SEATTLE — Seattle’s Osaze De Rosario, whose father Dwayne brought glory to the Earthquakes 25 years ago when his golden goal delivered an MLS Cup title, inflicted some pain onto San Jose’s side on Wednesday night.
The Earthquakes were beaten for the first time in nearly two months Wednesday night, thanks to a goal in the 89th minute by the younger De Rosario that dealt San Jose a 3-2 loss.
Osaze De Rosario #95 of the Seattle Sounders reacts after scoring during the second half against the San Jose Earthquakes at Lumen Field on May 13, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images)
DeRosario’s goal snapped San Jose’s eight-game unbeaten streak and dropped the Quakes (9-2-2) into a first-place tie atop the Western Conference with the Vancouver Whitecaps — each with an MLS-leading 29 points.
The Sounders (7-1-3, 24 points) are third in the Western Conference. Seattle’s Jesús Ferreira and Albert Rusnák each added a goal as the Sounders extended their own unbeaten streak to nine games and became the first team to score more than two goals against San Jose this season.
The game-winning goal came after Seattle’s Nouhou Tolo played a first-touch entry pass from the left side, just outside the area, to De Rosario for a header from the top of the 6-yard box the skipped into the net to snap a 2-2 tie with six minutes left in regulation.
It was the 2001 MLS Cup when Dwayne De Rosario’s golden goal gave San Jose the first of its two MLS Cup titles. The goal earned the elder De Rosario the MLS Cup MVP award. On Wednesday, his son’s header was responsible for the Quakes’ first defeat since a 1-0 home loss to the Sounders on March 15.
San Jose, coming off consecutive 1-1 ties at Toronto and against Vancouver, is now winless in three consecutive games for the first time this season. Although little consolation, the Quakes’ two goals were impressive considering the stingy Sounders have permitted just six goals in MLS play this season.
The Quakes’ Nick Fernandez scored his first career goal in MLS in the second minute. His score came courtesy of Nonso Adimabua, who intercepted a pass in the box intended for Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, and fed a trailing Fernandez behind him for the finish to give the visitors a stunning 1-0 lead.
Preston Judd scored in his fifth consecutive match, adding a game-tying goal in the 69th for San Jose. Entering as a second-half substitute, Judd collected a rebound in the box, dribbled to his right and blasted a shot past Thomas to even the game at 2-2.
The Sounders have won three in a row and are unbeaten in five straight against San Jose. Seattle is unbeaten at home in 22 consecutive games (17-0-5) across all competitions, the longest streak of its kind in club history.
Seattle’s Rusnák converted from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute and Ferreira gave the Sounders a 2-1 lead in the 55th.
Wire services contributed to this report.