SAN JOSE – After losing Josef Martinez (14 goals last season), Chicho Arango (13 goals) and Cristian Espinoza (12 assists), the San Jose Earthquakes entered the 2026 season with questions about where their scoring would come from – especially with star off-season signing Timo Werner’s debut delayed due to a visa issue.
In the season opener Saturday night, the offense came from an unexpected source.
Center back Daniel Munie scored twice – matching his total from his first 44 career games – as the Quakes beat Sporting Kansas City 3-0 at PayPal Park.
Munie was selected by the Quakes in the first round of the 2023 SuperDraft after being named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year twice while at Indiana.
The six-foot defender opened the scoring in the 42nd minute. After striker Preston Judd headed a Niko Tsakiris corner kick toward goal, Munie pounced on the rebound.
The Quakes made it 2-0 just four minutes later. A through ball from Tsakiris freed Jamar Rickets down the left side. Rickets cut the ball back to Judd, who slotted the ball in.
Munie then finished the scoring by flicking in a header in the 54th minute off a cross from Beau Leroux.
The Quakes were never seriously threatened against a team that was picked last out of 30 teams in the MLS Preseason Power Rankings by both The Athletic and MLS Soccer.
The Quakes outshot Sporting KC 18-7. Daniel made one save in the shutout, diving to his left in the 49th minute to stop a shot from 10 yards out.
Werner is expected to be available for the Quakes next game, Saturday at PayPal against Atlanta United.
