NEW YORK – The San Jose Earthquakes fell 5-1 to New York City Football Club on Friday at Yankee Stadium in front of 20,188 fans.
After a scoreless first half, the hosts struck first when Hannes Wolf finished a Santiago Rodriguez feed in the 50th minute. San Jose would answer three minutes later when outstanding holdup play from Jeremy Ebobisse and a subsequent through ball from Hernán López led to Amahl Pellegrino’s fifth goal of the season. However, in the 80th minute, Santiago Rodriguez scored from the edge of the box for the go-ahead goal. Alonso Martinez would net the third through fifth in the 85th, 92nd and 95th minutes to put the game away.
The Quakes now head into the international break before resuming MLS play on Saturday, June 15, in a home match against FC Cincinnati. 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 AM 810 The Spread (English) and AM 1370 La Kaliente (Spanish).
GAME NOTES
The Quakes are now 0-6-1 against NYCFC in MLS regular-season play and 0-5-0 away.
The last time the Quakes recorded a point against NYCFC was August 5, 2016, a scoreless draw in San Jose.
Hernán López notched his first MLS assist when he fed Amahl Pellegrino in the 53rd minute. The Argentine midfielder has now either scored or assisted in three of his five MLS starts.
Pellegrino netted his fifth goal of the season and his fourth in the last six MLS games.
MATCH INFORMATION
NYCFC 5-1 San Jose Earthquakes
Friday, May 31, 2024 – Yankee Stadium; New York, N.Y.
Weather: 73°F, Sunny
Attendance: 20,188
Match Officials:
Referee: Mark Allatin
AR1: Jeremy Kieso
AR2: Adam Wienckowski
4th Official: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
VAR: Daniel Radford
AVAR: Peter Balciunas
Scoring Summary:
NYCFC (1-0) – Hannes Wolf (Santiago Rodriguez) 50’
SJ (1-1) – Amahl Pellegrino (Hernán López) 53’
NYCFC (2-1) – Santiago Rodriguez 80’
NYCFC (3-1) – Alonso Martinez 85’
NYCFC (4-1) – Alonso Martinez 90+2’
NYCFC (5-1) – Alonso Martinez (Andres Perea, Malachi Jones) 90+5’
Misconduct Summary:
NYCFC – Julian Fernandes (caution) 15'
NYCFC – Strahinja Tanasijevic (caution) 17'
SJ – Jackson Yueill (caution) 23'
NYCFC – James Sands (caution) 60'
NEW YORK CITY FC: Matt Freese (GK); Birk Risa, Strahinja Tanasijević, Kevin O’Toole (Mitja Ilenic 39’), Tayvon Gray; James Sands (C), Santiago Rodriguez, Keaton Parks (Andres Perea 75’); Jovan Mijatovic (Alonso Martinez 58’), Julian Fernández (Malachi Jones 58’), Hannes Wolf (Maxi Moralez 75’).
Substitutes not used: Luis Barraza (GK), Mitja Llenic, Talles Magno, Agustin Ojeda.
POSS.: 57.5%; SHOTS: 20; SOG: 7; CORNERS: 4; OFFSIDES: 4; SAVES: 2; FOULS: 14; xG: 2.6
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: William Yarbrough (GK); Tanner Beason, Bruno Wilson (Daniel Munie 34’), Rodrigues, Paul Marie (Preston Judd 85’); Jackson Yueill (C), Niko Tsakiris (Jack Skahan 81’), Hernán López, Amahl Pellegrino, Cristian Espinoza; Jeremy Ebobisse.
Substitutes not used: Jacob Jackson (GK), Carlos Gruezo, Cruz Medina, Alfredo Morales, Tommy Thompson, Oscar Verhoeven.
POSS.: 42.5%; SHOTS: 12; SOG: 3; CORNERS: 6; OFFSIDES: 3; SAVES: 2; FOULS: 8; xG: 0.8
EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH LUCHI GONZALEZ
On the shift in momentum after the 80th minute:
“I thought we had really good control of the game. I thought we created some really good opportunities to be up front and being the lead up until the 80th minute. … We tried to get aggressive with a 3-5-2 [formation] with two forwards up top. We didn't play maybe direct enough for the system. We tried to still play wide passes that were getting closed down.”
“I had [Carlos] Gruezo ready to come in for Niko [Tsakiris] and Jack [Skahan] for [Amahl Pellegrino]. They were it; just maybe could have had the sub earlier ready to come in, but we had it ready at [the] 78[th minute] and unfortunately, they scored in [the] 80[th minute]. Those guys were waiting to come in, so wish we could have got them in. And I think that would have given us some good fresh legs to continue that moment when it was 1-1.”
On tactical adjustments following player suspensions on the back line heading into the match:
“[Amahl Pellegrino] and Cristian [Espinoza] being wingbacks are not ideal, but we still had three center backs on the field, and you have Jack Skahan centrally and a 3-2 structure to protect, but it just didn't work. It fell apart. We didn't play direct enough to challenge the two versus two on the backline with two forwards and every transition was an open attack for them. That's all of our responsibility. Definitely disappointed in that it didn't work. It opened us up. Probably could have had one or two other guys in there to balance defensively. We went for it; it didn't work. Players didn't adapt to what we were looking for there at the end and it's all of our responsibility.”
On the status of midfielders Niko Tsakiris, Alfredo Morales and Carlos Gruezo:
“Niko finished the last game, I thought, really strong against Austin and he is working hard defensively. Maybe it's not his natural instinct to be an all-out defender but he has energy and intensity. Alfredo had an injury to his foot a few weeks ago and coming back from that. He's working his way through. He’s working his way into the group, competing. I know this is his past club. He was really good at sharing insight and his experience with them and how we can hurt them. He's coming back from an injury and he's yet to really maybe play the minutes. … We have Gruezo that’s going to be in Copa America and everybody in our midfield needs to be ready to step up and participate.”
