San Jose Earthquakes Midfielder Niko Tsakiris Selected to MLS Team of the Matchday

SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Niko Tsakiris has been named to Major League Soccer’s Team of the Matchday for Matchday 25. Tsakiris scored his third goal and amassed his team-leading ninth and 10th assists in MLS play to propel the Earthquakes to a 3-2 road win over a San Diego FC team that had won five consecutive games at home across all competitions prior to Wednesday night. 

The Earthquakes opened the El Camino Rivalry second leg in shocking fashion when Niko Tsakiris outraced the back line in the third minute, took a long ball from Beau Leroux and curled a left-footed shot past SDFC goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos from just outside the box to give San Jose an early 1-0 lead. In the 12th minute, Tsakiris placed a perfect diagonal ball in the box for a streaking Preston Judd. The forward beat his defender once again and a diving Dos Santos to slot it home for his team-leading 12th goal of the season and a 2-0 San Jose lead. In minute 35, Tsakiris got involved in his third goal of the match, pinging a beautiful left-footed trivela for a charging Ousseni Bouda who headed it from just inside the edge of the 18-yard box into the back of the net. 

This is the 21-year-old Saratoga native’s third MLS Team of the Matchday recognition this season and fourth overall. 

The Black and Blue will return home Saturday, Sept. 12, to host Houston Dynamo FC. Kickoff from PayPal Park is slated for 7:30 p.m. PT with the match to be broadcast on Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as via local radio on KSFO 810 AM (English) and La Kaliente 1370 AM (Spanish). 

MLS TEAM OF THE MATCHDAY (MATCHDAY 25) 

Forwards: Rafael Navarro (STL), Tai Baribo (DC), Bruno Damiani (PHI)  

Midfielders: Antoine Griezmann (ORL), Niko Tsakiris (SJ), Cavan Sullivan (PHI), Kristoffer Velde (POR)  

Defenders: Andrew Gutman (CHI), Casemiro (MIA), Ilay Feingold (NE)  

Goalkeeper: Chris Brady (CHI)  

Coach: Ryan Richter (PHI)  

Bench: Yohei Takaoka (VAN), Kaick (DAL), Jude Terry (LAFC), Ryan Gauld (VAN), Quinn Sullivan (PHI), Dániel Sallói (TOR), Allan Saint-Maximin (CLT), Mateusz Bogusz (HOU), Guilherme (HOU)