San Jose – New San Jose Earthquakes head coach Bruce Arena may be the answer the club has been seeking in its quest to climb out of the MLS basement and reclaim its former glory.
The Quakes’ dominant 4-0 victory over Real Salt Lake in Saturday night’s season opener was a significant step forward in their rebuilding effort. However, as Arena emphasized afterward, it was just that—a step in the right direction, but nothing more.
”You don’t read a whole lot at it anymore,” he said in his post-game press conference. “This time next week, they could be calling for my head, so let’s keep everything in perspective.”
One perspective is that Saturday’s win validates Arena as the right hire, with the team’s four-goal victory serving as clear proof. It marked the Quakes’ first home-opening win since 2021 and their first season-opening victory overall since 2018. The 4-0 scoreline also stands as the largest margin of victory in a season opener in club history.
”This win means a lot for us,” winger Cristian Espinoza, who tallied three assists, said. “We came from a really tough year last year, and we’ve been working hard during the preseason to be at this level.”
Another perspective is that San Jose capitalized on facing Real Salt Lake at the right time. RSL is also in the midst of a rebuild and played a CONCACAF Champions Cup match in Costa Rica on Wednesday night, arriving in San Jose with just a few days of rest.
”The scoreline wasn’t fair,” Arena explained. “I don’t think that’s a 4-0 game. [RSL] had a lot going against them coming in with their game Wednesday in Costa Rica and those challenges and all of that, so, as a starting point, let’s be fair about that. But our team played well.
That Salt Lake team is going to be a real hard team to play against when we go to Salt Lake City, I can promise you that.”
Jamar Ricketts opened both his personal and the Quakes’ scoring tally in the 28th minute, tapping in a low cross from Beau Leroux, who had just signed with the first team on Friday. The goal marked Ricketts’ first in MLS.
”I saw the ball, and as I saw Beau travelling into the box, I knew I had to crash the back post and be aggressive,” Ricketts explained of his goal. “So once I saw the ball come across, I had to be the first to win the ball, and that’s how I got my foot on it.”
San Jose then exploded for three goals in the final 20 minutes. Antonio Rodrigues started the surge in the 70th minute, heading in an Espinoza corner. Just four minutes later, Espinoza delivered a perfect deep ball to Oussenni Bouda, who took a touch before burying it in the back of the net. Then, mere seconds after stepping onto the pitch, Vitor Costa capped the Quakes’ night in the 84th minute, finishing a pass from Mark-Anthony Kaye.
Arena hopes the team can maintain the high level of play displayed on Saturday night as the season progresses.
“There’s a very good opportunity for them this year to turn things around that they’ve experienced in the past,” Arena said. “They work hard, and they’re understanding the things that they need to do to be better individually and as a team.”
San Jose faces its first road test next Saturday, traveling to Children’s Mercy Park to take on Sporting Kansas City (March 1, 5:30 p.m. PT).
Photo by SJE/X
