San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper Daniel reaches up high for a ball kicked into the box by FC Dallas at PayPal Park on Saturday May 16, 2026. (San Jose Earthquakes)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — Samuel Sarver scored the game winning goal in the third minute of stoppage time as FC Dallas took down the San Jose Earthquakes 3-2 on Saturday evening at PayPal Park.

San Jose has lost two matches in a row for the first time all season. FC Dallas has won three of its past four matches.

FC Dallas (6-4-4-22 points) struck first in the match’s opening minute thanks to poor ball management by San Jose. Back-to-back turnovers inside their third of the pitch by Beau Leroux and then a bad clearing attempt by Benji Kikanovic led to Patrick Delgado beating Quakes goalkeeper Daniel with a left-footed shot in the right corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

“The last two games we positioned ourselves to walk off the field with a point and failed to finish out the games properly,” said Quakes head coach Bruce Arena.

San Jose (9-3-2-29 points) responded in the 18th minute. Ousseni Bouda crossed the ball into the middle of box that was headed away by a FC Dallas defender. Midfielder Beau Leroux one-timed the ball out of midair high into the right corner of the net that goalkeeper Johnathan Sirois could only watch for Leroux’s secodn goal of the season.

The Earthquakes didn’t capitalize on a chance to take lead the in the 42nd minute when they were awarded a penalty kick after Ian Harkes was tripped up inside the box by FC Dallas defender Osaze Urhoghide two minutes earlier. Leroux’s penalty attempt was stoned away by Sirois with a diving save to the right.

FC Dallas jumped out of the gate to start the second half as they regained the lead in the 49th minute. Herman Johansson sent a ball into the box retrieved by an unmarked Petar Musa. The Croatian striker needed just one touch before blasting a shot past Daniel for his team-leading 12th goal of the season.

The Quakes had many set pieces throughout the match but were only able to capitalize on one of them which left the team frustrated at the end of the match when all said was done.

“Overall, it’s just a frustrating game, especially with the way it ended,” said Quakes captain Ronaldo Vieira. “I think everybody felt like this was at least a game where we should’ve walked away with a point, similar to the Seattle game with the set pieces.”

San Jose scored the equalizer on a set piece in the 81st minute. Bouda’s corner kick into the middle of the box pinballed around and off of the knee of Ried Roberts for his first goal of his MLS career. It was a bit of redemption for Roberts who had left Musa unmarked on his goal earlier in the half.

Sirios finished the match with six saves on eight shots on target to earn his fifth victory of the season. Daniel made seven saves on 10 shots on target in the losing effort.

“We’re at the end of both games where we have a point, and if we lock it down, we walk off the field with a point in both games. That’s how a good, experienced team deals with both of these games, and we failed to do that,” Arena said.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished with 12 corner kicks. FC Dallas had four.

The Earthquakes’ all-time regular season record vs. Dallas is now 31-23-23 (121 GF, 98 GA) and 18-9-13 (69 GF, 49 GA) at home.

The Earthquakes sold out PayPal Park for the third time this season and in back-to-back matches (March 15 vs. Seattle, May 9 vs. Vancouver, May 16 vs. Dallas).

The Quakes started eight American players tonight. No team in MLS has averaged more of them in the starting 11 more across all competitions in 2026 than Bruce Arena’s Earthquakes (7.7/game). Arena also started nine former college players tonight; no team in MLS has more of them on the roster (19).

Chris Wondolowski, MLS’ all-time leading scorer in regular-season play with 171 goals, was honored at halftime for his May 1 induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

UP NEXT: San Jose returns to U.S. Open Cup play on Wednesday when they take on the Colorado Rapids in the quarterfinals at 7:00pm at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park.