Clinical Finishing Ends Winless Run
Preston Judd delivered a man-of-the-match performance with a first-half brace to propel the San Jose Earthquakes to a crucial 3-1 road victory over the Portland Timbers at Providence Park, ending a five-game winless streak across all competitions. The result was especially significant as it marked the club first-ever win at Providence Park and came just before the 2026 FIFA World Cup pause.
Judd on Fire
The 25-year-old striker opened the scoring within the first 15 minutes and added a second shortly after, demonstrating the clinical edge that has made him one of the most dangerous forwards in Major League Soccer this season. I am just happy to help the team in this game, Judd said after the match. It was an important one to put us in a positive mindset before the break.
Judd now has 13 goal contributions in all competitions, including a career-best 11 goals and two assists. He sits just two goals behind Chicago Fire FC striker Hugo Cuypers in the race for the Golden Boot presented by Audi.
Arena Praises Frontman
Legendary head coach Bruce Arena was characteristically candid in his assessment of Judd performance. I would not say it is his constant work rate, I would say it is his scoring, Arena said post-game. We are going to work with him to work a little bit harder, but today he has 11 goals. That is very impressive.
The performance came at a crucial time for the Quakes, who had been dealing with injuries to star Designated Player Timo Werner and homegrown midfielder Niko Tsakiris. Judd stepped up admirably in their absence, providing the attacking spark the team needed.
Strong Position at the Break
The win lifted San Jose to second place in the Western Conference with 32 points, level with first-place Vancouver Whitecaps FC, though the Canadian side holds a game in hand. If any team needs a break and deserves a break, it is us, Arena admitted. We are pretty busted up. We have had a loaded schedule in the month of May and we managed to survive.
Arena praised his squad resilience, adding: We barely kept our heads above water, but I could not be more proud of the group at this point in the season.
Legitimate Contenders
After barely missing the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, the Earthquakes have transformed into legitimate contenders under Arena in year two of his tenure. The team has shown remarkable growth, combining a high-pressing defensive structure with lethal counter-attacking football spearheaded by Judd.
As I told the team, the second half of the season is going to be much harder than the first half, Arena warned. So we have a ways to go. But it has been just a fantastic effort from our guys in the first 15 games.
The World Cup break offers San Jose a chance to recover from their demanding schedule and integrate injured players back into the squad. When MLS resumes, the Quakes will look to build on their impressive first-half campaign and mount a serious challenge for the MLS Cup.
