Houston Dynamo at San Jose Earthquakes: Highlights, stats, and quotes
(image via Houston Dynamo FC)
The Houston Dynamo fell on the road, 1-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night.
MATCH SUMMARY
San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 Houston Dynamo FC
Saturday, September 14, 2026
Venue: Shell Energy Stadium - Houston, Texas
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
Assistants: Brooke Mayo, Stefan Tanaka-Freundt
Fourth Official: Joe Dickerson
VAR: Allen Chapman
Attendance: 15,204
Weather: 68 degrees, clear
SCORING SUMMARY
SJ: Daniel Munie (Beau Leroux) 38’
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY
SJ: Ronaldo Vieira (caution; foul) 1’
SJ: Bruce Arena (caution; dissent) 3’
SJ: Beau Leroux (caution; foul) 19’
SJ: Jamar Ricketts (caution; dissent) 19’
HOU: Agustin Resch (caution; dissent) 75’
SJ: Benji Kikanovic (caution; foul) 90’
LINEUPS & STATS
San Jose Earthquakes: Angus Gunn; Jamar Ricketts, Dave Romney, Daniel Munie, Jack Jasinski, Benji Kikanovic; Ronaldo Vieira (C), Eduard Löwen (Jack Skahan 82’), Beau Leroux (Nick Fernandez 69’), Niko Tsakiris (Ian Harkes 69’); Ousseni Bouda (Luka Jovanovic 82’)
Unused substitutes: Francesco Montali, Paul Marie, Noel Buck, Jonathan Gonzalez, Vitor Costa
Total shots: 10
Shots on goal: 1
Fouls: 17
Offside: 3
Corner kicks: 1
Saves: 5
Houston Dynamo FC: Jonathan Bond; Lawrence Ennali, Lucas Halter, Agustin Resch, Felipe Andrade (Franco Negri 85’); Artur (C), Diadié Samassékou (Héctor Herrera 65’), Aliyu Ibrahim (Nick Markanich 78’), Mateusz Bogusz; Guilherme, Duncan McGuire (Matthew Arana 78’)
Unused substitutes: Blake Gillingham, Antônio Carlos, Duane Holmes, Agustín Bouzat, Gilberto Rivera
Total shots: 11
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 14
Offside: 1
Corner kicks: 3
Saves: 0
HOUSTON DYNAMO HEAD COACH BEN OLSEN
On the match:
"We thought we did enough tonight to get something out of it. Certainly, in the second half, we played very well. But that is something that happens when you go on the road in MLS. It is hard, and this is always a tough place to play. It is fast, and they are a physical team. They got great team speed.
Overall, we hung in there in the first half. We are disappointed to give up a set piece after we did such a good job grinding in the run of play in the first half. We tweaked one or two things at halftime, and we were unlucky not to get at least one goal with a lot of the joy that we had. So, it is about responding now and getting ready for Cincinnati.”
On the difference the substitutes made in the match:
“Well, they only came in late. They came in for the last 15-20 minutes. The whole half was better. They helped. All the subs did a good job. It was the subs, but it was also the whole second half.
We did make an adjustment or two. We needed to get around (Eduard) Löwen more on the ball, deal with the long ball and provoke a little higher. We did a better job of that in the second half, and that helped.”
On the two matches these teams played in recent weeks:
“This was just a better game. I think it was a high-energy game. The weather was conducive, and the field itself—it was fast, physical, and it was a very different match than the one we had in Houston. That was to be expected. We know what this place looks like, and they always come out strong.
We weathered the storm, but I thought we could have done a better job of securing the ball, having some long possessions, taking some exhale. As I said, provoking—especially when the sixes and eights dropped. We could have been a little more aggressive in some of those moments. That would have helped our back line with some of the long balls that ended up getting some corners and resulting in a goal.
But again, overall, I’m not that displeased with this effort. It was a good game overall and, as I said, there were enough chances there. Eleven shots, five on target. Some of those were point-blank. The goalkeeper had a good day and made some big saves on us. So, I think that was the story of the game.”
HOUSTON DYNAMO MIDFIELDER MATTHEW ARANA
On getting minutes:
"I am happy that the coaches trust me to be able to go in during a 1-0 game. I am really happy that they trust me in that situation. I am excited. It was a tough loss on the road, but we are going to keep working and go for three points at home against Cincinnati.
I’m really blessed with this opportunity. I feel really good on the field. I know all the coaches and players really support me, so when I go in, I feel confident and ready to go. In the first game against Charlotte, I was a little nervous, but then I got into it. Now, every game they put me in, I feel confident and ready to go.”
On the result:
“It is a tough league. We win some and we lose some. I just try to focus on what I do on the field and the minutes they give me so I can keep playing. I don’t really pay attention to social media. I just try to focus on my game and helping to improve the team.”
On being supported by teammates and the coaching staff:
“Honestly, everybody really supports me. That is what I really like about this team. They really welcome me on the field and off the field. They always try to include me in everything. A big one, for sure, is Héctor Herrera. He is a veteran. He’s been in World Cups, and he really supports me and tries to help me. Every time I get on the field, he knows what I can do. He talks to me and motivates me every day.”
