SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose Earthquakes forward Josef Martínez has been named to Major League Soccer’s Team of the Matchday for Matchday 37. The Quakes defeated first-place San Diego FC on the road Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium, with the Venezuelan star striker’s 14th-minute goal serving as the final margin to propel San Jose back into the ninth and final Western Conference playoff spot with two regular-season games remaining.
The Earthquakes opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Cristian “Chicho” Arango threaded a through ball past the SDFC back line to a surging Martínez, who coolly slotted it home to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. From that point forward, the Quakes’ defense was impregnable, ultimately facing 19 total shots without conceding until the final whistle for the team’s first clean sheet since May 28.
Martínez, who with his latest strike tied Arango for the team lead with 13, also scored his 129th career goal in MLS regular-season play, good for sixth in the league’s all-time list. Matchday 37 marks the Venezuelan’s third Team of the Matchday selection in 2025. He was also named to the squad in Matchday 7 and Matchday 25—the former of which he was also crowned Player of the Matchday following an April 6 hat trick against D.C. United.
The Quakes now travel to Canada on Sunday, Oct. 5, to face Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the regular-season road finale. Kickoff from BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, will take place at 3 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as via local radio on KSFO 810 AM (English) and KZSF 1370 AM (Spanish).
MLS TEAM OF THE MATCHDAY (MATCHDAY 37)
Forwards: Dor Turgeman (NE), Son Heung-Min (LAFC), Joseph Paintsil (LA)
Midfielders: Indiana Vassilev (PHI), Nectarios Triantis (MIN), Braian Ojeda (RSL), Dante Sealy (MTL)
Defenders: Andrew Gutman (CHI), Thiago Martins (NYC), Alex Freeman (ORL)
Goalkeeper: Sean Johnson (TOR)
Coach: Pascal Jansen (NYC)
Bench: Pedro Gallese (ORL), Artem Smolyakov (LAFC), Andy Najar (NSH), Albert Rusnák (SEA), Diego Luna (RSL), Milan Iloski (PHI), Mikael Uhre (PHI), Petar Musa (DAL), Josef Martínez (SJ)
