KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The San Jose Earthquakes secured a 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday evening, maintaining their perfect start to the season despite a challenging situation where they played a man down for the final 38 minutes of the match. This success marks the second consecutive triumph for new coach Bruce Arena, who is renowned for having led teams to five MLS Cup victories. Last year, the Earthquakes finished in last place with a mere 21 points, but they seem determined to rewrite their story this season.
The match began with an exhilarating start from Cristian “Chicho” Arango, who scored an unassisted goal just three minutes in. Arango, who joined San Jose during the offseason from Real Salt Lake, where he had an impressive tally of 17 goals and 12 assists from 30 games last year, continues to be a force against Sporting KC, having accumulated a record of five goals and three assists across eight encounters.
Josef Martínez doubled San Jose’s lead in the 19th minute with his first goal of the season. This marked his 117th career goal, an achievement that puts him in joint sixth place alongside Bradley Wright-Phillips in the league’s all-time scoring records. Additionally, Martínez, known for his remarkable attacking contributions, notched up his 137th career goal involvement, placing him third in that regard.
Despite the commanding lead, Sporting KC narrowed the gap to 2-1 in the 27th minute with a penalty-kick goal by newcomer Dejan Joveljic. The penalty was awarded after Ian Harkes of San Jose committed a foul. Joveljic, who was signed from the Los Angeles Galaxy after an impressive 21-goal season across all matches, adeptly converted the penalty.
San Jose faced further adversity when midfielder Hernán López received a second yellow card in the 52nd minute, leaving the Earthquakes with ten players on the field. López’s initial booking occurred during the first-half stoppage time. Despite the disadvantage, San Jose’s goalkeeper Daniel De Sousa Britto made two crucial saves to preserve the lead.
Sporting KC’s goalkeeper, John Pulskamp, delivered a strong performance with four saves, yet it wasn’t enough to prevent his team’s ninth consecutive defeat in all competitions, a streak that traces back to the previous season.
Looking ahead, the Earthquakes will welcome Minnesota United to their home ground on Saturday. Meanwhile, Sporting KC is set to face D.C. United, aiming to break their losing streak.
