Late goal lets Earthquakes draw with Minnesota United

Updated: Oct 1, 2023, 04:04 am

Paul Marie scored his first goal of the season in the 82nd minute as the San Jose Earthquakes rallied for a 1-1 draw with Minnesota United on Saturday night in Saint Paul, Minn.

Marie booted in a left-footed shot from by the far-left post off a looping crossing pass from Cristian Espinoza. It was the fourth goal of his career and came on Espinoza's 12th assist of the season.

Daniel finished with one save for San Jose (10-10-12, 42 points) which improved to 2-8-6 on the road this season.

Teemu Pukki scored for Minnesota United (9-11-11, 38 points) which saw its winless streak reach six games (0-3-3). Dayne St. Clair made one save for the Loons, who have won just three times in 16 home matches this season.

Minnesota United midfielder Emanuel Reynoso, back in the starting lineup after sitting out a 2-1 loss to Western Conference leader St. Louis City SC with a thigh injury, had two excellent scoring chances in the first 12 minutes for the Loons.

In the eighth minute, his left-footed shot on a break outside the left edge of the box sailed just wide of the far post. The second was a left-footed shot from the right side of the box that ended up in the side of the net.

San Jose didn't attempt a shot until the 31st minute. The Earthquakes' best scoring chance and the best either team had in the half came four minutes later when Jeremy Ebobisse found forward Matthew Hoppe alone on the left edge of the 6-yard box, but Hoppe's right-footed chip shot went wide of the far post.

Pukki scored his sixth goal of the season and fifth in the last six games to give the Loons a 1-0 lead in the 56th minute. The score came after Franco Fragapane made a pass toward Bongokuhle Hlongwane in the middle of the box that Earthquakes defender Carlos Akapo knocked away to the right side of the 6-yard box. A wide-open Pukki pounced on it and fired a right-footed shot into the near corner of the net.

Pukki had an excellent chance to give the Loons a two-goal lead in the 73rd minute when he took a through pass from Kervin Arriaga in the middle of the box, but Daniel made a sprawling save on his point-blank, right-footed attempt.

--Field Level Media