San Jose Unable To Overcome Early Deficit
MLS San Jose Earthquakes

San Jose Unable To Overcome Early Deficit

Published on September 21, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


San Jose Earthquakes's Max Floriani battles St. Louis CITY SC's Fallou Fall
San Jose Earthquakes's Max Floriani battles St. Louis CITY SC's Fallou Fall
(San Jose Earthquakes)

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Earthquakes fell to St. Louis CITY SC 3-1 on Saturday at PayPal Park in Major League Soccer regular-season play in front of 15,337 fans.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Brendan McSorley poked home a João Klauss cross to make it 1-0. St. Louis doubled their advantage in the 19th minute when McSorley headed down an aerial and Marcel Hartel curled it off the bounce from the arc into the back of the net.

In the 29th minute, the Quakes answered when CITY SC right winger Celio Pompeo fouled Cristian Arango in the box, prompting referee Sergii Demianchuk to award San Jose a penalty kick. "Chicho" converted from the spot two minutes later to cut the lead in half, 2-1. McSorley added a second goal in the 45th minute by heading in a Hartel cross from the right wing to extend the St. Louis lead back to 3-1 before the halftime whistle.

The Quakes showed resolve after intermission and assailed the opposing net, eventually amassing 23 total shots and 11 on goal. But St. Louis goalkeeper Roman Bürki was a stalwart in net, making nine saves on the night and keeping San Jose to one goal before the final whistle.

The Black and Blue now travel to Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 27, to face San Diego FC. Kickoff will take place at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as via local radio on KSFO 810 AM (English) and 1370 AM La Kaliente (Spanish).

GAME NOTES

With the result, San Jose is now 11th in the MLS Western Conference with 35 points (9-14-8). Meanwhile St. Louis is 13th with 28 points (7-17-7).

The Quakes are now 0-6-0 (4 GF, 14 GA) against St. Louis in MLS regular-season play with an 0-3-0 (3 GF, 7 GA) record at home.

With one goal tonight, San Jose remains in the top four in MLS with 56 team goals scored.

In the 31st minute, Quakes forward Cristian "Chicho" Arango scored his team-leading 13th goal this season and 66th of his MLS career. He has netted five goals in just three matches against CITY SC.

Tonight was Filipino Heritage Night at PayPal Park, with several Filipino-American luminaries on hand to watch the game, namely halftime musical performer and recording artist P-Lo, 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup goalscorer Sarina Bolden, 2026 FIFA World Cup Bay Area poster artist LeRoid David, UFC featherweight contender Hyder Amil, NBC Bay Area anchor Audrey Asistio and Señor Sisig co-founders Evan Kidera and Gil Payumo.

In honor of Kick Childhood Cancer Month, seven-year-old leukemia survivor Misha Gottesman was tonight's Honorary Captain and walked out onto the field with Quakes captain Cristian Espinoza. Gottesman signed a one-day contract earlier this week to be an Earthquake for a Day.

A trio of Quakes have close connections to St. Louis. Assistant Coach Steve Ralston attended nearby Oakville High and Forest Park Community College before embarking on a legendary MLS playing career. Defender Daniel Munie, from Maryland Heights, played for St. Louis Scott Gallagher and Saint Louis FC as a youth. Finally, defender Max Floriani starred at Saint Louis University before San Jose drafted him second overall in this year's MLS SuperDraft.

San Jose Earthquakes 1 - 3 St. Louis CITY SC

Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 - PayPal Park; San Jose, Calif.

