San Jose Earthquakes Thrash LAFC 4-1. That Score is No Joke. | OneFootball

The entire narrative around Sunday’s MLS broadcast of #3 LAFC and the #2 San Jose Earthquakes was one of disbelief. If I have to hear Taylor Twellman mention one more time how the Quakes are “the surprise team” of the league, or how two years ago they conceded more goals than any other team, I’ll puke.

Yes, both statements are true. It’s also true that the current squad is composed of a good number of SuperDraft picks, journeymen players and homegrown academy prospects.

An Explosive Series

The LAFC fixture doesn’t carry the history or gravitas of the California Clásico (Quakes vs. Galaxy), but it’s among one of the most entertaining matchups in MLS. Since LAFC’s founding the teams have met 23 times, with the games generating an insanely high average of 4.1 goals per game. 

First Half

This fixture was looking to buck that trend. LAFC were the odds-on favorite, with an over 66% of winning, but it was San Jose who set the pace. Barely 90 seconds in, Niko Tsakaris found Ousanni Bouda with a crisp pass, the Burkinabéan midfielder’s shot blocked by Hugo Lloris. The French keeper was chasing history, having sustained 540 clean sheet minutes to start the season. If this game ended scoreless for the visitors he would leap into second place all time. After that exciting chance, the first half would settle into a tactical and frankly dull affair with San Jose having the better number of shots (7 to 3). However, the teams entered the locker room 0-0.

The second half would flip that script, in every conceivable way.

Second Half

Statistically, LAFC dominated. They had 56% possession, out shot San Jose 13 to 5, and outpassed them 252 to 201 with greater accuracy (87% to 79%). But in a six minute stretch between ‘53 and ‘59, they found themselves three goals in the hole, courtesy of Timo Werner.

The German international, making his first league start since March 21 after recovering from back issues, flubbed a one-on-one early in the second, getting the ball caught in his feet and allowing Lloris to grab the ball. This seemed to focus the winger. Shortly thereafter he delivered a wicked cross that passed through traffic and into Bouda’s path, who hammered a shot just inside the near post from an almost impossible angle. The xG on that was a slim 0.06. Two minutes later, Werner found himself driving into the box. Nkosi Tafari went to ground but flailed weakly at the ball. Werner dribbled then calmly put it past Lloris to give the Quakes a 2-0 lead. That was his first MLS goal.

Not Done Yet

Still shocked from that one-two punch, LAFC watched helplessly as Preston Judd smashed a brilliant shot off the crossbar. The resulting ricochet fell to Bouda, whose shot then arced to the left side of the box and looked to be going out for a goal kick. But Jamar Ricketts sprinted to intercept and blazed it into the box, startling defender Ryan Porteous into an ill-advised clearance that instead found the net. Just like that, the deficit was three.

LAFC would get one back after Reid Roberts stretched to intercept a Denis Bouanga cross and repaid the own goal. But the game would be tucked into bed after Niko Tsakaris found himself with the ball and a clean lane to goal. Pulling the defender’s focus, he found Ousanni Bouda alone on the right side. Once again, the winger exposed Lloris, exploiting the one inch the goalkeeper allowed him to deliver a laser in the inside corner.

Seriously, after that first goal, why’d LAFC leave him so open?

Franchise Best Just Gets Better

At 7-0-1, the Earthquakes are off to their best season start in franchise history. They’ve done so notching four victories on the road, including a gritty 1-0 win over league-leading Vancouver. They are level on points with the Whitecaps (21), and trail only in goal differential.

With only 3 goals conceded in 8 matches (tied with Seattle Sounders), the Quakes defending is the leagues best. If they maintain this 0.38 goal/game average, they are on track to smash the MLS fewest goals conceded record, with 13. No team has even gone lower than 20.