The San Jose Earthquakes are intent on riding Cristian Espinoza as far as he can take them. Before the MLS season pauses for a month-long break for the League’s Cup, the Argentine—now in his fifth season with the club—added to his breakthrough season by contributing to both goals in a massive 2-0 win over the third place Seattle Sounders.
The latest feather in his cap includes becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in assists, surpassing Shea Salinas. And the goal that got him the record couldn’t have been any better. In the 64th minute, Espinoza’s long swinging corner landed at the feet of Miguel Trauco, who smashed home a volley from outside the box, his second goal of that kind this season.
“To be honest, we just try to put as many balls into the box as we can,” Espinoza said. “But [Trauco] was raising his hand, and what an amazing finish that was.”
With 18 goal contributions already this season, Espinoza is in the midst of the best season of his professional career. After passing through loan after loan in La Liga and the Primera Division in Argentina, he came to San Jose with the promise of extended playing time under his countryman, then coach, Matias Almeyda.
Next week, he’ll finally make his first MLS All-Star appearance in D.C. against Arsenal.
“I was excited when I first arrived here,” Espinoza said. “But I couldn’t have expected what has happened since. I am very happy with this moment. All of the effort and sacrifice is paying off now.”
Wednesday’s win elevates San Jose to the fifth seed, rounding out the group of teams in the West with a winning record. At the break, they stand at eight wins, eight draws and seven losses, only three points off of Seattle.
Should they manage to pass any of the teams ahead of them, PayPal Park could host its first ever playoff game since opening in 2015.
To get here, San Jose has had to find a way to grind out results against some of the league’s strongest teams. On the run, they’ve already nicked LAFC, LA Galaxy, Philadelphia Union and Seattle twice.
Under Luchi Gonzalez, with his preferred starting XI available, the Quakes play, in his words, “protagonist” soccer, often on the front foot in an expansive and vertical 4-3-3. With Jackson Yueill, Cade Cowell and Jamiro Monteiro still out of the lineup recently, they’ve switched to a more disciplined and pragmatic side that takes advantage of key moments.
“We want to have variability in how we build,” Gonzalez said. “It doesn’t have to look the same every time because eventually every team knows how you set up. So we tweak depending on what’s available, but the principles remain the same.”
Jack Skahan continues to be relied upon. After finding his way into Luchi’s starting lineup against St. Louis as a winger with “Cade-esque qualities,” the 2020 draft pick has been deputizing for Yueill and Monteiro in the middle of the park. In the 17th minute, his threatening drive into Seattle’s top-ranked defense helped set up a penalty that Espinoza converted.
“When everyone is healthy, it’s hard to make this roster,” Gonzalez said. “But Jack has a great attitude and fights for the jersey no matter the level. Little by little, he’s been smelling the opportunities and showing that he’s an MLS-level player and a valuable contributor to this team.”
What makes Wednesday’s win even sweeter is that Seattle is where San Jose aspires to be again—13 straight playoff appearances since their reintroduction into the American top flight; four appearances in the finals, winning two. Then, MLS’s first CONCACAF champion in 2022.
While Espinoza is finally finding his All Star form now, the Sounders boast a bevy of game breakers that have propelled them near the top of the standings. Brian Schmetzer’s team unsurprisingly also pushes high up the field; and with their own key absences, dual talismans Albert Rusnak and Nico Lodeiro have been tucking inside as two roving 10s, creating a dangerous box-midfield.
Despite the final scoreline, the Sounders enjoyed long spells of possession inside the opposing half and will undoubtedly be more dangerous with the return of U.S. internationals Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan, who have been away at Gold Cup. (Before kickoff, the U.S. fell to Panama in the semi-final via penalties.)
Schmetzer has also continued his track record of successfully blending academy youngsters into his team—something Luchi and the Quakes are starting to do with more regularity. On the day Tommy Thompson made his 200th appearance for the club, homegrown midfielder Cameron Cilley also made his professional debut.
“[Cilley] came on as a like-for-like for Judson,” Gonzalez said. “He was ready. He’s a great product, but still with a lot to learn. Who better to learn from than Tommy, the OG homegrown, who will find any way to help this team.”
To make room for the newly expanded Leagues Cup, which will feature every MLS and Liga MX team, the Quakes will pause their regular season until late August.
Before the tournament enters its single-elimination phase, the Quakes will take on the Portland Timbers (away) on July 22 and Liga MX’s Tigres UANL (home) on July 30.
About the Author: Kevin V. Nguyen has covered soccer for The Guardian, The Sacramento Bee, and The San Francisco Standard. Follow him on Twitter @KevinNguyen_89
