Sounders Down Western Conference Front-Runner San Jose in Heritage Cup Classic

Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down a 3-2 barn-burner between the Seattle Sounders (7-1-3, 3rd in Western Conference) and San Jose Earthquakes (9-2-2, 2nd in Western Conference).

SEATTLE, Wash. — Osaze De Rosario netted an 89th-minute game-winner as the game swung back and forth after an early Sounders mistake led to a second-minute San Jose goal. Albert Rusnák scored off a penalty kick late in the first half to equalize before Jesús Ferreira went coast-to-coast in a spectacular individual effort to give Seattle the lead.

3-2 SEA | FT

Osaze De Rosario's 89th-minute header pushes #Sounders to the win of the season over the No. 1 #Earthquakes.

Seattle is 7-1-3 and while San Jose falls to 9-2-2 - both losses to the Sounders.

- xG: 3.4-1.7 SEA
- Shots 24-11 SEA (9-3 SEA)@EmeraldSpectrum | #MLS

— Qasim Ali (@qasimasports) May 14, 2026

The goals come at good times for Ferreira and De Rosario, who have both been lacking on the scoring edge as Seattle finally met its expected-goal mark after two frustrating draws against Kansas City and San Diego.

#Sounders midfielder Jesús Ferreira had a phenomenal individual goal in Seattle’s 3-2 win over the San Jose #Earthquakes, as the team has been pushing the 25-year-old (2g, 3a in MLS) to be more goal-dangerous.

Needless to say, Ferreira’s riding high.@EmeraldSpectrum | #MLS pic.twitter.com/QvrfYJxvpa

— Qasim Ali (@qasimasports) May 14, 2026

Osaze De Rosario had the game-winner against the San Jose #Earthquakes and his second goal of the 2026 today.

He’s been in and out of the #Sounders lineup, and he’s needed a certain type of mentality to hang in.

He described that mentality succinctly:@EmeraldSpectrum | #MLS pic.twitter.com/Ki7xN5qOfN

— Qasim Ali (@qasimasports) May 14, 2026

The win also meant history for the Sounders, who swept San Jose in the regular season for the first time.

“That’s a super motivated group,” head coach Brian Schmetzer said of his team postgame. “We’ve only lost one (MLS) game this year… that’s a motivated group right there to win games for the Seattle Sounders.”

The Sounders will face the LA Galaxy at home on Saturday before taking on a solid LAFC squad on May 24 in their final game until July as the World Cup break looms.