San Diego FC score late comeback in 2-1 win over Earthquakes

SAN JOSE — You can't let a sleeping dog lie around too long.

Anders Dreyer scored the game winning goal in the 84th minute as San Diego FC delivered a 2-1 comeback victory over the San Jose Earthquakes in the first ever matchup between the two squads on Sunday afternoon at PayPal Park.

San Jose has lost three out its last four matches and remained in 9th place and the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 32 points. San Diego has won three league matches in a row and five overall including Leagues Cup play as they remained atop of the Western Conference standings with 52 points.

San Jose (8-11-9-32 points) dominated the first half play with nine total shots compared to just two for San Diego. The Earthquakes had three quality chances in the final five minutes of the half. Cristian Espinoza had two of those chances in the 42nd and 45th minutes with two shots inside the box. Espinoza's first attempt sailed just wide left of the net. Then his second attempt was stopped by San Diego goalkeeper CJ dos Santos.

“I think we had opportunities to get a second goal," said Quakes head coach Bruce Arena. "We weren't clean enough in and around the penalty area. Somebody told me we had 12 shots inside the penalty area. I think technically we didn't play well inside the penalty area. Our touch or getting a shot off quicker wasn't there. We had too many shots blocked. We had chances to get the second goal as well.”

San Diego (16-7-5-52 points) came into the match with injuries to their back line with three of their starting defenders out. It was a quiet opening 45 minutes for leading MVP candidate Dreyer and fellow MLS all-star Jeppe Tverskov who is second on the team with nine assists.

The Quakes broke through on the scoreboard in the 72nd minute thanks to an embarrassing blunder by dos Santos inside his own box. dos Santos nonchalantly tried to kick the ball out of his defensive zone but Noel Buck, who came in as a substitute a minute before, pressured dos Santos and the ball deflected off his body. Josef Martinez collected the ball, made a move around dos Santos and delivered the ball into the back of the net off of the head of Manu Duah for his team leading 12th goal of the season and 128th of his MLS career.

The expansion club struck back to even the match in the 81st minute. Franco Negri crossed the ball into the middle of the box from just outside the 18 on the left side. An unmarked Marcus Ingvartsen buried the ball into the back of the net with a header for his second goal of the season.

Then three minutes later San Diego gained its first lead on a counterattack play. Christopher McVey found Ingvarsten inside their defensive zone. Ingvartsen quickly sent a long pass out to Dreyer for a breakaway attempt. Dreyer got Quakes goalkeeper Daniel to go down before gliding the ball into the far corner of the net for his team leading 13th goal of the season.

“I think it's just a lack of concentration and commitment from all of us. It's a team sport. Everybody has to be brought in, myself included. When we don't play as a team, don't keep working hard as a team, things like this can happen, especially if it's a good team," Buck said.

dos Santos finished the match with four saves on five shots to earn the victory. Daniel made one save on three shots in the losing effort.

“We converted three points in our favor to no points in the closing minutes of the game. So, there's no excuses for that. I would say a poorly coached team, to be able to walk off the field with zero points after the 81st minute," Arena said.

GAME NOTES

• San Jose finished with three corner kicks. San Diego had six.
• The Earthquakes celebrated Autism Awareness Night, where the first 200 fans who bought a special-event ticket benefiting autism organizations received a limited-edition poster illustrated by artist Shane Tarkington, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2. Quakes Sporting Director/Head Coach Bruce Arena joined his grandson Holden, who was diagnosed with autism at an early age, in the ceremonial First Kick with his mother Jenny and father Kenny, who is currently an FC Cincinnati assistant coach. Comedian Ron Funches, whose son was also diagnosed with autism, fired the ceremonial pregame siren.
• DeJuan Jones is the only Quakes player who had previously faced San Diego FC. The defender tallied an assist against San Diego with his former club Columbus Crew on March 15, 2025. 
• Espinoza had three key passes to run his league-leading total to 89. His 12 assists are still good for fourth in MLS (tied).
• After scoring once today, the Quakes are now tied for fourth in the league for team goals (50), behind Orlando City SC and Inter Miami CF (53) and San Diego FC (52). 
• The Earthquakes continue to lead MLS in expected goals (55.73).
• San Jose begins a two-match road trip on Saturday August 23rd when they play the Houston Dynamo at 5:30pm at Shell Energy Stadium.