The Minnesota United FC’s Luis Amarilla scored nine minutes into the first half that’s all the United would need to defeat the visiting San Jose Earthquakes at Allianz Field in St. Paul Sat Mar 19, 2022 (file photo from mls.com)

by Marko Ukalovic

ST.PAUL, Minn. — Luis Amarilla scored a first-half strike, and it was all Minnesota United FC needed to overcome the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 at Allianz Field on Saturday night.

Amarilla had a mini-redemption arc over nine minutes of an action-packed first half to get MNUFC (2-0-2) on the board. After just putting a chip attempt over the crossbar in the 23rd minute, leading a break that looked sure to produce the game’s opener, Amarilla struck gold in the 32nd minute, making a defense-splitting run to meet Robin Lod’s pass from the wing, and finishing smartly.

“We knew they could hurt us with [Luis] Amarilla, where they looked for him a lot with their crosses and that’s how they scored. After they went up, we still couldn’t find our groove. It was one of the worst starts that we’ve had,” said Quakes head coach Matias Almeyda.

In the second half, the teams dueled each other without adding to the scoresheet. Benji Kikanovic came closest for the Quakes (0-3-1) on a 56th-minute attempt. The Loons threatened to double their lead on a Bongokuhle Hlongwane corker and a Lod scorpion kick that nearly fell below the crossbar before an attentive JT Marcinkowski palmed it out.

The Quakes’ keeper also saved on a 1-on-1 situation in stoppage time against Franco Fragapance to give his offense one last-gasp chance.

“The roles changed a little bit at halftime and that gave us some more numbers out wide to try and create some overloads in wide areas. I thought we did that well late on,” said Quakes defender Tanner Beason.

Dayne St. Clair had a perfect clean sheet as the Quakes did not register a shot on net. Marcinkowski made four saves on five shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: Each team finished with four corner kicks.

The Quakes now hold a 4-4-2 all-time record against Minnesota United FC, including a 2-2-1 record on the road.

UP NEXT: San Jose returns back to action after the International break as they host Austin FC on Saturday 4/2 at 4:30pm at Pay Pal Park.