Earthquakes’ late collapse leads to 4-2 loss to FC Cincinnati

SAN JOSE — Yuya Kubo came off the bench and scored the final three goals of the match — all coming from the 78th minute on and all with assists from Luciano Acosta — to rally FC Cincinnati to a 4-2 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night.

Kubo, who has seven goals this season, evened the score at 2-2 with a goal in the 78th minute after subbing in for Sergio Santos in the 64th. He gave Cincinnati (11-3-3) the lead in the 80th and polished off his first career hat trick with an insurance goal in the 87th. Acosta’s three assists give him 13 this season, tying him with Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi for the league lead.

Cincinnati has won five in a row on the road, the league’s longest such streak since CF Montreal won seven straight in 2022.

Neither team scored until Pavel Bucha found the net for the first time this season, scoring unassisted in the 53rd minute to give Cincinnati the lead.

Hernán López scored unassisted in the 57th minute to pull the Earthquakes (3-12-2) even. It was his third goal of the season.

San Jose took a 2-1 lead in the 72nd minute on Cristian Espinoza’s third goal this season, with an assist from rookie defender Vítor Costa de Brito, his third.

Roman Celentano turned away six shots — five in the second half — in goal for Cincinnati.

William Yarbrough finished with two saves — both in the first half — for San Jose.

Cincinnati keeps pace with Inter Miami, trailing the Eastern Conference leaders by two points with two matches in hand. Cincinnati won the Supporters’ Shield last season with 69 points and was already ahead of that pace before doubling up the Earthquakes.

Cincinnati improves to a league-best 7-1-1 on the road this season and earns its first victory in the Pacific Time Zone after entering with a 0-3-2 record all time.

Cincinnati had played San Jose twice since joining the league. San Jose beat Cincinnati 1-0 in 2019 — its first season. Cincinnati beat the visiting Earthquakes 6-0 in the second meeting in September 2022 — a club record for goals scored and margin of victory.

Cincinnati returns home to play the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. San Jose will host the Portland Timbers on Wednesday.