SEATTLE – The Seattle Sounders had to come from behind, but they broke their winless run with a 3–2 midweek win over the San Jose Earthquakes at Lumen Field. Nick Fernandez opened the scoring for San Jose in the 2nd minute, followed by a 42nd minute penalty from Albert Rusnák and a solo golazo from Jesús Ferreira in the 55th minute for Seattle before a Preston Judd equalizer in the 69th and finally an 89th minute Osaze De Rosario winner.
Following a pair of particularly frustrating draws coming into this game, it looked like the Sounders were headed for another headache-inducing result when Kalani Kossa-Rienzi’s poor back pass was easily snatched up by Nonso Adimabua before the forward found Fernandez for an easy finish.
The Sounders responded well to going down a goal, quickly creating three dangerous chances and forcing a pair of saves from Daniel before the game had reached the 10th minute. By the 42nd minute, Seattle had taken 8 shots to San Jose’s 3, and the last one of those shots forced a hand ball from Dave Romney off a Kossa-Rienzi header. The next and final shot of the half for the Sounders was Rusnák’s penalty, which he put right down the middle of the goal as Earthquakes’ goalkeeper Daniel dove to the ‘keeper’s right. The two sides went into halftime level, 1–1.
Coming out of halftime, the Sounders quickly started putting pressure on the Earthquakes, which culminated in what’s probably the best Sounders goal of the season so far. Ferreira picked up the ball just outside of Seattle’s box, then went for a long, run down the middle of the field to San Jose’s area before a couple of touches to cross up Romney created the space necessary for him to smash his left-footed shot just inside the post to put Seattle in front. Rusnák nearly doubled the advantage 5 minutes later after Paul Rothrock drew a free kick, but Daniel was able to stop his low shot under the wall just before it crossed the line at the near post.
Instead, after a handful of changes it was the Earthquakes who scored the next goal when Preston Judd was able to sidestep a pair of challenging defenders inside the area to find room to shoot with Nouhou and Jackson Ragen in front of him. His shot took a deflection off of Ragen, taking it beyond the reach of Andrew Thomas to tie the game in the 69th minute.
The Sounders kept looking for the goal to put them back in front, and finally in the 89th minute they got it through substitute Osaze De Rosario. DeRo started the play with a pass out to Peter Kingston on the wing, who found Ferreira at the top of the box but had his shot blocked. The rebound fell to Cristian Roldan, who brought it under control before sliding it out to Nouhou on the left. Nouhou had all the time and space he could want and made good use of it, sending in a perfect cross to De Rosario who was inexplicably wide open in front of goal and headed it down into the ground and into the back of the net to give Seattle a dramatic 3-2 win.
Seattle return to Lumen Field on Saturday, playing host to LA Galaxy at 6 PM with an opportunity to build some momentum heading into the final game before the World Cup break.
Lineups
One change to Brian Schmetzer’s lineup from Saturday’s match against San Diego FC, as Danny Musovksi starts up top with Jordan Morris available on the bench.
Tonight's Delta Starting XI for #SEAvSJ! 🤘 📰: sndrs.com/fwf0ly3z
— Sounders FC (@soundersfc.com) May 13, 2026 at 5:40 PM
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Key moments
2 - Goal, San Jose. Kossa-Rienzi gives the ball up with an atrocious back pass into the area. Nonso Adimabua picks it off before Thomas can reach it and lays it off for Nick Fernandez, who easily slots home. 1-0, San Jose
5 - Shot. Jesus Ferreira receives a pass in the box from Kossa-Rienzi then plays it backwards for Snyder Brunell who makes good contact on a shot but puts it right at Daniel.
9 - Header. Jackson Ragen gets his head to a corner from Albert Rusnák but Daniel is able to handle it.
12 - Chance. Kossa-Rienzi runs down the right wing before playing a central ball to Ferreira near the top of the box who takes a first-time shot but blasts it into the crowd.
18 - Save! Jack Skahan gets in on goal after winning a foot race with Ragen, but Andrew Thomas dives and paws away his shot towards the far post and gets it to a defender.
21 - Almost! Kossa-Rienzi drives across the box and takes a left-footed shot that’s deflected off the post and off the back of the goalkeeper. Ferreira keeps it in play, but it ends up knocked out for a corner.
31 - Shot! Ragen with another header from a corner, and this time he seems to have Daniel beat but his shot goes wide.
38 - Chance! Brunell tries to provide the finishing touch after some fantastic passing play around San Jose’s area, but Daniel comes up with a save and Seattle has to settle for a corner.
42 - Goal! Rusnák steps up to the spot after the Sounders win a penalty on a handball in the area, and he easily finishes down the middle. 1-1
Never in doubt 🥶 Albert converts from the spot and levels the match at one!
