The San Jose Earthquakes will host San Diego FC on Saturday night, looking to strengthen their position as contenders in the Western Conference.
Currently, San Jose (4-1-0, 12 points) ranks third in the West, just ahead of San Diego (3-0-2, 11 points).
A noticeable improvement from last year’s San Jose team, which missed the playoffs by one position, is evident this season.
“This year, we already have four shutouts, which is a real positive,” said second-year coach Bruce Arena. “That improvement isn’t just down to the back line and the goalkeeper. It’s thanks to the whole team.”
Brazilian goalkeeper Daniel has saved 14 out of 15 shots on target, and achieving his fifth clean sheet would match his career high in MLS during his fourth season.
Ousseni Bouda, Preston Judd, and Daniel Munie each have two goals. Timo Werner, formerly with Tottenham and RB Leipzig, has two assists and is improving his fitness after his first MLS start on March 15, which ended in a 1-0 loss to Seattle.
San Diego has played a full slate of matches, partly due to their participation in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The team faced Toluca of Mexico in the tournament, losing 6-3 on aggregate goals, and played five matches in just 15 days.
“The experience of the mental fatigue is going to benefit us next time we face it,” said San Diego coach Mikey Varas. “Having so many games can lead to mistakes, but it’s a great learning opportunity.”
After the tournament, San Diego drew 2-2 at home against Real Salt Lake on March 22, with Marcus Ingvartsen scoring his team-leading fourth goal and Anders Dreyer netting his third.
Christopher McVey received a second yellow card late in that match, leading to a one-game suspension for Saturday’s game.
Add Footem.in As your Preferred Source on Google
Follow the latest on Footem WhatsApp Channel