MATCH RECAP: Earthquakes 5, Austin FC 1

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Earthquakes erased an early deficit to defeat 5-1 Austin FC at PayPal Park on Wednesday night to move to 8-1-0 in Major League Soccer regular-season play for the first time in club history and take sole possession of first place in the Western Conference table. 

The visitors opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Joseph Rosales intercepted a wayward pass in his attacking third. San Jose goalkeeper Daniel got a hand on the ensuing left-footed attempt but it bounced into the net to give Austin FC a 1-0 lead. 

After intermission, the Earthquakes’ attack erupted for five unanswered goals. In minute 58, Niko Tsakiris’ left-footed corner kick was headed home by rookie Jack Jasinski, who was making his first career MLS start, to make it 1-1. Then in minute 77, Nicolas Dubersarsky took down Jamar Ricketts in the box and a penalty was awarded to San Jose. Timo Werner converted from the spot one minute later to give San Jose a 2-1 lead. The Quakes added an insurance goal in the 83rd minute when Werner pinged a deep diagonal ball to the right wing for Paul Marie, who crossed it back in front of net; Preston Judd swept the ball home for his fourth goal of the season to make it 3-1. Just two minutes later, Ousseni Bouda outraced and shielded off Austin defender Jon Bell to haul in a Marie long ball and slotted it home to extend the advantage to 4-1. In the 88th minute, Bouda and Marie—the latter recording his third assist of the night and in the shortest span in MLS history (5 minutes, 28 seconds)—combined to feed Judd for his second goal of the match via header for the final 5-1 margin. With the victory, the Quakes also became the first MLS team in the post-shootout era (since 2000) to win eight of their first nine games to begin a season. 

The Black and Blue now go on the road to face St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, April 25. Kickoff from Energizer Park in St. Louis, Missouri, is set for 5:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally via Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as local radio on KSFO 810 AM (English) and La Kaliente 1370 AM (Spanish).