Entering Snapdragon Stadium, the Quakes seemed dead in the water. Facing one of the best teams in the league, they needed a new game plan. In the team’s best performance in months, Arena put together a truly special defensive backline. One of the worst defenses in MLS, most expected Anders Dreyer and Hirving Lozano to make mincemeat of the Quakes. …

Hernán López excited fans last season and promised to be the team’s cornerstone coming into 2025. Injuries robbed the fans and team of seeing his fit in Arena’s system for most of the year. As the team continues to find form, how do they reintegrate the mercurial midfielder? Perhaps the largest question for the team down the stretch is reintroducing …

For the first time since López’s injury, Bruce Arena opted to start Niko Tsakiris in place of the Argentine. After rotating through various options, Arena chose to go with the player most similar to López. In the first half against D.C. United, the offense seemed back to normal. Many fans felt concerned about the development of Tsakiris and other youngsters …

The Quakes came up empty against a good Minnesota United side. Outside of one lapse, the defense kept United from truly dominating the game. However, their inability to create quality chances in the absence of López took away any chance at points. Entering Saturday’s game, the Quakes looked poised to continue their good run of form. Even with López suspended, …