Two minutes. That is all it took for San Jose Earthquakes to establish who was in charge at PayPal Park and set the course for a 2-1 win over Sacramento Republic FC in the Round of 16 of the 2025 US Open Cup. With Amahl Pellegrino and Preston Judd netting the goals, the MLS team qualified and got revenge for the bitter loss suffered in 2024 at the hands of the same outfit. Sacramento's late revival almost brought the game back to life, but Quakes' control of the game for the larger part ensured that the lead was maintained.
Early goal changed the complexion of the game
The scoreboard was already running prior to the crowd being seated. Just two minutes in, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Preston Judd nicely played the ball through the middle and created some space for Amahl Pellegrino. Number 11 finished quickly and initiated the scoring. The kind of play that disrupts any opponent's game plan. Sacramento, caught off guard, had to quickly regroup.
The impact was immediate. San Jose took confidence and kept pressing the area left behind by Sacramento's defense. Pellegrino, indeed, had two more good chances to increase the advantage within the first 20 minutes but was thwarted by the defense and by his own finishing.
Second goal sealed the lead
San Jose's dominance only increased as the match went on. Republic tried to rally, but San Jose's midfield, tidily positioned, dictated the pace at will. The second goal came in the 44th minute as a direct result of that dominance. Nick Lima provided the cross from the right, Niko Tsakiris spun quickly full circle to set up the play, and Judd stepped in to finish the move with style.
It was the most beautiful play of the game, not just because of the goal itself, but because of how the passes connected. Tsakiris particularly stood out in the first half. Number 30 dictated the offense, moved the ball around, and created space with ease.
Quakes could have sealed the game before the half. Pellegrino had another good clear chance, this one one-on-one, but didn't finish nicely. Nonetheless, the 2–0 scoreline was a true indication of the first half: control, presence in the offense, and sound decision-making.
Second half was secure but had a scare towards the end
With the lead on the scoreboard, San Jose concentrated after halftime on not exposing themselves too much. They still generated good chances, but the priority was placed on controlling the game. The team did not decrease the intensity, but clearly gave precedence to defensive safety, not leaving space open for an opponent that still had quality to strike back.
And they came close to losing it all in stoppage time. Jamar Ricketts was red carded in the 90th minute. The straight red card had San Jose on edge. Republic then had some room and managed to score with Trevor Amann in the 96th minute, after working the play down the left side. The ball even bounced off the post before entering, creating drama in the final seconds.
Despite conceding a goal, Quakes held on. The final whistle was a relief, but also a wake-up call that the team needs to be more clinical to avoid unnecessary alarms at the end.
Home record intact against Sacramento
San Jose Earthquakes and Sacramento Republic had played each other five times previously in the US Open Cup. And the home team had always emerged victorious. This was the sixth meeting. And the trend persisted. San Jose had previously won four times at home to Sacramento, and now the fifth came along with the same score as in 2014: 2-1. In 2022 and 2024, Republic had won, including last year's elimination in extra time. This time, the story was different. The revenge came in regular time, with decent soccer and control of the game.
Earthquakes have a record of 22 wins in 41 matches in the US Open Cup, and a positive record against non-MLS opponents: 19 wins in 25 matches.