SAN JOSE — The Earthquakes’ lead was up to 3-0 in Saturday night’s rollicking and stunning season opener when flag-waving fans began chanting “BRUCE ARENA!”
No, it was not too early to celebrate the victoriuous debut of San Jose’s new coach, even if some 15 minutes remained in the eventual 4-0 shutout of Real Salt Lake at PayPal Park.
The goals, the shutout, the dominance. The script had flipped from a year ago, when the Earthquakes produced arguably the worst season in MLS’ 30-year history (six wins, three draws, 25 losses, with a league-record 78 goals allowed).
That sure seemed like ancient history as Saturday night progressed toward San Jose’s first season-opening win since 2018. It was their most lopsided MLS victory since a 2021 home blowout of Austin, also by a 4-0 score.
After bringing in two accomplished strikers (Chicho Arango, Josef Martinez) and the winningest coach in MLS history (Arena), the new-look Earthqakes relied on two of their youngest additions to take a 1-0 lead.
That initial goal came when Jamar Ricketts kicked in Beau Leroux’s pass that innocently rolled across the goal mouth past three defenders. Ricketts’ right-footed blast split two defenders and snuck inside the left post for a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute.
Leroux, a former Santa Teresa High and San Jose State product, was making his MLS debut at age 21 after officially signing his contract Friday. Ricketts (No. 13 overall, Cal State Northridge) and Leroux (No. 42 overall) were the Earthquakes’ top picks in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft.
Christian Espinoza also got credited with assisting that opening goal, having fed the ball from the right wing to Leroux. And it was Espinoza, the incumbent team captain, assisting on the next two goals.
Goal No. 2 came in the 70th minute, when Rodrigues headed in an Espinoza corner kick for an insurmountable 2-0 lead. Rodrigues, up to that point, had made several stops on defense to keep Real Salt Lake scoreless.
Goal No. 3: Ousseni Bouda, in the 74th minute, trapped Espinoza’s long, arcing pass from beyond midfield and powered a shot past Cabral.
Goal No. 4: Victor Costa, in the 83rd minute, scored off Mark-Anthony Kaye’s assist, assuring not only a victory but a rout.
Defensively, Earthquakes goalkeeper Daniel made eight saves, including multiple stops of Real Salt Lake blasts from beyond the penalty box.
While the Earthquakes’ lineup was headlined by the addtitions of Arango and Martinez, neither scored. That starting 11 surprisingly included Leroux and was rounded out by midfielders Espinoza, Ricketts, Hernan Lopez, and, Ian Harkes; defenders Rodrigues, David Romney, and Bruno Wilson. Romney and Harkes previously played for the New England Revolution, which is where Arena last coached before getting suspended in 2023 for what the MLS concluded were “insensitive and inappropriate remarks.”
With Arango traded last month to San Jose, Real Salt Lake’s lineup was led by Sunnyvale native Diego Luna, a 21-year-old midfielder who was once in the Earthquakes’ youth academy and drew a flock of family and friends to Section 133 Saturday night. Luna launched a team-high five shots, including the game’s first on a breakaway in the third minute, missing wide right of the goal.
NOTES: The Earthquakes’ last opened a season with a home victory in 2018, a 3-2 triumph over Minnesota United. They entered 6-3-1 all-time in home openers since their stadium debuted in 2015 across the street from San Jose Mineta International Airport. … Bryant Young, who played his entire Pro Football Hall of Fame career with the 49ers, served as the pregame ambassador to “Fire The Siren.”
