Article content
The San Jose Earthquakes look to extend their unbeaten run to nine matches when they host Minnesota United on Tuesday night in a match critical for both playoff contenders.
The Earthquakes (5-7-7, 22 points) have settled for draws in six of those last eight, including a scoreless 0-0 affair against Vancouver on Friday.
As a result, San Jose still sits only ninth in the Western Conference — one back of the final West playoff spot — when a victory could have taken them into a tie on points with sixth-place Real Salt Lake.
Article content
That the Quakes are even discussing the postseason is a tribute to their resiliency after losing six of seven (0-6-1) from May 12 to June 26, a stretch that was part of 11 consecutive matches without a victory (0-6-5).
“We have been recovering in terms of football,” San Jose manager Matias Almeyda said after Friday’s draw, through an interpreter. “We have two tough matches this upcoming week. We are thinking more about the game-to-game, rather than the playoffs.”
San Jose is also looking for its first goal from Jeremy Ebobisse, who has made two appearances (one start) at center forward since the Quakes acquired him in a trade from Portland. Ebobisse previously had four goals in 13 appearances (11 starts) for the Timbers while playing primarily on the wing.
Article content
Meanwhile, Minnesota (7-6-5, 26 points) is without leading goal scorer Robin Lod, who missed Friday’s 1-0 home loss to the LA Galaxy with a calf strain.
Without the Finnish attacker — who has scored six times this season — United generated plenty of chances but failed to beat Jonathan Klinsmann, who made seven saves, including several exceptional ones, for L.A.
The defeat was only United’s second in 14 matches (7-2-5) and snapped a seven-match home unbeaten run (6-0-1). And given its nature, manager Adrian Heath chose not to read too much into it, with his team still sitting in fifth in the West.
“I can’t fault the players, because they kept going and kept going,” he said postgame. “Other than for what, four, five unbelievable saves from the keeper? We would have got something out of the game.”
–Field Level Media
Earthquakes closing on playoff spot ahead of Minnesota match - National Post
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment