SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Earthquakes fell to Austin FC via penalty kicks 2-2 (2-4) on Tuesday night in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals at PayPal Park in front of 10,754 fans.
San Jose got on the board first in the 12th minute when DeJuan Jones found Ousseni Bouda on the right wing, whose subsequent low cross was hammered home by Cristian “Chicho” Arango for an early 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Austin FC equalized when Brandon Vázquez was fouled in the box and drew a penalty kick that he converted in the 65th minute to make it 1-1. Controversy ensued in the seventh minute of stoppage time when Austin defender Mikkel Desler’s studs collided with Cristian Espinoza, resulting in a sizable bleeding gash above the Quakes captain’s right knee. Referee Brandon Stevis showed Desler a yellow card and a hobbled Espinoza would leave the match for Benji Kikanović. The score remained knotted through regulation and the game went into extra time.
The Earthquakes broke through in the 99th minute when Kikanović picked out a rebound from the air and blasted a shot past Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver that found the back of the net for a 2-1 lead, sending PayPal Park into a frenzy. The visitors appeared to tie the game a second time in the 105th minute with a header off a corner kick, but the flag was up and offside was ruled.
In the second half of extra time, Verde drew a second penalty kick in the box and Myrto Uzuni converted once more for Austin in the 115th minute to level the score again 2-2 to send the game to penalty kicks.
In the ensuing shootout, San Jose made half of their four spot kicks, but the visitors made all four of their attempts to win the match. Austin FC will now face Minnesota United FC on the road in the Semifinals after the Loons defeated Chicago Fire FC 3-1 in extra time. The match will take place either Tuesday, Sept. 16, or Wednesday, Sept. 17.
Meanwhile, the Black and Blue resumes MLS regular-season play Saturday, July 12, as they will also travel to St. Paul, Minnesota, to take on MNUFC. Kickoff from Allianz Field will take place at 5:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as via local radio KSFO 810 AM (English) and 1370 AM La Kaliente (Spanish).
GAME NOTES
The Earthquakes now hold a 23-20 all-time record in U.S. Open Cup play.
Tonight marked the first time the Earthquakes and Austin FC faced off in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. San Jose moved to 2-2-6 (22 GF, 18 GA) all-time against Verde across all competitions.
Chicho Arango’s 12th-minute goal was his first in U.S. Open Cup play this season and 11th across all competitions in 2025. He also scored three prior goals in the tournament for LAFC in 2022.
Ousseni Bouda’s 12th-minute primary assist was his first in U.S. Open Cup play this season and second across all competitions in 2025. He now has three career goal contributions in the tournament for the Quakes, with one goal in 2022 and another goal in 2024.
DeJuan Jones’ 12th-minute secondary assist was his first in U.S. Open Cup play this season and sixth across all competitions in 2025.
Benji Kikanović’s 99th-minute goal was his first of the season in all competitions. He now has two career goal contributions in the tournament for the Quakes, with one assist in 2024.
Mark-Anthony Kaye, who remains the only Earthquake to play every MLS and U.S. Open Cup game this season, came on in the 59th minute and finished the match.
Earthquakes defender Nick Lima faced his former team. After joining San Jose as a Homegrown Player in 2016, Lima was traded to Austin FC in 2020. After a stint with the New England Revolution in 2024, the Castro Valley, California, native made his return to his hometown club in 2025.
San Jose Earthquakes 2 (2) – 2 (4) Austin FC
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 – PayPal Park; San Jose, Calif.
Weather: 69°F Sunny
Attendance: 10,754
*all stats unofficial
Match Officials:
Referee: Brandon Stevis
AR1: Jeremy Hanson
AR2: Jenifer Garner
VAR: Younes Marrakchi
AVAR: Brian Marshall
4th Official: Matthew Corrigan
Scoring Summary:
SJ (1-0) – Cristian “Chicho” Arango (Ousseni Bouda, DeJuan Jones) 12’
ATX (1-1) – Brandon Vázquez (penalty kick) 65’
SJ (2-1) – Benji Kikanović (unassisted) 99’
ATX (2-2) – Myrto Uzuni (penalty kick) 115’
Penalty Shootout:
SJ – Chicho Arango (no goal)
ATX – Diego Rubio (goal)
SJ – Josef Martínez (goal)
ATX – Myrto Uzuni (goal)
SJ – DeJuan Jones (no goal)
ATX – Robert Taylor (goal)
SJ – Ian Harkes (goal)
ATX – Owen Wolff (goal)
Misconduct Summary:
ATX – Brendan Hines-Ike (caution) 13’
ATX – Owen Wolff (caution) 50’
SJ – Chicho Arango (caution) 58’
SJ – Daniel (caution) 63’
ATX – Oleksandr Svatok (caution) 90+1’
ATX – Mikkel Desler (caution) 90+7’
ATX – Nicolás Dubersarsky (caution) 98’
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel (GK); Reid Roberts, Daniel Munie, Max Floriani (Josef Martínez 75’), Jamar Ricketts (Nick Lima 95’); Ian Harkes, Beau Leroux (Mark-Anthony Kaye 59’), DeJuan Jones; Cristian “Chicho” Arango (C), Ousseni Bouda (Rodrigues 106’), Preston Judd (Cristian Espinoza 75’) (Benji Kikanović 90+12’).
