Earthquakes Extend Historic Start Despite Timo Werner Absence

San Jose Earthquakes extended their club-record start to 6-1-0 with a 3-1 road win over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night. Jack Skahan scored twice, Dave Romney added a goal, and Niko Tsakiris recorded two assists. The victory brought the Quakes to 18 points in the Western Conference, matching Vancouver Whitecaps FC at the top of the standings.

Bruce Arena’s team has shown remarkable depth and resilience, even with key players missing. Timo Werner has sat out two straight games with a lower-body injury and has only played 200 minutes in seven games this season. The Earthquakes have lost Cristian Espinoza and Josef Martínez since last year and have had Hernán López and Chicho Arango on loan. Despite these challenges, San Jose remains unbeaten and leads the league in goals against with just two.

“To be in this position at this point in the season is great, but we know it’s a long haul,” said Arena. “It’s 34 games. I said last week we could possibly lose our next 28 games. That’s not going to be the case anymore, but it’s going to be a battle. It’s great to have a good start and have the 18 points, but we need to get 30-35 more points during the regular season to be a team well positioned for the playoffs.”

The Earthquakes have built a +11 goal differential, trailing only Vancouver’s +15 in the West. Their ability to win without Werner has been a key factor in their success. Jack Skahan, who scored both of San Jose’s second-half goals, credited the team’s unity for the hot start.

“The unity of the team – we run for each other. We’re not playing with egos. We pass to the open guy. We attack together. We don’t care who scores.”

Werner is expected to return soon, with Arena confirming he “should be ready this week.” The German forward could make his next appearance in a high-stakes road clash against Son Heung-Min and LAFC on April 19 for Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire. The match will air at 7 pm ET on Apple TV.

San Jose is chasing their first Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance since a Wild Card berth in 2023. With Werner as their only active Designated Player, the Quakes have flexibility to make moves this summer. Their current form suggests they are more than just playoff contenders.