SANTA CLARA — Centerback Reid Roberts scored in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time as the San Jose Earthquakes overcame a two-goal deficit to tie short-handed LAFC 2-2 in a thrilling match Saturday at Levi’s Stadium.
Playing at the site of the World Cup, South Korean star Son Heung-min put on a master performance with a goal and an assist to put LAFC up 2-0 despite going down to 10 men in the 36th minute.
But Preston Judd’s team-leading 13th goal on a header from designated player Timo Werner brought the Quakes back within one in the 70th minute, and Roberts’s shot from well outside the box beat former French international Hugo Lloris in the final minute to even the match and keep the Quakes ahead of LAFC in the standings.
The Quakes (12-8-6, 42 points) are now unbeaten in five games, while LAFC (11-8-8, 41 points) have only won once in its last 12 games in all competitions.
Playing with the extra man for most of the match, the Quakes outshot LAFC 21-4 but had trouble getting past Lloris, who made seven saves.
Neither team had a high-value scoring opportunity in the first half, but Son broke through in the 34th minute with a long-range shot that curled inside the post for his sixth goal of the season.
LAFC defender Aaron Long got a straight red card in the 36th minute for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity when he grabbed Nike Tsakiris to prevent a potential breakaway.
But LAFC got the next goal on the counterattack when Son found Denis Bouanga on a 2-on-1 breakaway, and Bouanga netted his 13th goal of the season.
Werner, who is coming off an injury, entered in the 62nd minute and helped turn the game around with his cross to Judd, the team’s leading scorer.
The Quakes improved to 4-0-3 in all competitions at Levi’s Stadium. They also tied against LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium in late July.
Levi’s Stadium hosted six games in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including the U.S.’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.