Earthquakes Stun LAFC with Bouda's Brace

San Jose moves into first-place tie in Western Conference after decisive 4-1 victory.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 2:12am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic action and energy of a soccer match, with overlapping geometric shapes in shades of blue, red, and green representing the players, field, and crowd.The San Jose Earthquakes' decisive road victory over LAFC showcases their status as a top contender in the Western Conference.San Jose Today

Ousseni Bouda scored two goals in the second half, ending Hugo Lloris' scoreless run to begin the season at 593 minutes, and the San Jose Earthquakes stunned Los Angeles FC 4-1 on Sunday night in an early Western Conference showdown. San Jose (7-1-0) moves into a first-place tie with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Western Conference and Supporters' Shield races in the Earthquakes' second season under head coach Bruce Arena.

Why it matters

The victory over the heavily favored LAFC squad, who were unbeaten at home, solidifies San Jose's status as a top contender in the West and puts the rest of the league on notice about the Earthquakes' ability to pull off big road wins against elite competition.

The details

Bouda used assists from newcomer Timo Werner and Beau Leroux to find the net in the 53rd minute after a scoreless first half. Werner then scored his first MLS goal three minutes later to make it 2-0. An own goal on Ryan Porteous in the 59th minute extended the lead to 3-0 before Bouda capped the scoring in the 80th minute. San Jose has now won all four of its road matches this season.

  • Bouda scored in the 53rd minute.
  • Werner scored in the 56th minute.
  • An own goal made it 3-0 in the 59th minute.
  • Bouda scored again in the 80th minute.

The players

Ousseni Bouda

A forward for the San Jose Earthquakes who scored two goals in the victory over LAFC.

Hugo Lloris

The goalkeeper for LAFC who saw his scoreless run to begin the season end at 593 minutes.

Bruce Arena

The head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes, who has led the team to a first-place tie in the Western Conference in his second season.

Timo Werner

A newcomer to the San Jose Earthquakes who provided an assist on one of Bouda's goals.

Beau Leroux

A midfielder for the San Jose Earthquakes who had two assists in the victory.

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What they’re saying

“We knew coming into this match that LAFC would be a tough opponent, but the team executed our game plan perfectly and got the job done on the road.”

— Bruce Arena, Head Coach, San Jose Earthquakes

What’s next

The Earthquakes will look to build on this statement win when they host the Portland Timbers next weekend, while LAFC will try to bounce back at home against the Seattle Sounders.

The takeaway

San Jose's dominant performance on the road against the Western Conference favorites shows they are a legitimate contender this season and have the talent and coaching to compete with the top teams in MLS.