SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose Earthquakes forward Cristian Espinoza, defender Rodrigues and head coach Luchi Gonzalez have been named to Major League Soccer’s Team of the Matchday for Matchday 12. Espinoza and Rodrigues’ offensive contributions helped defeat Los Angeles FC 3-1 in the Quakes’ second annual Cinco de Mayo celebration game at Levi’s Stadium.
Cristian Espinoza notched two assists on Saturday, marking his third multi-assist game of the season. In a performance that earned him Man of the Match honors presented by Coors Light, Espinoza would first find Rodrigues off a corner kick in the fifth minute. San Jose would double the advantage in the 55th minute when Espinoza fed Amahl Pellegrino for his second goal of the season. Four minutes later, another Espinoza corner kick found its way to the back of the net off an own goal by LAFC’s Denis Bouanga. Rodrigues’ aforementioned goal marked this third consecutive match where he either scored or collected an assist, as he also contributed to a back line that held the visitors scoreless for the first 69 minutes.
The MLS Team of the Matchday selection is the third of the season for Espinoza and 19th overall, and first of the season for Rodrigues (seventh overall). For Gonzalez, the Team of the Matchday honors are his first of the campaign and eighth overall in his career.
MLS TEAM OF THE MATCHDAY (MATCHDAY 12)
Forwards: Luis Suarez (MIA), Sam Surridge (NSH), Lionel Messi (MIA)
Midfielders: Federico Bernardeschi (TOR), Cole Bassett (COL), Matias Rojas (MIA), Cristian Espinoza (SJ)
Defenders: Brayan Vera (RSL), Rodrigues (SJ), Kervin Arriaga (MIN)
Goalkeepers: Roman Bürki
Coach: Luchi Gonzalez (SJ)
Bench: Brad Stuver (ATX), Walker Zimmerman (NSH), Nikola Petkovic (CLT), Jack McGlynn (PHI), Emi Forsberg (RBNY), Luciano Acosta (CIN), Jared Stroud (DC), Hany Mukhtar (NSH), Tomás Chancalay (NE)
