In a night to remember at PayPal Park, the San Jose Earthquakes delivered a statement performance, thrashing Club Necaxa 5-0 in the Round of 32 of the Leagues Cup. The win not only sends San Jose into the Round of 16 but also cements Jeremy Ebobisse's place at the top of the tournament’s goalscoring charts with four goals.
For a team that has struggled in MLS play this season, this tournament has been a much-needed reprieve. The Earthquakes entered the match as the second-place team from West 2, facing a Necaxa side that topped their group in West 6. However, from the opening whistle, it was clear that form was not going to dictate the outcome on this occasion.
San Jose came out of the gates with relentless pressure, setting the tone early on. The Earthquakes' aggressive play immediately put Necaxa on the back foot, and it didn’t take long for the hosts to break the deadlock. Captain Jackson Yueill found the back of the net in the opening minutes, sending the PayPal Park faithful into a frenzy.
Necaxa, known for their counter-attacking prowess, found themselves on the receiving end of their own game plan. Hernan Lopez doubled San Jose’s lead before the 20-minute mark, finishing off a swift counter-attack that caught the visitors off guard. It was a nightmare start for Necaxa, who found themselves down 2-0 with barely a quarter of the match gone.
The night belonged to Jeremy Ebobisse, who has been in scintillating form throughout the tournament. He continued his scoring streak with a goal in the 29th minute, making it three goals in three games. The transformation of this San Jose team under interim head coach Ian Russell has been remarkable, with Ebobisse embodying the newfound belief and confidence coursing through the squad.
Just before halftime, Ebobisse struck again, this time with a sublime finish following a cheeky backheel assist from Lopez. The goal not only put the Quakes up 4-0 but also elevated Ebobisse to the top of the Leagues Cup goalscoring leaderboard, a testament to his lethal form in front of goal in this tournament.
The match took a contentious turn just before the break, with tempers flaring on both sides. A scuffle broke out on the field, leading to a VAR review that saw Necaxa’s Alan Montes receive a red card, while San Jose's Rodrigues was fortunate to escape with only a yellow. The first half, extended by a lengthy stoppage time due to the incident, finally concluded after 11 minutes of added time with the Quakes firmly in control.
Despite being a man down, Necaxa made a flurry of changes at halftime in a bid to salvage something from the game. However, San Jose’s defense held firm, and any hopes of a comeback were dashed as the Earthquakes added a fifth goal late in the second half. The result was never in doubt, and the San Jose fans began celebrating, already booking their flights to Los Angeles.
“We wanted to make a statement and try and give ourselves one extra game.” said Ebobisse “That's what it's about. Now. It's one game at a time and see if you can get yourself another.”
For Necaxa, their Leagues Cup journey ends here, but they can take pride in having advanced further than last year. Their focus now shifts back to Liga MX, where they’ll look to build on the lessons learned in this tournament.
As for the Earthquakes, this win marks a significant milestone as they advance to their first-ever Round of 16 in the Leagues Cup. The Quakes will now prepare to face LAFC at BMO Stadium on August 13, in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. The matchup will feature a showdown between two of the tournament’s top scorers, with a coveted spot in the quarterfinals—and possibly the Golden Boot—on the line.
“We haven't had a lot of luck this year, but we finally got some with the Galaxy beating Chivas.” explained Russell “And I think that's [a sign] that things are turning around.”
