The San Jose Earthquakes, having so noisily stormed their way to the quarterfinals of the MLS is Back tournament, were knocked out of the competition without so much as a whimper in a woeful 4-1 defeat to Minnesota United on Saturday night. They were uncharacteristically slow and passive, allowing two early goals and never recovering.
“It’s pretty simple, we were outplayed by the opponent,” said Quakes head coach Matias Almeyda. “In these instances, unfortunately, you’ve got to get your bags and go home.”
Almeyda has now lost all four games he’s played against Minnesota, shipping fifteen goals in the process. This defeat felt particularly significant, not only because of its tournament implications but also because it dealt lasting damage to the team’s reputation by confirming that Almeyda’s man-marking style can be systematically dismantled by a well-coached opponent. While San Jose’s single-minded tactics captured the hearts of many casual observers during the group stages, here it felt naive, and the lingering sense is that this team will be remembered as a mere curiosity rather than a serious contender.
Minnesota’s exceptionally organized press put the Quakes on the back foot from the opening whistle, and the Loons created a numerical advantage in the midfield that allowed them to dominate on both sides of the ball. In attack, center-back Michael Boxall ventured forward aggressively, destabilizing San Jose’s defensive man-marking scheme, and midfielders Jan Gregus and Ozzie Alonso ran the show in defense, forcing turnovers and breaking quickly.
Minnesota also won the physical battle, asserting their aerial prowess from set-pieces. They created three goals from set-pieces in their 5-2 demolition of the Quakes in March, and that’s also how they broke the deadlock on this occasion, with José Aja heading down for Robin Lod to finish.
Jacori Hayes immediately added a second for Minnesota, reacting quickest to bury the rebound from Hassani Dotson’s low shot. The Loons were flying.
Vako curled a decent effort at Minnesota goalkeeper Tyler Miller and Judson also had a speculative shot from distance, but those were the only notable attempts at goal that San Jose could muster in the first half. The Quakes were so starved for creativity that Vako’s winding dribbles, which usually draw ire from fans, were a welcome source of inspiration and perhaps their most dangerous attacking threat. Magnus Eriksson, Andy Rios, and Cristian Espinoza, who were all exquisite against RSL in the Round of 16, barely saw the ball.
The Quakes started the second half with renewed energy, and Magnus Eriksson clawed one back from the penalty spot, but Minnesota always had control. Luis Amarilla beat Daniel Vega at the near post in the fifty-sixth minute and Marlon Hairston then netted an easy fourth to secure the victory. Even San Jose’s four attacking substitutes, Chris Wondolowski, Shea Salinas, Danny Hoesen, and Carlos Fierro, whose last-minute heroics had propelled the Quakes through the group stages, couldn’t inspire a comeback.
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
