San Jose Earthquakes lose in penalty kicks, eliminated from MLS playoffs

Quakes held scoreless after 90 minutes, lose first playoff game since 2020

In a game with unique rules that encouraged teams to push forward and go for the win, the San Jose Earthquakes may have been a little too cautious in their first MLS playoff game since 2020.

The Quakes were tied after 90 minutes of play against Sporting KC in the MLS Western Conference play-in game on Wednesday night in Kansas City.

But there was no time to waste; the play-in games are designed to end in penalty kicks. Tim Melia, Sporting KC’s goalkeeper, entered the game with the highest PK save percentage (42%) in MLS history.

The Quakes struggled to score from the spot, losing 4-2 on penalties to KC to end their promising season.

“I like how we grew into the game,” said Luchi Gonzalez, the team’s first-year coach. “If we were in extra time, I have no doubt we could’ve had a good effort to win it there if there were no PKs.”

The Earthquakes must have been worried after finishing the season with four straight draws and only one win in their last 11 games.

The Quakes’ conservative, defensive approach allowed them to rebound from a last-place finish a year ago to earn the ninth seed under a new head coach. The Quakes struggled to get anything going in a must-win game in which they needed to get numbers up the field and push the ball forward.

Instead of advancing to a best-of-three series that would have guaranteed them their first home playoff game since 2012, and the first in PayPal Park’s history, the Earthquakes will sit out the rest of the postseason.

It should be stated that they were not expected to win this game. They came in as three-to-one underdogs against a Kansas City team that finished the season with six wins in its last nine games after going winless in its first ten.

Sporting KC appeared to be a difficult team to break down, with a starting lineup stacked with players who consistently show a quality first touch and a coach, Peter Vermes, who has been at the helm since 2009.

San Jose’s cautious approach, in which they defend with numbers and look for counter-attacking opportunities, provided them with little in the first half, when they barely sniffed any chances at goal.

Cristian Espinoza, their best player all year, was harassed all night and struggled to get any shots on goal. With a smooth pass right on the ground towards the penalty spot, he created one brilliant chance for Carlos Gruezo, but Gruezo shanked it early in the second half.

Cade Cowell, a 20-year-old promising talent who struggled in the club’s final regular season game against Austin FC and started this game on the bench, was the bright spot for San Jose. But, in the 56th minute, Gonzalez replaced him with Mathew Hoppe, and Cowell looked dangerous every time he touched the ball.

He nearly scored on a brilliant individual effort, outrunning three defenders from the left side of the box through the right side, but he waited a fraction too long and his shot was deflected wide.

“Cade came in with fantastic energy and confidence,” said Gonzalez. “It’s a great game for him because we’re trying to defend in lower blocks while also creating space behind and in isolation.”Driving across the box, he almost scored a great goal.”

Aside from Cowell, the Quakes didn’t have many players who appeared to be dangerous in this one.

On the defensive side, they spent the majority of the game putting bodies behind the ball. They were outpossessed by a score of 60-40 and outshot by a score of 18-5. They finished the game without taking a single shot on goal.

Gonzalez felt his team could have had more chances if they had taken advantage of opportunities to cross the ball into dangerous areas, but scoring chances were rare.

“I’m proud of the execution and the intention,” Gonzalez stated. “We have no control over the outcome and the outcome.” We can concentrate on what we have control over. Our attitudes were outstanding. We were assertive. We were willing to put in the effort to get ahead of the game. We had six or seven possessions in or around their box in the first half, with the ability to cross the ball and with numbers. And we didn’t follow through.”

In the penalty shootout, Johnny Russell buried his effort to put Kansas City up 1-0, but Espinoza’s first shot was parried by Melia, who made a diving save to set the tone.

The Earthquakes couldn’t recover after San Jose captain Jackson Yueill skied their second attempt way over the goal.

Melia is “a good keeper on PKs,” according to Earthquakes forward Jack Skahan, who converted but it was too late to save his team. “PK shootouts are a bit of a crapshoot. It’s difficult. The discussion is to be confident, to go up there with confidence, and to try to bury it. Bring your energy. And I believe we succeeded. PKs are simply a difficult way to end a game.”