The Earthquakes strike twice in the opening 17 minutes to secure an important home win and strengthen their position in the Western Conference.
SAN JOSE, California | October 31, 2026
The San Jose Earthquakes secured a 2–1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday afternoon at PayPal Park, delivering an exciting Halloween matchup in front of the home crowd.
San Jose wasted little time making its presence felt. Ousseni Bouda opened the scoring in just the second minute, giving the Earthquakes an early advantage with a free-kick goal.
The hosts continued their strong start, doubling their lead in the 17th minute. Benji Kikanovic found the back of the net following a well-developed attacking sequence involving Bouda and Jamar Ricketts, putting San Jose firmly in control.
Real Salt Lake responded six minutes later. Juan Manuel Sanabria brought the visitors back into the contest with a well-placed header in the 23rd minute, finishing a cross delivered by Sam Junqua to make it 2–1.
The remainder of the first half saw both sides create opportunities, with San Jose looking to extend its advantage and Salt Lake searching for an equalizer.
After the break, Real Salt Lake increased the pressure, creating several opportunities to get back on level terms. San Jose goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. and the Earthquakes’ defensive line worked to preserve the narrow advantage as the visitors continued pushing forward.
San Jose also introduced fresh legs throughout the second half, including Eduard Löwen, who entered in the 60th minute and added another dimension to the midfield.
Despite Salt Lake’s late attempts to find an equalizer, the Earthquakes held their ground until the final whistle.
The 2–1 result gave San Jose three important points, moving the team into third place in the Western Conference with one regular-season match remaining.
For Real Salt Lake, the defeat ended a three-game winning streak and left the club outside the Western Conference playoff positions heading into Decision Day.
The Halloween afternoon matchup delivered an entertaining contest, with an explosive opening from San Jose ultimately making the difference.
Final Score: San Jose Earthquakes 2–1 Real Salt Lake
Goals:
2’ — Ousseni Bouda (San Jose)
17’ — Benji Kikanovic (San Jose)
23’ — Juan Manuel Sanabria (Real Salt Lake)
Photography & Story:
Anouar M. / The Production Nomad
Independent Sports & Visual Media
San Francisco, California