San Jose Earthquakes vs. D.C. United: Preview, time, and how to watch
D.C. United heads out west looking for a win against the San Jose Earthquakes. After back-to-back losses to Columbus and Orlando, the Black-and-Red need to flip the script – and fast! Troy Lesesne’s men have been putting in a solid effort on the pitch but need to start racking up points to turn their 12th-place spot into playoff contention.
Tonight’s opponent, San Jose Earthquakes, has woes of its own. Sitting in 11th place in the MLS Western Conference, the Quakes have won only two matches this season under their new head coach, Bruce Arena. We have no doubt that once Arena settles in, the Quakes will be a dangerous team. During his long career, Arena has racked up five MLS Cups, two of them with D.C. United. For now, though, San Jose will hope for a win after a 1-1 draw at home against the Seattle Sounders.
While the action on the pitch will certainly keep us on the edge of our seats, April 6 holds historic significance for Major League Soccer and these two teams. On this date in 1996, D.C. United and the San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes) played in the league’s inaugural match, with Arena on the touchline for D.C. United.
Check out Charles Boehm’s rundown of the inaugural MLS match and its significance.
The match will feature a special halftime presentation honoring Eric Wynalda, John Doyle, Eddie Lewis, John Harkes, Jeff Agoos, Marco Etcheverry, and several Clash and D.C. United players from the 1996 MLS inaugural game. Krazy George will return, throwback stadium graphics will be displayed, and retro merchandise will be gifted to match attendees and for sale.
Reflecting on the significance of the game, Troy Lesesne said, “We want to celebrate this weekend and celebrate our club’s legacy and all those individuals and how much impact they’ve had within the league and the game of soccer in our country.”
Hear everything head coach Troy Lesesne had to say at the pre-game press conference here.
Let us know your thoughts about tonight’s match in the comments below and be sure to join us live here during the game to chat with your fellow supporters.
Key Player: Christian Benteke
Benteke continues to come up big for the Black-and-Red, tallying four goals and an assist so far this season. San Jose’s defense will need to keep tabs on him.
Watch Out For: Josef Martínez and Cristian Espinoza
Martínez is poised to pass Bradley Wright-Phillips on the MLS all-time scoring list, while Quakes’ captain, Cristian Espinoza, racked up 21 goal contributions across all competitions in 2024. He is one goal away from surpassing Landon Donovan in goals scored for San Jose.
Challenges: Tonight’s challenge is really for D.C. United’s coaching staff. They will have to overcome mastermind Bruce Arena to bring points home.
Previously: D.C. and San Jose last met in September of 2023 at Audi Field, where they played to a scoreless draw.
San Jose Earthquakes Availability:
Out: Nick Fernandez (lower body), Benji Kikanović (lower body), Hernán López (upper body)
Questionable: None
D.C. United Availability:
Out: Jackson Hopkins (ankle), Garrison Tubbs (knee)
Questionable: Conner Antley (knee), Aaron Herrera (illness), Randall Leal (thigh)
Location: PayPal Park, San Jose, CA
Kickoff time: 5:00 pm ET
Referee: Victor Rivas
Available streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Eh the original San Jose franchise is now in Houston. This is San Jose take 2. Still valid points about the history of DCU and MLS.
Lineup is out, basically the same as last game except Badji is on the right wing, and Dodson is RB. Herrera and Stroud are available off the bench.
I’m especially curious to see how well Kijima and Peltola can develop together as a partnership, I certainly like the idea of their qualities together. Will also be interesting if Pirani can have an impact, he had some interesting moments in last game’s win.
Well thats unfortunate a deflection off Benteke and a wide open header.
Well crap route 1….this is gonna be a heavy loss.
What do you think the score would have to be for Lesesne to lose his job tonight? As a thought experiment
Benteke picks up a yellow and the hits just keep coming.
Espinosa makes it 3
Well, Benteke is still great. But having a player who is this effective and still being this bad, I’m not seeing a lot to recommend we stay on this path.
The system is tissue paper against anyone who spreads out and counters, really anyone who decides to. We need relief, and I think that’s gotta be a new coach
DeBruynne (sp?)
Massive mismatch between Lesene’s intended style of play and available personnel. Let go of some more mercurial and technically gifted midfielders (Klich, KDP) and prioritized new defensive additions and a young GK.
DC’s core midfield is too sloppy; commit numerous turnovers, many of the unforced error variant, leaving this high pressing side at a numerical disadvantage far too often. Defensive additions feel like lateral moves, thus far. And when DC succeed in build up and don’t seed the ball to the opposition through sloppy turnovers, the final pass/finish has been lackluster for anyone not named Benteke.
This squad likely needs a significant level of investment from ownership if they want to succeed playing this high pressing style.
Pressing isn’t dead in the modern game, but arguably ones this intense are floundering nowadays. Turns out the game is evolving to make way for systems that make full use of space provided by high presses.
I’m no longer in favor of doubling down on a dying sporting ideology, not when the result looks like this.
I’ve been doubling down for the last 20 years.
Double save on a pretty clear chance reminds us Benteke, as effective as he is, is not a virtuoso technician as a finisher.
Almost got back toward a competitive draw, but that’s tough to see
Who told the Quakes they’re still allowed to get forward? Seems highly unsportsmanlike
Last twelve minutes or so have looked much more like soccer. Still nothing to show for it, and that’s a cringe worthy bar
And a defensive mistake leads to a 4th goal….
And a 5th….
5-1. I think if I was Joon, I’d get out.
And a 6th….this is the worst performance all season. Wooden spoon here we come.
That was consummately pathetic
Comprehensively so
There is a simpler bit of analysis, than what I gave above, that also explains well where DC sit thirty years on from their first game. Through multiple coaches, and multiple owners this remains a club stuck in MLS 1.0. It is hard to, in the long run of things (i.e., over the last 10-20 years), identify a more mismanaged sports franchise in all major US sports. If this league were like any other in the world this club would have been relegated, a while back, and likely never made it back to the top flight under this current ownership.
Brendan was supposing the possibility that DC United is the team holding Kevin DeBruyne’s rights. If they do hold them, I assume he’ll hold out to force a trade. However, unless the team adds someone like that this summer, I’m packing in my season tickets after nearly 2 decades.
Unlike I think everybody else on this site, I really wanted them to go after Arena, but I’m sure he had enough smarts to stay away from this train wreck.
De Bruyne is also falling apart physically.
I’m not saying KDB necessarily — though I’m pretty sure everyone was saying the same thing about Luis Suarez before he came to MLS.
Yeah, my girlfriend is essentially saying Rhine cruise over season tickets in 2026. This team looks terrible.
Fair. I think the current owners assumed that the league wouldn’t develop much when they bought it, and are definitely not on board for catching up. Given that they’re purely in it to sell the whole thing, stadium and all, as a lucrative package and probably value their own time spent more than any other aspect, I fully assume we’re looking to be a sportswashing endeavor by an oil power. In which case, I’ll probably be out, anyway.
They’re probably the only type of people looking to buy in DC in the current climate too.