SAN JOSE — A relentless attack and a surplus of golden opportunities never matured into a decisive goal for the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night.
There was no final payoff for the sellout crowd at PayPal Park to let out its collective emotion and celebrate a much-needed victory.
And yet, in the end, the result was enough. The Earthquakes finished their regular season with a 1-1 draw against Austin FC to punch their ticket to the MLS playoffs for the first time since 2020 and just the third time in the last 12 seasons.
It was just last August that United States Men’s National Team assistant coach Luchi Gonzalez took the job as the Earthquakes head coach, inheriting a last-place team that needed a cultural makeover, and made this proclamation: “We must make the playoffs next year.”
Behind Gonzalez’s calm presence and defensive-minded approach, the Earthquakes turned themselves from a team that conceded the most goals in the Western Conference to a team that conceded the fourth-least. And when it mattered in the end, they collected the results: four consecutive draws to finish their season with just enough points (44) to squeak in as the No. 9 and final seed.
With a little help from Portland, which lost their final game on Saturday to slip out of playoff contention, the Quakes earned the right to a wild card game that will take place in Kansas City vs. Sporting KC on Wednesday.
Now they’ll have to win a do-or-die game vs. KC. If they do, they’ll advance to a best-of-three playoff against St. Louis City FC, the best team in the Western Conference. It would guarantee the Quakes a home playoff game for the first time since 2012, and the first time ever at PayPal Park.
If they carry their momentum from Saturday night’s finale into Kansas City, they should be just fine.
The Earthquakes were unquestionably the better team against Austin.
They came out flying in the early going, creating several early chances until they converted a beauty in the 16th minute.
It was their striker, Jeremy Ebobisse, who made the defensive play of the game to get it going. As the Quakes tried to win the ball back in Austin’s end, Ebobisse made a sliding tackle that knocked the ball free and left it in a tantalizing position for the Quakes’ best player, Cristian Espinoza.
The Argentinian winger took a few touches, then hammered home a low shot to the near post that put the Earthquakes ahead 1-0. PayPal Park erupted and, for a moment, the Quakes looked like they’d be in position to host a playoff game.
Their only defensive mistake was hardly a mistake at all; it’s hard to say the Earthquakes could have done anything to stop it.
In the 32nd minute, Austin’s Owen Wolff scored a beautiful goal. It began with an unassuming cross towards the top of the box, but resulted in an unthinkable deflected header that looked like it was on a string, looping over the Quakes goalkeeper, Daniel, and tucking itself into the upper corner of the net.
The sellout crowd at PayPal Park went silent. What just happened?
The Quakes had hardly given Austin any chances all night. Their first shot on goal was their only shot on goal in the entire 90 minutes.
And for the rest of the game, the Earthquakes carried most of the possession and almost all of the offensive opportunities. They just couldn’t convert.
The rebuilt back line, starring Rodrigues and Jonathan Mensah in center back roles, was rock solid. Quakes’ homegrown center defensive midfielder and team captain, Jackson Yueill, played an excellent game in the conductor role, dipping and diving out of the midfield to control the pace and tempo like a seasoned veteran.
Espinoza created chance after chance, including a pair of crosses that landed on the foot of Ebobisse, but he launched one at the keeper and another that hit the inside of the post.
Mensah had the Quakes last chance, a bullet off his head that looked destined for the right corner but was stopped by Austin goalie Brad Stuver.
The Quakes finished the season 10-14-10.