FC Cincinnati’s Obinna Nwobodo (#5) lifts up Yuya Kubo (#7) in celebration after one of Kubo’s three goals of the match against the San Jose Earthquakes at Pay Pal Park on Saturday JUN 15, 2024. (FC Cincinnati)

by Marko Ukalovic

It was a night Yuya Kubo will not forget.

The Japanese reserve midfielder scored his first career hat trick as FC Cincinnati defeated the San Jose Earthquakes 4-2 on Saturday evening at Pay Pal Park.

FC Cincinnati snapped its two-game losing streak and have won seven of its past nine games. San Jose are winless in its past five matches.

San Jose (3-11-2-11 points) had scoring chances in the 22nd and 33rd minute of the first half. First, Espinoza centered the ball into the box, but the ball deflected off the foot of Amahl Pellegrino wide left. Then in the 33rd minute Espinoza centered a ball from right to left over to Hernan Lopez, who quickly fed it out to Jeremy Ebobisse in the middle of the box, but Ebobisse’s attempt sailed high over the net.

FC Cincinnati’s (11-3-3-36 points) leading goal scorer Luciano Acosta had two scoring chances in the 29th and 32nd minute of the opening 45 minutes but both of his attempts both were shot over the net.

FC Cincinnati drew first blood in the 53rd minute thanks to a gift from the Earthquakes. Tanner Beason’s pass attempt was intercepted by Pavel Bucha and the Czech midfielder dribbled into the box before firing a right footed shot past Quakes goalkeeper William Yarbrough for his second goal of the season.

San Jose responded with the equalizer three minutes later. A shot from Vitor Costa just outside the box was initially saved by FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano who dove to his right. Lopez cleaned up the rebound with a right footed punch into an open net for his fourth goal of the season.

The field opened up as the two teams traded chances after both goals were scored. Pellegrino raced down the left side from midfield in the 60th minute one-on-one with Matt Miazga. Pellegrino’s attempted chip toward the net was blocked out of bounds by Miazga for a San Jose corner kick.

“We lost our organization,” said ‘Quakes head coach Luchi Gonzalez on his team getting beat on the transition in back-to-back games. “That’s my responsibility as a coach in exercising that and improving that. Especially now that it’s hurt in consecutive games.”

The ‘Quakes gained its first lead in the 72nd minute. Costa sent a home run pass from just beyond midfield that found Espinoza inside the box along the right wing. Espinoza made a move to the inside before burying a left footed shot past for his fifth goal of the season.

FC Cincinnati scored the equalizer six minutes later. Acosta sent a long ball out to the middle of the pitch to Yuya Kubo, who came on as a sub for Serigo Santos in the 64th minute, who won a one-on-one race with Beason before depositing the ball past Yarbrough for his first goal of the match and fifth of the season.

The visiting team regained the lead two minutes later. thanks to some impressive play inside the box. A give and go between Acosta and Gerado Venezuela found its way to the foot of Kubo who tapped it home for his brace and sixth goal of the season.

FC Cincinnati put the game away in the 87th minute with an insurance goal. Acosta picked up his third assist of the match when he sent a ball up to Kubo who got behind the ‘Quakes defense as he finished off his hat trick with a shot right between the legs of Yarbrough for his seventh goal of the season.

“They’re dangerous. If you give Lucho (Luciano) Acosta half a second, he plays a one-touch ball behind Kubo and that’s what they’re capable of,” Gonzalez said.

Celentano made six saves on seven shots to earn his ninth victory of the season. Yarbrough made two saves on nine shots on goal.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished with 10 corner kicks. FC Cincinnati had three.

San Jose is 1-2-0 against FC Cincinnati in the all-time series.

UP NEXT: San Jose hosts the Portland Timbers on Wednesday 6/22 at 7:00pm at Pay Pal Park.