league, Anders Dreyer, on their squad. They could hardly get the ball out of their own half and eventually went down a man when center back Manu Duah got sent off on a red card in the 33rd minute for denying Preston Judd a clear goal scoring opportunity.
In response, Arena deployed a team of 10 willing runners who were athletic enough to both chase the game in the front and snuff out any danger in the back. At its best, the hosts were dictating where the ball was going and forced the visitors into uncomfortable moments of transition after they’d inevitably had to boot the ball long.
“We put them in a few foot races that they couldn’t deal with,” Arena said. “Speed is a factor in any sport, but it’s not only physical. It’s mental and technical, and I think we’re starting to put some of those pieces together.”
The center back tandem of Daniel Munie and Reid Roberts has been nothing short of a revelation this year. Both players have above-average speed and are comfortable with the ball at their feet. That allows them to press high since they are able to track back if a team manages to play through them.
In the middle is where the magic really happens. Captain Ronaldo Viera’s frame provides a strong physical presence which allow Tsakiris and Beau Leroux to pounce when the moment is right. Both young men have been playing with a naive confidence that has been refreshing to watch. Every time they’re near or inside the box, they’re trying to score.
Still, guts and grit can only take a team so far. Eventually, Arena and the front office will have to find ways to add to the squad in the next transfer window, which doesn’t open again until July. Without Werner or Jones, Jamar Ricketts had to move to left back and the bench included only midfielders and defenders.
Furthermore, teams will start devising their own counters the more tape there is on the Quakes and the team will inevitably lose more players to injury. Arena said Werner is expected back next week and the German was spotted after the match walking normally in street clothes.
“We’ll look to make one or two additions,” Arena said. “But I’m pleased with the group we have… I haven’t been concerned about the fact that we haven’t brought in whole lot of players, because I think we have good players right now.”
Arena, 74, is leading one of the most exciting turnarounds in American soccer as the oldest coach in the league. Despite being old enough to be most of his players’ grandfather, he’s managed to connect with the group and make it greater than the sum of its parts.
“The culture has shifted,” Tsakiris said. “My opportunity right now [to take a bigger role] for the club. It’s special. I recognize the moment that I have in front of me… I want this responsibility.”
About the Author: Kevin V. Nguyen is a business and sports journalist based in the Bay Area. Follow him on X/Twitter @KevinNguyen_89 or on Bluesky @kevinvnguyen.bsky.social
