SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose Earthquakes forward Cristian Espinoza and head coach Luchi Gonzalez have been named to Major League Soccer’s Team of the Matchday, formerly known as Team of the Week, for Matchday 11. Espinoza scored two goals to help San Jose earn a decisive 2-1 victory over the reigning MLS champions LAFC in front of 45,000+ fans on Saturday at Levi’s Stadium.
Cristian Espinoza scored two goals on Saturday, tallying his first with a low strike in the eighth minute and his game-winning goal via penalty in the 83rd minute. Espinoza scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season and is now tied for first in goals in MLS alongside LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and Seattle’s Jordan Morris and surpasses his MLS career-high in goals in a season.
With head coach Luchi Gonzalez at the helm, the Quakes were able to hand LAFC their first defeat of the season and end their 10-match unbeaten streak. Gonzalez and the Earthquakes saw their unbeaten streak at home this season extended to a 5-0-1 record with the result.
The MLS Team of the Matchday selection is Espinoza’s fourth of the season (Matchday 3, 6, 10, and 11) and eleventh since joining the Earthquakes in January 2019. The recognition is Gonzalez’s first with the Quakes and sixth of his MLS coaching career.
MLS TEAM OF THE MATCHDAY (MATCHDAY 11)
Forwards:Josef Martinez (MIA), Brian White (VAN), Enzo Copetti (CLT), Cristian Espinoza (SJ)
Midfielders:Connor Ronan (COL), Erik Thommy (SKC), Hany Mukhtar (NSH)
Defenders:DeJuan Jones (NE), Damion Lowe (PHI), Aaron Herrera (MTL)
Goalkeeper:Steve Clark (HOU)
Coach: Luchi Gonzalez (SJ)
Bench: Andre Blake (PHI), Rudy Camacho (MTL), Lalas Abubakar (VAN), Alvaro Barreal (CIN), Noel Buck (NE), Owen Wolff (ATX), Luciano Acosta (CIN), Ryan Gauld (VAN), Evander (POR)
