San Jose Earthquakes vs. Austin FC: Match Recap – Oct 18, 2025

Austin FC Falls to Earthquakes, Prepares for Los Angeles FC in 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs

Austin FC concluded its 2024 major League Soccer regular season wiht a 2-1 defeat against teh San Jose Earthquakes on saturday night at PayPal Park. Despite the loss, the team had already secured sixth place in the Western Conference standings prior to the match.

Austin will now turn its attention to a challenging first-round matchup in the Audi 2025 MLS cup Playoffs against Los Angeles FC. The schedule for this Best-of-3 Series is still to be announced, but all playoff games will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass and will be offered at no cost to Apple TV subscribers.

did you know? – Austin FC’s sixth-place finish is their best regular season result in club history, securing a home playoff game in the first round. The team has made the playoffs in three of its four seasons.

Wolff’s Milestone Season

The match saw Owen Wolff continue his impressive form, scoring for the second consecutive game to give Austin FC an early lead. In the 22nd minute, Wolff capitalized on a pass from Jáder Obrian, unleashing a powerful shot from the edge of the box that deflected into the net. This goal marked Wolff’s 15th goal contribution of the 2025 league season,making him only the third player in club history to reach that milestone in a single season.

However, the Earthquakes responded with two goals in quick succession. Josef martínez equalized in the 74th minute with a close-range header, assisted by Jack Skahan and Niko Tsakiris. Just three minutes later, Niko tsakiris secured the victory for the hosts with a well-placed free kick.

Here’s a breakdown of the scoring:

• ATX (0-1) – owen Wolff (assisted by Jáder Obrian) 22′
• SJ (1-1) – Josef Martínez (assisted by Jack Skahan, Niko Tsakiris) 74′
• SJ (2-1) – Niko Tsakiris (unassisted) 77′

Pro tip: – The MLS cup Playoffs utilize a Best-of-3 series format in the first round. This means a team must win two games to advance to the next stage.

The match was played under clear skies with a cozy temperature of 72 degrees at PayPal Park in San Jose, California. The officiating crew included Assistant Referee 1 Jeremy Kieso and Assistant Referee 2 Gerard-Kader Lebuis.

Statistical data for the match was sourced from MLSSoccer.com.

Austin FC now faces a significant challenge in the playoffs against a formidable Los Angeles FC side. The upcoming series will test the team’s resilience and tactical flexibility as they aim to advance in the pursuit of an MLS Cup championship.

Reader question: – What adjustments do you think Austin FC needs to make to compete with Los Angeles FC in the playoffs? Share your thoughts!