— Sounders FC (@soundersfc.com) May 13, 2026 at 7:29 PM
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HT - Subs. Ousseni Bouda and Preston Judd enter the game, replacing Paul Marie and Nonso Adimabua for the Earthquakes.
49 - Wide. Brunell takes a brings the ball down with his chest, then tries a shot from the top of the box but swings it well wide of goal.
55 - GOAL! Ferreira goes on a winding run from the edge of Seattle’s box, twists up a couple of defenders and then smashes his shot into the back of the net. 2-1, Sounders
JESÚS COOKED THE ENTIRE SQUAD 😭
— Sounders FC (@soundersfc.com) May 13, 2026 at 8:00 PM
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60 - Scythe! Rusnák takes a cheeky shot on a free kick, but his low effort on Daniel’s near post is caught by the GK.
64 - Subs. San Jose takes off Noel Buck and Jonathan Gonzalez, bringing on Ian Harkes and Beau Leroux.
68 - Subs. Hassani Dotson and Jordan Morris enter the game, replacing Snyder Brunell and Danny Musovski for the Sounders. San Jose swaps in Jamar Ricketts for Jack Skahan.
69 - Goal, SJ. Preston Judd gets the ball as Seattle struggle to clear the box, moves into some space and hits a deflected shot that finds the back of the net to tie the game. 2-2
74 - Subs. Seattle takes off Kalani Kossa-Rienzi and Albert Rusnák for Osaze De Rosario and Peter Kingston.
76 - Shot! Ferreira slips Jordan Morris through the back line, but Daniel comes up with a quality save on his left-footed shot for a corner.
77 - Chance. De Rosario has a look on the following corner, but he puts his header just outside of the far post.
81 - Block. Judd gets another look at Seattle’s goal, but Alex Roldan comes up with a huge block to deny him and instead give up a corner.
82 - Sub. Paul Rothrock leaves the game as Seattle replaces him with Paul Arriola.
86 - Chance. Peter Kingston plays a wall pass off of Morris then moves inside and hits a contested shot that Daniel is able to catch.
89 - Wide. Ian Harkes gets an open header on a corner between Ragen and Nouhou, but his shot to the far post goes wide.
89 — GOAL! De Rosario retakes the lead! Cristian Roldan plays the ball out to Nouhou on the left and he sends in a perfect cross that De Rosario rises up and heads it down into goal with no one to challenge him! 3–2, Sounders
TRUE. GRIT. WE LEAD AT HOME ‼️
— Sounders FC (@soundersfc.com) May 13, 2026 at 8:34 PM
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Quick thoughts
Creation meets conversion: No one has enjoyed talking or hearing about how well the Sounders created chances in the draws against Sporting Kansas City and San Diego FC. The reality is that they took a lot of shots, but hardly of a caliber that would have warranted better results in either of those games, and the finishing was certainly lacking to make more of any of those chances and half-chances than what the Sounders got. They certainly could have done better with their finishing tonight as well, but in the end they put up three goals and secured three points in a midweek meeting against one of the team who lead the Supporters’ Shield at the start of the night. The Earthquakes have only lost twice all season, and both of them have been at the hands of the Sounders. If the first win was a smash-and-grab of outrageous proportions, this one was every bit reflective of the quality of Seattle’s performance.
Jesús’ miracle: Ferreira has already claimed half of the regular season goals and primary assists he had in 2025 in about a third of the minutes, with 2 goals and 3 primary assists (5 assists including secondary assists) after putting up 4 goals and 6 primary assists (7 including secondary assists) in 2,189 minutes last season. His goal tonight was a thing of absolute beauty, running with the ball at his feet down the length of the field like he was walking on water before a little dance at the edge of the box to set up the finish. It was a fantastic goal, and maybe more importantly it was his second goal in four games as he’s started to find his shooting boots in a way he hasn’t previously during his time in Seattle. If he can start scoring at anything like a regular clip, the Sounders will be even more of a threat going forward.
No more cheap goals: While the goals the Sounders scored were good and well earned, on the other end of the field they gave up the pair of goals San Jose scored all too easily. For the second time in three games, a poor pass in their own end created a very easy finish for their opponents. Even if Judd’s equalizer was partly a result of some unfortunate bounces, the Sounders can’t expect to reliably claim results if they’re giving up goals like Fernandez’s tonight or the Dejan Joveljić goal against SKC. The defense has largely been very good throughout the season, as evidenced by the fact that this was only the second time they’ve given up more than a goal in a league game this season, but there’s obviously room to clean things up and improve.
Notable quote
‘I’m still frustrated with the second goal. What osaze’s goal erased was I wanted us to maintain tempo after our second goal.’
— Sounder at Heart (@sounderatheart.com) May 13, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Player spotlight
Nouhou – Nouhou helped create two of the goals tonight, not only did he have the assist on the winner, but his cross lead to Kossa-Rienzi’s header that earned Seattle’s penalty in the first half.
