San Jose Earthquakes forward Chico Arango (#9) plays the ball up high while being defended by Minnesota United’s Morris Duggan (#23) during the United’s 1-0 victory at Pay Pal Park on Saturday MAR 8, 2025. (San Jose Earthquakes)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE —Kelvin Yaboah has been all of the offense for Minnesota United FC.

His lone goal in the first half proved to be the winner as United shutout the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 on Saturday evening at Pay Pal Park.

San Jose has lost for the first time this season after starting the season 2-0. They attempted to make franchise history by starting the season with consecutive wins in MLS play. It was Deja vu for Minnesota United as they won for a second consecutive week by a score of 1-0.

“[Minnesota United FC] defended very well. They dealt with a lot of crosses quite well. We obviously made a mistake on the goal, not clearing the ball properly, and not doing a good job stepping to the player who finished. I don’t even know who finished the goal, but bad defending on our part on that particular play, I’m not concerned about a couple of chances they got at the end of the game, because we were very exposed trying to get the goal. We opened ourselves up. We were well aware that was going to happen. I give our keeper [Daniel] credit. He made a lot of good saves,” Quakes head coach Bruce Arena said.

Minnesota United (2-1-0) drew first blood in the 33rd minute. A failed clearing attempt out of the box by San Jose led to Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi collecting the ball out of the air. Oluwaseyi found Michael Boxall inside the box on the right side. Boxall quickly passed it over to Kelvin Yeboah who beat Quakes goalkeeper Daniel with a shot to far corner for his second goal of the season. Yaboah has scored both of Minnesota United’s goals this season.

San Jose (2-1-0) had pressure inside Minnesota United’s zone early in the first ten minutes of the opening 45 minutes. Their best scoring chance came in the 29th minute when Jamar Ricketts centered a ball into the box for a Josef Martinez shot attempt. However, Martinez’s shot was blocked by a United defender and cleared out of the box.

In the 62nd minute Morris Duggan had a great scoring chance to double Minnesota United’s lead, but Daniel made a diving save to his left to keep the ball out of the net.

The Earthquakes won a free quick just outside the box in the 65th minute. Cristian Espinoza’s bid to even the score with his free kick curled just to the right of the net out of bounds.

“Yes, absolutely yes,” said Espinoza when asked if he thought he had scored once he kicked it. “As soon as I saw the ball going over the wall, I was almost expecting that it was going to end up inside the net. It was very close, but unfortunately, I didn’t score the goal.”

Then in the 78th minute, Mark-Anthony Kaye’s right footed shot from outside the box in the center was blocked by Hassani Dotson. San Jose’s best attempt to score the equalizer came in the 80th minute when full back Dave Romney’s (San Jose Earthquakes) with right footed shot from the central position outside the box was knocked away by Minnesota United goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.

St. Clair finished the match with two saves on the evening to earn his second clean sheet of the season. Daniel made five saves on six shots on goal in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished with 10 corner kicks. Minnesota United had four.

Midfielder Niko Tsakiris made his season debut when he came in as a substitute for Rodriguez in the second minute of stoppage time.

San Jose is 7-7-4 in the all-time series versus Minnesota United.

UP NEXT: San Jose hosts the Colorado Rapids on Saturday 3/15 at 7:30pm at Pay Pal Park.