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SAN JOSE, Calif. – A first-half goal was the difference Saturday, as Minnesota United FC blanked the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 on Saturday night in front of 16,102 fans at PayPal Park.
The result handed San Jose its first loss of the season.
“(Minnesota United FC) have an experienced team and obviously they have a very good defensive posture, and they were hard to break down,” said San Jose coach Bruce Arena. “We need to be a little bit cleaner technically to try to create some other chances and give them a lot of credit. Our team played hard. They played well, in segments of the game, but not well enough to get a goal and at least walk off the field with a point.”
The visitors got on the board first in the 33rd minute when Kelvin Yeboah volleyed home a Michael Boxall service from the right wing to give Minnesota United a 1-0 lead. The Quakes went on a furious run in the second half, unleashing 11 shots, but could not find the equalizer before the final whistle for their first defeat of the season.
Minnesota United FC’s 33rd-minute goal marked the first time all season the Quakes faced a deficit after 212 minutes.
“(Minnesota United FC) defended very well. They dealt with a lot of crosses quite well. We obviously made a mistake on the goal, not clearing the ball properly, and not doing a good job stepping to the player who finished,” said Arena. “I don't even know who finished the goal, but bad defending on our part on that particular play, I’m not concerned about a couple of chances they got at the end of the game, because we were very exposed trying to get the goal. We opened ourselves up. We were well aware that was going to happen. I give our keeper [Daniel] credit. He made a lot of good saves.”
Dayne St. Clair notched the shutout for Minnesota on the strength of three saves. Goalkeeper Christian Daniel finished with five saves for San Jose, who have only allowed one goal in the run of play over three games.
“They are playing well and getting more comfortable with each other, but every phase of the game we can be better. Tonight, we didn't create enough quality chances,” said Arena. “That's obviously an area we have to work on.”
Minnesota played with a five-man backline for most of the game to simmer the Earthquakes.
“We could have been better in creating some better chances, but they were a tough team to break down with the numbers they put behind the ball and the back line. They did a good job,” said Arena.
Cristian Espinoza extended his run of consecutive MLS regular-season games played tonight to a current league-high of 112 (Oct. 2, 2021–present). The streak is not only a Quakes record but now tied for fourth longest in MLS history with former goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and second among all field players, trailing only Chris Klein (141). Former goalkeeper Luis Robles holds the all-time league record regardless of position with 183 straight appearances (Sept. 29, 2012–May 12, 2018).
San Jose moved to 5-7-4 all-time vs. Minnesota United FC (21 GF, 27 GA) with a home record of 3-4-2 (13 GF, 17 GA). Tonight’s win snaps a four-game winless streak against the Loons (0-2-2). In the Black and Blue’s last win over Minnesota United, Shea Salinas and Benji Kikanović netted in a 2-0 win at PayPal Park.
The Quakes continue their homestand next Saturday, March 15, when they take on the Colorado Rapids. Kickoff from PayPal Park will take place at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as on local radio via KSFO 810 AM (English) and 1370 AM La Kaliente (Spanish).
COURTESY PHOTO / SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES COMMUNICATIONS
San Jose Earthquakes' Chicho Arango, shields the ball away from Minnesota United's Morris Duggan during Saturday's contest.
Minnesota United FC 1, San Jose Earthquakes 0
Saturday, March 8, 2025 – PayPal Park; San Jose, Calif.
Weather: 55°F
Clear Attendance: 16,102
Match Officials: Referee: Ricardo Fierro' AR1: Chris Elliot; AR2: Eduardo Jeff; VAR: Sorin Stoica; AVAR: Craig Lowry; 4th: Lorenzo Hernandez
Scoring Summary: MIN (0-1) – Kelvin Yeboah (Michael Boxall, Tani Oluwaseyi) 33’
Misconduct Summary: MIN – Hassani Dotson (caution) 45’ SJ – Beau Leroux (caution) 61’
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel (GK); Rodrigues (Niko Tsakiris 90+2’), Bruno Wilson, Dave Romney; Jamar Ricketts (Vítor Costa 69’), Ian Harkes (Mark-Anthony Kaye 70’), Beau Leroux (Preston Judd 79’), Cristian Espinoza (C); Amahl Pellegrino (Ousseni Bouda 70’), Chicho Arango, Josef Martínez.
Substitutes not used: Earl Edwards Jr. (GK), Max Floriani, Nick Lima, Daniel Munie.
POSS.: 68.4 percent; SHOTS: 15; SOG: 3; CORNERS: 10; OFFSIDES: 3; SAVES: 5; FOULS: 8; xG: 1.5
MINNESOTA UNITED FC: Dayne St. Clair (GK); Anthony Markanich (Fernando Romero 87’); Michael Boxall (C), Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Morris Duggan, Jefferson Diaz (Carlos Harvey 65’); Robin Lod (Joaquin Pereyra 79’), Will Trapp, Hassani Dotson; Kelvin Yeboah (Sang Bin Jeong 65’), Tani Oluwayesi (Owen Frantz Gene 79’).
Substitutes not used: Alec Smir (GK), Devin Padelford, Hoyeon Jung, Samuel Shashoua.
POSS.: 31.6 percent; SHOTS: 10; SOG: 6; CORNERS: 4; OFFSIDES: 6; SAVES: 2; FOULS: 13; xG: 1.9
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