Quakes Off To Best Start In Franchise History With Another Win In Philadelphia
- Jose Rocha
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
The San Jose Earthquakes secured a gritty 1-0 road victory over the Philadelphia Union on March 7, 2026, at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.
This result marked San Jose's third straight win to open the MLS season (3-0-0), their best start in club history, surpassing even their 2003 MLS Cup-winning campaign. The game remained scoreless through the first half, with both teams creating limited clear chances in a tightly contested match. Before the whistle blew for the 2nd Half, Quakes Manager Bruce Arena decided to swap Jamar Ricketts for Timo Werner. Werner came into the game a little earlier than he did in San Jose's last game, but it is clear that Arena is getting him chances to settle into the line-up, but yet also to earn his minutes.
The change proved to be a key moment because the decisive moment came in the 59th minute when Timo Werner delivered a precise long through ball that split the Union defensive line to find Bouda. Ousseni Bouda raced onto it, slipped behind the back line, and finished clinically with a first-touch strike from just outside the six-yard box for the only goal of the night.
It was Bouda's second goal of the young season, with Werner providing his second assist in as many appearances for the Quakes.
San Jose's defense, anchored by strong goalkeeping by Daniel pulled off another win in which this resulted in their third consecutive clean sheet and a 1-0 victory.
The Quakes held firm despite Philadelphia pushing for an equalizer late, but it was ultimately not to be. The Union had opportunities but couldn't convert, falling to an 0-3-0 start and extending their winless run.
San Jose continues to make eyebrows raise across the Major League Soccer landscape, and it is clear that this team is on a solid run to start the year. The team keeps showcasing their grit as they continue to showcase how precise passing with fast runners lead to a good result.
