SAN JOSE – The chant began in the San Jose Earthquakes’ supporters section and soon echoed across PayPal Park on Wednesday night: “Bruce A-re-na. Bruce A-re-na.”
The winningest coach in MLS history, Bruce Arena has guided three previous teams to the Supporters Shield in his second year with the club – D.C. United in 1997, LA Galaxy in 2010, and New England in 2021.
After a 5-1 win over Austin FC on Wednesday, the Quakes (8-1-0, 24 points) are on pace to continue that trend.
The Black and Blue became the first MLS team this century to win eight of their first nine games and are now atop the Western Conference table for the first time since 2012.
The Quakes trailed for only the third time this season after captain Ronaldo Vieira’s errant pass led to a breakaway goal by Joseph Morales in the ninth minute. It was the fourth goal the Quakes allowed this season, tied for the fewest in the league.
That early blunder may have derailed previous Quakes teams. But in its second year under Arena, the team responded with its second five-goal half in club history (the other was in 1996 against New England).
“This is one of the few times we’ve been behind in the game, and I think it was good to see the character of the team,” Arena said.
The Quakes finished with 16 shots on target, tied for the second most in club history, along with 37 total shots and 6.7 expected goals. Still, they were behind until the 57th minute when right back Jake Jasinski scored the equalizer.
Preston Judd #19 of the San Jose Earthquakes celebrates after scoring a goal against Austin FC during the match at PayPal Park on April 22, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
In a sign of how well Arena’s moves have worked this season, Jasinski had played just 14 MLS minutes before Wednesday, when Arena rested regular starter Benji Kikanovic.
Jasinski scored in last week’s U.S. Open Cup win over Phoenix Rising, and the 2026 second-round pick out of Princeton elevated between two defenders and headed in a cross from Niko Tsakiri on Wednesday.
“I don’t think there was a point at all in that game where we thought we were going to lose,” Jasinski said. “Even at halftime, down by one, we always thought we were going to come back.”
Jasinski became the ninth Quakes player to score this season, as the team is using its depth to overcome the offseason departures of top weapons Josef Martinez, Chicho Arango and Cristian Espinoza.
The Quakes then piled on with four goals in an 11-minute span to put away Austin (1-4-4). Timo Werner scored the go-ahead goal in the 78th minute from the penalty spot after Jamar Ricketts was fouled in the box, marking the second goal of the season for the star signing from Germany.
Preston Judd added a brace after converting a pair of crosses from Paul Marie, and Stanford product Ousseni Bouda added his fifth goal of the season, tying him with Judd for the team lead.
“This team never gives up,” Jasinski said. “The way that we play, I think other teams get tired. We can keep going at it for 90 minutes. We have depth. The guys off the bench, especially today, brought a lot of energy and helped us at the end.”
The Quakes will aim to extend their club-record four-game road winning streak on Saturday against St. Louis CITY SC (1-4-3, 6 points). The 2022 New York Red Bulls are the only other team in MLS history to start with five straight road wins.
“We won nine games last year. We have eight now,” Arena said. “I attribute it simply that they grind it out, they work hard every day, and they like each other.”