Substitutes not used: Earl Edwards Jr. (GK).
POSS.: 52.8%; SHOTS: 27; SOG: 11; CORNERS: 7; OFFSIDES: 2; SAVES: 5; FOULS: 27; xG: 1.92
AUSTIN FC: Brad Stuver (GK); Mikkel Desler (Nicolás Dubersarsky 91’), Oleksandr Svatok, Brendan Hines-Ike, Guilherme Biro, Jon Gallagher (Diego Rubio 66’); Dani Pereira (Ilie Sánchez 86’), Besard Sabovic (Robert Taylor 66’), Owen Wolff; Osman Bukari (Myrto Uzuni 66’), Brandon Vázquez (Zan Kolmanic 72’).
Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland (GK).
POSS.: 47.2%; SHOTS: 12; SOG: 4; CORNERS: 3; OFFSIDES: 5; SAVES: 3; FOULS: 28; xG: 2.49
EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA
On Cristian Espinoza having to leave the game after a challenge resulted in a large gash over his right knee and a yellow card for Austin FC defender Mikkel Desler:
“I know he needed to get stitches. The foul on him was a straight red card.”
On the defense not conceding goals in the run of play as both were penalty kicks:
“Our team played very well. Austin was not at all dangerous in attack the entire evening. We conceded two penalty kicks. That certainly is our fault, and we’re to blame for that for sure.”
On losing the lead late in extra time to a resilient Austin FC team:
“They did a good job. Obviously we made some mistakes, clearly, conceding penalty kicks and we failed in the shootout after overtime. Give them credit. They did well with their penalties. We put our best players up there, and we fell short.”
“That’s what’s disappointing. We should’ve advanced to the Semifinals, but we failed. Obviously I’m disappointed in the officiating tonight. But I thought our guys gave a good effort and we should’ve walked off the field advancing in this tournament.”
EARTHQUAKES WINGBACK JAMAR RICKETTS
On Austin FC scoring both of their regulation goals from penalty kicks:
“It's definitely frustrating. No team wants to tie the game from a penalty kick. But I think the group of guys we have, even when we do get scored on, it's like a quick head down and quick head up and we're right back. That's one thing I really like about this group of guys that we keep fighting. No matter what, even to the end of the game. If somebody gets out, the subs will come in and keep fighting. But it's definitely frustrating, and nobody wants to go through that, to be honest.”
On the team rallying around each other tonight:
“I think it's great how the team rallied and we kept fighting all 120 minutes. Especially the players that came off the field, like Cristian [Espinoza] was hurt, and he was on the sideline yelling. I think it's great to know that everybody has your back. If somebody got beat, the next person was stepping up. If somebody got hurt, we were putting in hard tackles. It's definitely a great thing to feel that in the locker room, knowing that everybody has your back. We can take it into the next game knowing that we have something to prove and that we will rally behind every single player on the field.”
On young players earning playing time under Head Coach Bruce Arena:
“I think it's great. It just feels good that Bruce has the faith, the confidence in us to give us opportunities. Especially in today's game. We live up to the moment. We strive for this so that when we have a regular-season game, we've been here before. I think it's great from all the young guys’ perspective that we just keep going out, keep fighting.”
On the team’s hopes to make the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs:
“We definitely have high aspirations. In our heads, we're playing playoffs no matter what. I think if we're going to make a good run and have the chance to really win the whole thing, I think we just need to fine-tune the small things and really come together and practice and keep being in unity. I think the coaching staff does a great job revealing who we're playing against and knowing what we need to do. We just need to be fully locked in for the whole 90 minutes—today 120 minutes.”
