5 Reasons Why LAFC Dominates The San Jose Earthquakes: A 2025 Rivalry Recap And 2026 Preview
The rivalry between the San Jose Earthquakes and Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) has been anything but balanced in recent years, a trend that continued throughout the 2025 MLS season. While the Earthquakes underwent a major cultural and tactical overhaul under a legendary new coach, the Black & Gold cemented their status as a Western Conference powerhouse, largely through individual brilliance and a change in leadership heading into the new year. As of this current date, December 15, 2025, the focus shifts from a comprehensive 2025 season review to a highly anticipated 2026 fixture list that promises fresh tactical battles and new managerial debuts.
The two California clubs met twice in the 2025 regular season, with LAFC taking maximum points in both high-scoring affairs. The results—a 2-1 home victory and a thrilling 4-2 road win—underscore LAFC’s historical dominance and set the stage for an intriguing 2026 campaign, where San Jose's aggressive, chance-creating style will look to finally break through against the star-studded LAFC defense.
The 2025 Matchups: A Tale of Two High-Scoring LAFC Wins
The 2025 season delivered two action-packed meetings that highlighted the contrasting strengths and weaknesses of both sides. For the San Jose Earthquakes, these matches were a microcosm of their season: a team that creates an abundance of chances but struggles with defensive stability and converting their opportunities against elite opposition. For LAFC, they were a showcase of lethal efficiency and world-class individual talent.
LAFC 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes (April 12, 2025 - BMO Stadium)
The first clash at BMO Stadium saw LAFC grind out a tight 2-1 victory, snapping a two-game losing streak in MLS play. The match was a demonstration of LAFC's ability to win ugly. The home side capitalised on key moments, with defender Sergi Palencia scoring a rare goal to kickstart the win. San Jose, despite having a significant number of shots, struggled to break down the LAFC backline, a recurring theme that plagued their season.
San Jose Earthquakes 2-4 LAFC (September 13, 2025 - Levi's Stadium)
The September showdown at Levi's Stadium was the season's classic, a six-goal thriller that saw the LAFC attack operating at its terrifying peak. The match was essentially decided by the individual brilliance of two global superstars: Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga. Son Heung-Min, who has been a phenomenon since his arrival in MLS, scored an opening goal in the first minute, stunning the home crowd. The real story, however, was Denis Bouanga, who delivered a phenomenal hat-trick, his second in less than two weeks, to secure the 4-2 win.
San Jose's goals, including an own goal by Sergi Palencia, were not enough to overcome the onslaught. This game perfectly illustrated the difference between the two teams: San Jose’s new aggressive system under Bruce Arena creates opportunities, but LAFC’s star power can simply outgun them in a shootout.
Key Entities and Star Players Shaping the Rivalry
The narrative of the San Jose vs. LAFC rivalry is dominated by the star players and the strategic minds of the coaches. The 2025 season saw major personnel moves that will define the 2026 matchups.
- Denis Bouanga (LAFC Forward): The undisputed offensive leader, Bouanga finished the 2025 MLS regular season as the top scorer for LAFC with 24 goals and 9 assists. His hat-trick against the Earthquakes in September was a turning point in their rivalry.
- Son Heung-Min (LAFC Attacking Midfielder): His arrival in MLS instantly altered the league’s landscape. Son's early goal in the 4-2 victory proved his ability to seize the moment, and he remains a phenomenal force in the LAFC attack.
- Cristian Arango (San Jose Earthquakes Forward): The Earthquakes' top goalscorer in 2025 with 13 goals, Arango is the focal point of the San Jose attack. His ability to link up with fellow forwards like Preston Judd is crucial for Bruce Arena’s system.
- Josef Martinez (San Jose Earthquakes Forward): A major acquisition for the 2025 season, Martinez was brought in to provide veteran leadership and clinical finishing. His partnership with Arango is the key to San Jose's offensive success.
- Cristian Espinoza (San Jose Earthquakes Winger): A consistent threat on the wing, Espinoza is vital to creating the high volume of chances that the Earthquakes' system demands.
Managerial Shake-ups: Bruce Arena vs. Marc Dos Santos
Perhaps the most significant development heading into 2026 is the change in the technical area for LAFC, setting up a fresh tactical duel against the legendary Bruce Arena.
The Bruce Arena Effect in San Jose
Bruce Arena took over as Sporting Director and Head Coach for the San Jose Earthquakes in 2025, immediately instituting a "cultural revolution" and a new, aggressive tactical identity. Arena's vision focused on creating a high volume of chances, and the statistics back it up: the Earthquakes led the entire league in both shots and shots on-target during the 2025 season. This aggressive approach, however, often left them exposed defensively, which LAFC’s elite attackers ruthlessly exploited. The challenge for Arena in 2026 will be to maintain this high-powered offense while shoring up the backline to convert chance creation into consistent results.
The New Era: Marc Dos Santos at LAFC
Following a disappointing end to the 2025 season—which saw LAFC finish without a major trophy—the club parted ways with Steve Cherundolo. In a major move, LAFC appointed long-time assistant Marc Dos Santos as the new head coach for the 2026 season. Dos Santos is expected to maintain the club's core attacking philosophy but will bring his own stamp to the team. The transition is a major storyline for the 2026 season, as the new coach will be immediately tested by the rivalry against Arena’s revitalized Earthquakes side. The pressure will be on Dos Santos to deliver trophies with a squad featuring stars like Bouanga and Son Heung-Min.
Head-to-Head Statistics and The 2026 Fixture List
The historical record heavily favors the Black & Gold. In the previous 21 meetings across all competitions, LAFC has secured 13 wins, while the San Jose Earthquakes have managed 7 wins, with only 1 draw.
This dominance is largely attributable to LAFC's consistent elite status since their inception and the sheer firepower they possess. The 2025 season results only reinforced this trend.
Upcoming 2026 MLS Fixtures (LAFC vs. San Jose)
Fans will not have to wait long for the next installment of this California derby. The 2026 MLS schedule features two crucial regular season matches:
- Sunday, April 19, 2026: LAFC vs. San Jose Earthquakes at BMO Stadium (Los Angeles)
- Saturday, September 19, 2026: San Jose Earthquakes vs. LAFC at Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara)
The April fixture will be one of the first major tests for the new Marc Dos Santos regime at LAFC, while the September match at Levi's Stadium will likely have significant implications for the Western Conference playoff race.
5 Key Factors That Define the San Jose vs. LAFC Rivalry
The dynamic between these two clubs is complex, but five factors consistently determine the outcome of their clashes:
- Individual Brilliance: LAFC consistently outshines San Jose with world-class individual performances, most recently Denis Bouanga's September hat-trick and Son Heung-Min’s early goal-scoring impact.
- The Bruce Arena vs. LAFC Dynamic: Arena has a history of success in MLS, but his new, aggressive tactical system in San Jose is still finding its balance against the league’s elite, often leaving the Quakes susceptible to counter-attacks.
- LAFC's Home Field Advantage: BMO Stadium remains one of the toughest venues in MLS, giving LAFC a psychological edge in their home fixtures.
- San Jose's Conversion Rate: Despite leading the league in shots and shots on-target in 2025, San Jose's inability to convert their high volume of chances into goals remains a critical weakness against top-tier defenses.
- The Managerial X-Factor: The introduction of Marc Dos Santos at LAFC creates an immediate unknown. Will his new tactics be more defensively sound, or will he double down on the high-octane attack that San Jose struggles to contain?
The 2026 season promises an exciting evolution of this California rivalry. With Bruce Arena's Earthquakes more tactically defined and LAFC under new management, the upcoming clashes are set to be must-watch events for MLS fans.
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