AUSTIN, Texas – In a wild back-and-forth match, the San Jose Earthquakes fell 4-3 to Austin FC on Saturday night at Q2 Stadium.
For the fifth time in seven games this season, the Quakes got on the board first when in the 20th minute, Paul Marie headed home a Cristian Espinoza cross for the defender’s first goal of the season. Six minutes later, Marie would add a second goal for San Jose, but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) booth annulled it for offside.
Marie was again a principal player in the 36th minute when Jáder Obrian appeared to score to draw Austin level, but that sequence was also called back by VAR because the Frenchman was fouled en route to the goal. The Quakes doubled their advantage in the 57th minute as Jeremy Ebobisse scored his second goal of the season off a counterattack.
However, Austin FC would reel off three straight goals in six minutes to wrest the lead away. In the 61st minute, Sebastian Driussi converted a penalty kick, and just two minutes later, they equalized through an Obrian volley in the box. Austin completed the comeback in the 67th minute via a Guilherme Biro goal.
But the Quakes refused to fold, and in the 74th minute, second-half substitute Amahl Pellegrino found the back of the net for his first MLS goal to even the score once more. Both sides assailed their respective nets in the closing moments, but Driussi would score from the edge of the box in the 11th minute of stoppage time for the final margin.
The Quakes will now return home and prepare to host the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, April 13, presented by Coca-Cola. Kickoff from PayPal Park is set for 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, as well as on local radio via AM 810 The Spread (English) and AM 1370 La Kaliente (Spanish).
GAME NOTES
The Earthquakes moved to 2-1-5 all-time against Austin, including a 1-1-3 record on the road.
Defender Paul Marie scored his first goal of the season and fifth of his MLS career.
Forward Jeremy Ebobisse scored his second goal of the season and 56th of his MLS career, 30 of which have been scored with the Quakes.
Forward Amahl Pellegrino scored his first goal of the season and of his MLS career.
Forward Cristian Espinoza tallied his third and fourth assists of the season and extended his all-time club assist record to 61.
Midfielder Niko Tsakiris tallied his first assist of the season and of his MLS career.
MATCH INFORMATION
Austin FC 4 – 3 San Jose Earthquakes
Saturday, April 6, 2024 – Q2 Stadium; Austin, Texas
Attendance: 20,738
Scoring Summary:
SJ (1-0) – Paul Marie (Cristian Espinoza) 20’
SJ (2-0) – Jeremy Ebobisse (Niko Tsakiris) 57’
ATX (2-1) – Sebastian Driussi (Penalty) 62’
ATX (2-2) – Jáder Obrian (Jon Gallagher) 62’
ATX (3-2) – Guilherme Biro (Alex Ring) 62’
SJ (3-3) – Amahl Pellegrino (Cristian Espinoza) 74’
ATX (4-3) – Sebastian Driussi (unassisted) 90+11’
Misconduct Summary:
SJ – Tanner Beason (caution) 11’
ATX – Jon Gallagher (caution) 29’
SJ – Carlos Akapo (caution) 34’
SJ – Paul Marie (caution) 40’
ATX – Jáder Obrian (caution) 40’
ATX – Brad Stuver (caution) 88’
AUSTIN FC: Brad Stuver; Brendan Hines-Ike, Hector Jimenez (Guilherme Biro 63‘), Jon Gallagher, Julio Cascante; Dani Pereira, Alex Ring, Owen Wolff; Sebastian Driussi (C), Jáder Obrian (Ethan Finley 80‘), Diego Rubio (Gyasi Zardes 80‘).
Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland (GK), Matt Hedges, Jhojan Valencia, Emiliano Rigoni.
POSS.: 60.4%; SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; CORNERS: 9; SAVES: 6; FOULS: 12; xG: 2.1
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: William Yarbrough; Paul Marie, Tanner Bseason, Rodrigues, Carlos Akapo; Alfredo Morales (Jack Skahan 70’), Carlos Gruezo, Niko Tsakiris; Cristian Espinoza (C) (Daniel Munie 90+7’), Jeremy Ebobisse (Ousseni Bouda 90+8’), Benji Kikanović (Amahl Pellegrino 70’).
Substitutes not used: Emi Ochoa (GK), Jamar Ricketts, Beau Leroux, Tommy Thompson.
POSS.: 39.6%; SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 9; CORNERS: 3; SAVES: 2; FOULS: 12; xG: 3.0
EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH LUCHI GONZALEZ
On his overall impressions of the game:
“This is not an easy one to swallow. We had a 2-0 lead, so that’s first and foremost. We have to be better. Not even playing great but creating chances. Statistically if you have a 2-0 lead you should win. We let them back in the game right away. … There are things there we can control. It’s not about talent, but awareness and doing what you need to do to not concede. But I believe in our team. I believe in our staff.
“We can beat anybody. … but we’ve been our own worst enemy. It’s not just about the goalkeeper and back line. It’s everybody. It’s 20 seconds left and not allowing that [last goal]. Win second balls. Have urgency covering behind and in the box. Those are the things we can control; it’s not about talent. We have the team to win games. It’s a long season. We have to wake up and have to forget about that right way and focus on the next game.”
On struggles sustaining leads throughout the season so far:
“We’ve scored the first goal in five of the first seven games, but we haven’t been able to extend and sustain that advantage. But the game is over 90 minutes, and we have to do a better job collectively. We’ll bounce back.”
