The Quakes kicked off their 2023 preseason tour against 2021 MLS Cup champions New York City FC in a closed-door friendly on Tuesday morning in Santa Barbara, Calif.
The two teams played two 45-minute halves with new Earthquakes head coach Luchi Gonzalez opting for a first-choice lineup to kick off the match. The Quakes opened the scoring, capitalizing at the end of a 45-pass sequence, and took a 1-0 lead into halftime. San Jose then replaced 10 of the 11 starters at the start of the second half and were able to double their lead through a direct free kick. NYCFC clawed back with a pair of goals to equalize.