After a midweek stumble in what otherwise has been a brilliant revival season, the San Jose Earthquakes will look to get back on track when they play host to FC Dallas on Saturday.
The Earthquakes (9-2-2, 29 points) gave up a season high in goals during a 3-2 road loss to the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday. San Jose’s Preston Judd tied the match in the 69th minute before the Sounders broke through with the game-winner in the 89th minute.
Nick Fernandez also scored for San Jose, off an assist from Nonso Adimabua, when he delivered his first of the season in the second minute of the match. Judd scored his team-high ninth of the season after entering as a second-half substitute.
“It was a good goal, obviously coming in the first couple minutes of the game. … Nick played a good 90 minutes,” San Jose coach Bruce Arena said after the Earthquakes saw an eight-game unbeaten streak come to an end. “And Preston Judd continues to do his job as a center forward and scored another goal, so that’s a real positive.”
Judd has goals in five consecutive matches to tie a single-season franchise record. He has six total goals in the stretch.
Tied with the Vancouver Whitecaps for the most points in the Western Conference, San Jose sits in second on the second tiebreaker, goal differential.
FC Dallas (5-4-4, 19 points) enter off a 3-2 home loss to the Whitecaps on Wednesday. The two goals tied for the most Vancouver has allowed in a match this season.
Logan Farrington leveled the contest 2-2 in the 49th minute on a header before the Whitecaps delivered the go-ahead goal in the 64th minute. Petar Musa scored from the penalty spot in the 10th minute for FC Dallas.
“This was a missed opportunity,” said FC Dallas coach Eric Quill, who was sent off in the 87th minute for stepping on the field. “We all need to take accountability, myself included, and find ways to improve because we’re capable of being at the top of the standings.”
Musa has 11 goals on the season, tied with Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi for second in MLS, one behind leader Hugo Cuypers of the Chicago Fire. Musa’s 45 goals for the franchise are one away from tying Kenny Cooper for third on the club’s all-time list.
–Field Level Media
