The San Jose Earthquakes just made their hottest start in nearly three decades of MLS history even louder. San Jose beat the Philadelphia Union 1-0 on Saturday night at Subaru Park, moving to 3-0-0 with six goals scored and zero conceded through three matches. The club called it the first time the Earthquakes have opened a season with three straight victories since joining MLS in 1996.
The biggest headline inside the headline: goalkeeper Daniel is still perfect. He and the back line posted a third consecutive shutout, and the Earthquakes noted Daniel now leads MLS with three clean sheets to open 2026. It took nearly an hour for the breakthrough, but it was worth the wait — and it came from San Jose’s new star.
In the 59th minute, Niko Tsakiris carried the ball forward and found Timo Werner on the left side. Werner turned and split the Union’s line with a low diagonal pass into space for Ousseni Bouda, who ran onto it and finished cleanly for the game’s only goal.
For Werner, it was another immediate impact moment in the early stages of his MLS life: the Earthquakes credited him with his second assist in two MLS appearances since debuting the prior week.
Bouda, meanwhile, continues to become a real early-season difference-maker. The club said the goal was Bouda’s second of the season, and he’s now the finisher on both of Werner’s assists so far.
The Union finished with 13 shots and 11 corner kicks, and San Jose had to survive long stretches without much possession. San Jose still found the key play, and then defended like a team that expects to win games on the road.
Afterward, Bruce Arena basically described it as the kind of match good teams take anyway — not your prettiest performance, but you stay together, grind, and leave with points. He also singled out the “real good goal combination” between Werner and Bouda and emphasized that the group battled for the full 90+.
Arena also made it clear Werner is just getting started. He praised Werner’s quality and leadership, and said the club is being careful with his minutes as he builds full match fitness — with the expectation that goals will come as well, not just assists.
If the early-season storyline is “Werner unlocks attacks,” the foundation is still the defense.
Arena credited the Quakes’ center backs and goalkeeper for closing this one out, noting Daniel made key saves and that performances like this are exactly what you need in MLS road games.
San Jose also noted they’re now one clean sheet away from tying the club record of four consecutive shutouts (set in 2015).
And historically, this start is rare across the league: the Earthquakes said they’re only the third team in MLS history to open a season with three straight shutout wins (joining Seattle in 2009 and LA Galaxy in 2010).
He called it a “natural connection” that’s building, said Werner makes things easier by constantly looking for teammates, and even joked the next step is returning the favor with a Bouda-to-Werner assist. Werner’s passing is already deciding games, and the forwards around him look confident running off him.
San Jose heads back to PayPal Park for a marquee home night against the Seattle Sounders on Sunday, March 15. Three games, three wins, three clean sheets — and Werner is already directly swinging results.
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