San Jose Earthquakes

First Touches: MNUFC at San Jose Earthquakes

Jan Gregus Shot vs Sam Jose 7/4/2019

The Loons look to make it two in a row on Saturday. Get warmed up for gameday with these matchup notes.


  • MNUFC won both of the 2019 meetings with San Jose. The Loons defeated the Quakes by a combined score of 6-1.
  • Midfielder Kevin Molino scored two goals to open the season with a 3-1 win over the Portland Timbers. He is tied for the league lead with Seattle Sounders FC’s Jordan Morris.
  • Midfielder Ethan Finlay contributed two assists in the win over Portland. He is tied for the league lead after Week 1.
  • Molino and Finlay were named to the MLS Team of the Week for Week 1. Molino earned the award for the first time since 2017, while Finlay made the team for the first time since Week 12 of 2019.
  • Molino and Finlay both tied for the second-most points for an MNUFC player on opening day since the club joined MLS.
  • Molino was nominated for MLS Player of the Week and finished second in the voting behind Seattle’s Morris.
  • Forward Luis Amarilla made his MNUFC debut on opening day and scored his first MLS goal.
  • Goalkeeper Tyler Miller and forward Aaron Schoenfeld also made their debut appearances for Minnesota last week. Miller made two saves to claim his first win as a Loon, and Schoenfeld entered the game as a substitute in the second half.
  • Minnesota’s three goals has it tied for the most in MLS after opening weekend.
  • San Jose snagged a late goal to earn a draw at home last week against Toronto FC.
  • Forward Chris Wondolowski is the all-time leading goal scorer in MLS history. He has scored 159 goals, surpassing Landon Donovan’s mark of 145 during the 2019 season.
  • The Quakes finished 2019 in 8th place in the Western Conference. They missed the final spot in the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs by four points.
  • This is the third consecutive year that Minnesota has played in San Jose in the opening two weeks of the season.
  • Valeri Qazaishvili took 110 shots during the 2019 season, the fourth-most in MLS that year.
  • San Jose won the first four meetings with Minnesota.
  • Minnesota will play San Jose again on April 4 at Allianz Field. This is tied for the shortest time between meetings against a Western Conference opponent for the Loons in 2020 at 28 days. MNUFC will also have 28 days between games against LAFC in September.


MINNESOTA CONNECTIONS


  • Jackson Yueill is a native of Bloomington, Minnesota.
  • Ike Opara was drafted 3rd overall by San Jose in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. He played three seasons with the Earthquakes.
  • Minnesota Technical Director Mark Watson has held multiple coaching positions with San Jose. He was an assistant from 2010 to 2013, then took over as interim head coach for the latter part of 2013. Watson was named head coach for the 2014 season.
  • Shea Salinas and Michael Boxall played for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2011. Salinas was briefly loaned to the Charleston Battery in 2008, where he played with Osvaldo Alonso.
  • Danny Hoesen and James Musa were on Fulham’s roster in 2012.
  • Matt Bersano and Hassani Dotson both played college soccer at Oregon State. Bersano and Tyler Miller both played for Seattle Sounders FC 2 in 2016.