The San Jose Earthquakes were tested early at PayPal Park, but once they found their rhythm, Austin FC had no answer.
San Jose fell behind in the ninth minute after Joseph Rosales capitalized on a mistake in the Quakes’ defensive third, giving Austin FC an early 1-0 lead. For a moment, the match looked like it could become a frustrating night for the home side. Instead, it became another statement in what has quickly turned into a historic start for San Jose.
The Quakes came alive in the second half. Rookie Jack Jasinski, making his first MLS start, tied the match in the 58th minute with a header off a corner from Niko Tsakiris. From there, San Jose completely took control, turning a one-goal deficit into a second-half avalanche.
Timo Werner put San Jose ahead from the penalty spot in the 78th minute, giving the Quakes the lead for the first time on the night. Then the floodgates opened. Preston Judd scored in the 83rd minute, Ousseni Bouda added another in the 85th, and Judd completed his brace in the 89th to seal a dominant 5-1 win.
What made the performance stand out was not just the scoreline, but the response. San Jose did not panic after conceding early. They stayed patient, pushed the tempo, and eventually overwhelmed Austin with movement, pressure, and finishing quality in the final third.
The win pushed the Earthquakes to 8-1-0 in MLS regular-season play, marking the first time in club history that San Jose opened a season with that record. The result also moved the Quakes into sole possession of first place in the Western Conference for the first time in 14 years.
For a club that has spent years trying to build consistency, this match felt like another sign that something different is happening in San Jose. The Quakes are not just scraping out results — they are taking over matches.
Against Austin, they turned pressure into goals, depth into production, and an early setback into one of their strongest wins of the season.
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