Weather: 70°F Clear

Attendance: 15,337

*all stats unofficial

Match Officials:

Referee: Sergii Demianchuk

AR1: Ryan Graves

AR2: Felisha Mariscal

4th Official: Ricardo Fierro

VAR: Michael Radchuk

AVAR: Jonathan Johnson

Scoring Summary:

STL (0-1) - Brendan McSorley (Joao Klauss, Chris Durkin) 10'

STL (0-2) - Marcel Hartel (Brendan McSorley, Chris Durkin) 19'

SJ (1-2) - Cristian "Chicho" Arango (penalty kick) 31'

STL (1-3) - Brendan McSorley (Marcel Hartel) 45'

Misconduct Summary:

SJ - Ronaldo Vieira (caution) 45+2'

SJ - Preston Judd (caution) 72'

SJ - Benji Kikanović (caution) 81'

STL - Simon Becher (caution) 81'

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel (GK); Bruno Wilson (Josef Martínez 63'), Dave Romney, Daniel Munie; Vítor Costa (Jamar Ricketts 79'), Ronaldo Vieira, Mark-Anthony Kaye (Benji Kikanović 63'); Ousseni Bouda, Cristian Espinoza (C) (Jack Skahan 89'); Chicho Arango, Preston Judd (Beau Leroux 79').

Substitutes not used: Earl Edwards Jr. (GK); Max Floriani, Ian Harkes, Rodrigues.

POSS.: 56%; SHOTS: 23; SOG: 11; CORNERS: 11; OFFSIDES: 0; SAVES: 3; FOULS: 16; xG: 4.9

ST. LOUIS CITY SC: Roman Bürki (GK) (C); Devin Padelford, Conrad Wallem, Kyle Hiebert, Timo Baumgarti; Chris Durkin (Seth Antwi 82'), Eduard Löwen, Celio Pompeu (Mykhi Joyner 46'), Marcel Hartel (Alfredo Morales 88'), Brendan McSorley (Tomas Totland 78'); João Klauss (Simon Becher 79').

Substitutes not used: Ben Lundt (GK), Jaziel Orozco, Tomas Ostrak, Josh Yaro.

POSS.: 44%; SHOTS: 18; SOG: 6; CORNERS: 3; OFFSIDES: 2; SAVES: 9; FOULS: 13; xG: 2.5

EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA

On the team's performance tonight:

"[It's] the same problem we've had all year. We've had a very difficult time with our defending in front of the goal. And oddly enough, it's something we place a lot of attention on, and we can't get it right with our back line. They have not done a good job marking people, to be very honest about it. It's at a point where it's very surprising to us what we're seeing."

On the team's defensive mistakes tonight:

"You could put 10 [players] back there. If they don't mark anybody in front of the goal, it doesn't matter. They're all in position to make plays. A guy that's never started the game in the league has scored two goals tonight. Credit to [Brendan McSorley]."

On the Quakes' goal differential after a strong attacking performance this season:

"There's no consistency throughout the year. Even though we started with two wins, we've been up and down the entire year. ... We do score some goals. We score as many goals as most teams in the league. Our issue has been defending, paying the price."

EARTHQUAKES TEAM CAPTAIN CRISTIAN ESPINOZA

On how to keep a leader mentality:

"I try to give a positive message and push all of us together. I know that my teammates are trying to do their best, but at this point of the season we need more from everybody."

On the overall defending of the team:

"Defense is not just from the defenders. We all need to defend players. We have so many good players, but if we don't work as a team we don't achieve anything. The only one way is for everybody to run, everybody to defend, and then everybody attacks."

On testing different tactical formations:

"I think that we have experienced so many changes tactically. We've been working, I think, the whole year with the back three. Then last game we played 4-3-3. I think that we work really hard to get the tactics right. In some games we are able to do it, and some not. I think we all need to step up in those situations."

On the team's focus heading into the final stretch of games:

"We are hesitating too much when the game starts. We don't take risks, we don't go forward, and we don't play well. When do score, we try to go forward, we try to take risks. At some point we have to take the risk from the beginning. The responsibility is 100% on us as the players."

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Images from this story

San Jose Earthquakes's Max Floriani battles St. Louis CITY SC's Fallou Fall
San Jose Earthquakes's Max Floriani battles St. Louis CITY SC's Fallou Fall
   



Major League Soccer Stories from September 21, 2025


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