PORTLAND, Ore. – The San Jose Earthquakes fell 2-0 to the Portland Timbers on Saturday night at Providence Park in Portland, Ore. The match marked the Quakes first Leagues Cup competition in club history.
The Quakes nearly opened the scoring in the 16th minute, with defender Miguel Trauco’s shot from distance going just wide of the net. San Jose lost midfielder Jack Skahan, who exited the match with an injury in the 22nd minute. The Portland Timbers capitalized in the 33rd minute on a goal from Evander, and then found the game-winner late in the second half from Felipe Mora.
The Earthquakes will now prepare to host Liga MX side Tigres UANL in their final group stage match on Sunday, July 30. Kickoff from PayPal Park is slated for 8:00 p.m. PT and will be streamed globally on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, FS1 and Univision, as well as on local radio via 810 AM The Spread (English) and 1370 KZSF (Spanish).
GAME NOTES
The Earthquakes played their first-ever Leagues Cup match, and will finish group play on Sunday, July 30th, at home against Tigres UANL.
The last time the Quakes won at Providence Park was a 1-0 extra-time victory for the U.S. Open Cup on May 3, 2011.
Forward Cade Cowell and midfielder Jackson Yueill returned to San Jose’s roster after representing the United States at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.
MATCH INFORMATION
2023 Leagues Cup
Portland Timbers 2 – 0 San Jose Earthquakes
Saturday, July 22, 2023 – Providence Park, Portland, Ore.
Attendance: 21,237
Scoring Summary:
POR (1-0) – Evander (Jaroslaw Niezgoda) 33’
POR (2-0) – Felipe Mora (Marvin Loria, Cristhian Paredes) 86’
Misconduct Summary:
SJ – Carlos Gruezo (caution) 35’
POR – Cristhian Paredes (caution) 45+2’
PORTLAND TIMBERS: David Bingham; Juan David Mosquera, Zac McGraw, Dario Zuparic, Claudo Bravo; Diego Chara (C), Cristhian Paredes, Evander (Sebastian Blanco 85’); Dairon Asprilla (Santiago Moreno 78’), Yimmi Chara (Marvin Loria 58’), Jaroslaw Niezgoda (Felipe Mora 58’).
Substitutes not used: Aljaz Ivacic (GK), Hunter Sulte (GK), Miguel Araujo, Noel Caliskan, Nathan Fogaca, Larrys Mabiala, Eric Miller, Justin Rasmussen.
SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 12; CORNER KICKS: 0; SAVES: 3
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel; Miguel Trauco, Tanner Beason, Rodrigues, Carlos Akapo (Paul Marie 70’); Carlos Gruezo, Jackson Yueill (C), Jack Skahan (Niko Tsakiris 22’); Cade Cowell (Benji Kikanović 84’), Jeremy Ebobisse, Cristian Espinoza (Ousseni Bouda 84’).
Substitutes not used: JT Marcinkowski (GK), Michael Baldisimo, Cam Cilley, Jonathan Mensah, Daniel Munie, Tommy Thompson.
SHOTS: 11; SHOTS ON GOAL: 3; FOULS: 9; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 2
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH LUCHI GONZALEZ
On the team’s performance:
“I think it’s a tough sensation when you did a lot of good things. I’m happy with that aspect. The last action, getting the shot off, connecting the cross with the runner. Did we have the right last speed, the last. The killer instinct to put it away. We were lacking that, we didn’t get on the scoresheet.”
Coach Gonzalez on resetting ahead of Tigres:
“We’ll rest now, and we’ll be ready to rebuild and see what happens Wednesday. No matter what it’s not impossible to qualify. We still believe.”
On the team working to finish chances:
"Video is going to help, this is an opportunity to just show a lot of the buildup, the defensive shapes, it’s a video analysis moment of look at the volume, hey it’s positive, what can we do to get on the end of these. One of our biggest values in development. Ownership, ownership too. We accept that we need to have stronger actions and more belief in the box.”
