One team has beaten the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2026 MLS season, and now they’ve done it twice. The Seattle Sounders had to come from behind and snatch a winner at the death to get it done at Lumen, but the team’s ability to overcome adversity against great clubs has set them apart this year. The Rave Green now occupy a top-three spot in the Western Conference.

The win also clinches the Heritage Cup for Seattle, a trophy celebrating the two teams in MLS that have kept their names since the 1970s.

Pre-Game

Brian Schmetzer’s only change from the weekend’s 11 against San Diego was at the top of the formation, with Danny Musovski’s late equalizer in Seattle’s 1-1 draw earning him the start over Jordan Morris. Schemtzer has said previously that he is looking for a striker to prove themselves as the everyday starter, and Musovski is the man in form coming off his first MLS goal of 2026.

The top-of-the-table clash was arguably the must-watch match of the week in MLS, as Seattle entered as the only team to beat Bruce Arena’s San Jose this season, having beaten the #2 team in the West 1-0 in California during matchweek five.

Since the 1-0 home defeat, San Jose played eight, winning six and drawing their previous two.

Nightmare Start

The game started with a gift, as young Sounders right-back Kalani Kossa-Rienzi had a lazy backpass intercepted by Nonso Adimabua, who centered for Nick Fernandez, rolling it into the back of the net for a second-minute opener.

It was both a first assist and first goal of the season for the two Quakes, as an injury-ridden San Jose team continues to get production from a wide array of players. The Quakes’ 2.2 goals per game is made all the more impressive considering Fernandez became the club’s 10th different player to tally in 2026

Seattle responded with an attacking third interception of their own a minute later, but the ensuing Snyder Brunell shot was right at Quakes netminder Daniel.

San Jose came out in a tight, swarming press, forcing Seattle to build out wide, but incisive play from Rothrock on the left, and Ferreira on the left would give Seattle a flurry of chances to equalize, pulling themselves even with the Quakes in expected goals despite remaining in a 1-0 deficit. 

After committing an error leading to the game’s first goal, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi came out playing like a man possessed in the attacking third, and an incisive zig-zagging run into the box in the 21st was inches from levelling things, with the shot at the end of it deflecting from the leg of Daniel and on to the woodwork.

“(Kalani’s) a tough kid.”

-Brian Schmetzer

Jesus Ferreira looked like every bit of the facilitator that Seattle wanted him to be through the first 45, slotting passes and passing the ball through tight gaps to all areas of the field. 

Seattle’s next big chance came in the 32nd, with Jackson Raegen rising up on a corner and nodding a header just wide of the net.

The hosts’ frustrations in front of the net continued through the first half; Daniel denied Snyder Brunell again on a shot from 10 yards out in the 38th, and Raegen missed an open far-post header on the ensuing corner kick.

Late first-half response

Seattle needed a break, and got it in the 41st when Dave Romney handled a ball in the box while jostling for a header at the top of the six-yard box. Rusnak converted the penalty for his third tally of 2026, his second from the spot.

The half wound up 1-1, with Seattle dominating statistically, leading in Xg (1.66-.45) shots (9-4) touches in the opposition box (25-7), total passes (262-94) and corners (7-2).

Sounders re-take momentum

The lone half-time substitution was the introduction of San Jose’s top scorer Preston Judd, who entered the night with 8 goals in MLS, 2nd most in the Western Conference

Judd introduced himself to match with a two-arm shove to the back of Alex Roldan, prompting a stern talking-to from Referee Filip Dujic.

Jesus Ferreira had spent the entirety of the match playing facilitator, but threw down the gloves in the 54th minute and did the job himself. Ferreira picked up the ball in his own defensive third, slallomed his way straight through the Quakes midfelield and defensives lines, and finished off a 60-yard run with a shot into the back of the net to give the sounders their first lead of the match.

“In those moments you just have to drive in until someone steps to you… I just blanked out and shot.”

-Jesus Ferreira

San Jose keeps things difficult

A loose-ball scramble in the Sounders Box in the 69th minute found a blue shirt, the most dangerous blue shirt on the field, as Preston Judd dispatched the quakes equalizer on a turning shot through traffic.

“I’d prefer the team stay on the front foot and get a third goal before we concede a second”

-Brian Schmetzer

After introducing Jordan Morris and Hassani Dotson off the bench right before the goal, he would make two more attacking-minded changes in the 75th, with Peter Kingston and Osaze De Rosario entering the fray.

Daniel denied what would have been Jordan Morri’s super-sub moment in the 76th, touching a short-disance shot wide with an extended hand.

Chances flowed freely on both ends after things were evened out, with Andrew Thomas and Daniel both being called into action on multiple occasions. 

Late breakthrough

The subs payed off for Schmetzer. In the 90th minute Nouhou lofted a cross to Osaze De Rosario, who used all of his height and hops to rise up and head down a late game-winner.

Seattle remains the Quakes achilles heel in 2026, beating them for the second time, and handing them their second loss of the season. The result puts Seattle into third in the West, and moves San Jose down to 2nd. Vancouver Whitecaps move to first in the conference.

Post-Game Quotes

Brian Schmetzer praised the drive of the players to get the job done against a good team despite not liking what he saw in the first, and was sure to give his plaudits to Albert Rusnak’s penalty that evened things going into the break.

“It’s not as easy as you guys think, but (Albert) is almost automatic.”

-Brian Schmetzer

Schmetzer also had good things to say about the late hero and game-winning goal scorer, Osaze De Rosario.

“Osaze has been doing the work, he stays after training… He makes the most of his opportunities.”

-Brian Schmetzer

While the question of who the Sounders will use as their every-day striker persists, it hasn’t had an effect on the teams ability to score and win games.

“Pretty soon, by committee we will have as many goals as last year… as long as everyone pitches in and we can score goals in a consistent fashion.”

-Brian Schmezter

Jesus Ferreira scored one of the goals of the season, and it’s clear that taking chances himself has been a bit of a point of emphasis for the striker, who has often played facilitator for Seattle.

“The teams been yelling at me to be a bit more selfish… a goal like this shows that they beleive in me.”
-Jesus Ferreira

Osaze De Rosario scored his second MLS goal of the season in dramatic fashion, a big moment for a striker battling for minutes.

“Every minute really counts, when you come in you have to be ready.”

-Osaze De Rosario

Seattle will play LA Galaxy at home on saturday, followed by a road game against LAFC before heading into the World Cup break.