SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes fell to Minnesota United FC 1-0 on Saturday night in front of 16,102 fans at PayPal Park.
The visitors got on the board first in the 33rd minute when Kelvin Yeboah volleyed home a Michael Boxall service from the right wing to give MNUFC a 1-0 lead. The Quakes went on a furious run in the second half, unleashing 11 shots, but could not find the equalizer before the final whistle for their first defeat of the season.
The Black and Blue continue their homestand next Saturday, March 15, when they take on the Colorado Rapids. 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 KSFO 810 AM (English) and 1370 AM La Kaliente (Spanish).
GAME NOTES
San Jose moved to 5-7-4 all-time vs. Minnesota United FC (21 GF, 27 GA) with a home record of 3-4-2 (13 GF, 17 GA). Tonight’s win snaps a four-game winless streak against the Loons (0-2-2). In the Black and Blue’s last win over MNUFC, Shea Salinas and Benji Kikanović netted in a 2-0 win at PayPal Park.
Minnesota United FC’s 33rd-minute goal marked the first time all season the Quakes faced a deficit after 212 minutes.
Goalkeeper Daniel shone once again, making five saves on the night.
Cristian Espinoza extended his run of consecutive MLS regular-season games played tonight to a current league-high of 112 (Oct. 2, 2021 – present). The streak is not only a Quakes record but now tied for fourth longest in MLS history with former goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and second among all field players, trailing only Chris Klein (141). Former goalkeeper Luis Robles holds the all-time league record regardless of position with 183 straight appearances (Sept. 29, 2012 – May 12, 2018).
San Jose Earthquakes 0 – 1 Minnesota United FC
Saturday, March 8, 2025 – PayPal Park; San Jose, Calif.
Weather: 55°F Clear
Attendance: 16,102
Match Officials:
Referee: Ricardo Fierro
AR1: Chris Elliot
AR2: Eduardo Jeff
VAR: Sorin Stoica
AVAR: Craig Lowry
4th: Lorenzo Hernandez
Scoring Summary:
MIN (0-1) – Kelvin Yeboah (Michael Boxall, Tani Oluwaseyi) 33’
Misconduct Summary:
MIN – Hassani Dotson (caution) 45’
SJ – Beau Leroux (caution) 61’
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel (GK); Rodrigues (Niko Tsakiris 90+2’), Bruno Wilson, Dave Romney; Jamar Ricketts (Vítor Costa 69’), Ian Harkes (Mark-Anthony Kaye 70’), Beau Leroux (Preston Judd 79’), Cristian Espinoza (C); Amahl Pellegrino (Ousseni Bouda 70’), Chicho Arango, Josef Martínez.
Substitutes not used: Earl Edwards Jr. (GK), Max Floriani, Nick Lima, Daniel Munie.
POSS.: 68.4%; SHOTS: 15; SOG: 3; CORNERS: 10; OFFSIDES: 3; SAVES: 5; FOULS: 8; xG: 1.5
MINNESOTA UNITED FC: Dayne St. Clair (GK); Anthony Markanich (Fernando Romero 87’); Michael Boxall (C), Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Morris Duggan, Jefferson Diaz (Carlos Harvey 65’); Robin Lod (Joaquin Pereyra 79’), Will Trapp, Hassani Dotson; Kelvin Yeboah (Sang Bin Jeong 65’), Tani Oluwayesi (Owen Frantz Gene 79’).
Substitutes not used: Alec Smir (GK), Devin Padelford, Hoyeon Jung, Samuel Shashoua.
POSS.: 31.6%; SHOTS: 10; SOG: 6; CORNERS: 4; OFFSIDES: 6; SAVES: 2; FOULS: 13; xG: 1.9
EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA
On his overall thoughts of the game:
“[Minnesota United FC] have an experienced team and obviously they have a very good defensive posture, and they were hard to break down. We need to be a little bit cleaner technically to try to create some other chances and give them a lot of credit. Our team played hard. They played well, in segments of the game, but not well enough to get a goal and at least walk off the field with a point.”
On conceding the lone goal of the match:
“[Minnesota United FC] defended very well. They dealt with a lot of crosses quite well. We obviously made a mistake on the goal, not clearing the ball properly, and not doing a good job stepping to the player who finished. I don't even know who finished the goal, but bad defending on our part on that particular play, I’m not concerned about a couple of chances they got at the end of the game, because we were very exposed trying to get the goal. We opened ourselves up. We were well aware that was going to happen. I give our keeper [Daniel] credit. He made a lot of good saves.”
On trying to score on Minnesota United FC’s five-man back line:
“We could have been better in creating some better chances, but they were a tough team to break down with the numbers they put behind the ball and the back line. They did a good job.”
On the defense playing relatively well, having only conceded one goal in the run of play in three games:
“They are playing well and getting more comfortable with each other, but every phase of the game we can be better. Tonight, we didn't create enough quality chances. That's obviously an area we have to work on.”
EARTHQUAKES FORWARD CRISTIAN ESPINOZA
On almost converting his second-half free kick:
“Yes, absolutely yes, As soon as I saw the ball going over the wall, I was almost expecting that it was going to end up inside the net. It was very close, but unfortunately, I didn’t score the goal.”
On having Chicho Arango as a dual option on free kicks:
“It's always pretty good to have a different option to take the free kick; it’s good for us. Unfortunately, we didn't have Hernán [López] available, but Hernán also is a player who can also take the free kick, and he's also a lefty. So we have a lot of options.”
On what was missing tonight in attack:
“We tried everything to break down the line of five they put in the back. I think it’s very difficult to have the opportunities to score when they put the lines too low, and when they defend for most of the game with almost nine players inside the box. But as I say, we need to keep working and improving, because probably during the season, we're going to face another similar situation.”
On tonight’s result not affecting the team’s confidence:
“I think is so far it's been pretty good. Tonight's result won’t affect what we did. I think that we have a really strong team, a really strong lineup, and really good players this year. It’s a good mix between experienced and young players. We just need to keep working. We're going to face this situation again during the year. We’re going to face teams here at PayPal Park who are going to defend the whole game, and we need to be ready for that.”
