The San Jose Earthquakes look to extend their unbeaten streak to eight matches when they battle Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night in Sandy, Utah.
The Earthquakes are 3-0-4 during the stretch, which includes Saturday’s 1-1 tie at the Colorado Rapids.
The clash against Real Salt Lake (9-14-5, 32 points) will be the team’s second in a row at high altitude, but San Jose coach Bruce Arena made it clear there is no benefit to that scheduling oddity.
“You don’t get accustomed to altitude in this short period of time,” Arena said. “The schedule is very poor to schedule a team two games in a short period of time in altitude. There’s nothing we can do about it. …”
“It’s going to be a challenge to be in altitude again.”
San Jose (13-8-7, 46 points), fourth in the Western Conference, got a tying goal in the 57th minute from Dave Romney against Colorado.
Goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. made nine saves to keep the Quakes in the game. It was his second straight start. He has played in only three matches because of injuries.
“Earl has been hurt a fair amount of the season,” Arena said. “It was good to get him back a couple weeks ago.”
Real Salt Lake are just 1-10-4 over their last 15 MLS matches but still in the mix for a playoff berth.
They stand in 11th place in the West, one point behind the Portland Timbers and four behind the Los Angeles Galaxy, who currently hold the ninth and final playoff position.
RSL’s only recent win was a 3-0 home victory over the New England Revolution on Sept. 26. Sergi Solans scored a brace.
Salt Lake fell 2-1 to the host Philadelphia Union on Saturday. Saba Lobjanidze scored in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time to keep RSL from being blanked.
“I thought it was a fantastic second half and I thought the guys played extremely well and created a lot of really good opportunities,” RSL coach Pablo Mastroeni said.
The teams have split the past six meetings. The rematch is Oct. 31 in San Jose.
–Field Level Media
