With the 2017 season officially in the books, the San Jose Earthquakes have plenty to be proud of on and off the field. A trip to the postseason for the first time in five years and a spot in the U.S. Open Cup semis for the first time since 2004 highlight the calendar year.
Let’s takes a look at how individuals on the team fared this year and how they impacted the club.
Danny Hoesen
The only player brought in on loan during the 2017 season, forward Danny Hoesen joined from Dutch side FC Groningen in February.
Despite the Dutchman’s clinical finishing ability easily evident in training, the stat sheet didn’t fill up for him right away. He wasn’t regularly used as a starter in the early part of the season as then head coach Dominic Kinnear opted for El Tiburon Tico Marco Ureña. Hoesen also spent time in a variety of roles outside his traditional No. 9 spot, including several games on the right wing.
As the season progressed and Hoesen became more comfortable with the league, he began to find his feet. He tallied five goals and five assists in MLS play and cemented his position in the starting XI down the stretch. He even scored the opening goal in the team’s 3-2 win over Minnesota United FC on Decision Day, helping the Quakes punch their ticket to the postseason.
Hoesen was also arguably the team’s most productive player in the U.S. Open Cup, appearing in all four games and tallying goals in three of them, including the semifinals against Sporting Kansas City. Can’t forget his late game-winner against Seattle Sounders FC after entering as a 77th-minute sub either.
In total, Hoesen finished with eight goals and five assists across the two competitions, becoming the second player to hit the two marks in a single season for San Jose since 2012 (Chris Wondolowski – 2017).
His status for the 2018 season is still to be determined and will certainly be a storyline to watch this offseason.
