Marvell Wynne (4) and Dominique Badji (14) fight for the ball during their first meeting this season in a 1-1 draw in Colorado.
After a disappointing 2-1 loss in Houston on Saturday, the Earthquakes return home to Avaya Stadium to take on the Colorado Rapids in a battle of the Western Conference cellar. Colorado is currently 2 points behind San Jose for 9th in the West and followed up a 3 match win streak with 2 straight losses. The Quakes are winless in their last 9 matches across all competitions, their last victory coming against Los Angeles at Stanford Stadium as they sit 6 points back of the 6th and final playoff spot.
With Fatai Alashe suspended for the match after being sent off in Houston, it’s highly possible newest signing Anibal Godoy will make his first start for the club, filling in at the defensive midfield position. Center midfielder Matias Perez Garcia is also questionable for the match after missing the game in Houston with a leg injury leaving a spot in the XI for Marc Pelosi or Tommy Thompson. The Quakes will need to find a way to overcome the absences and integrate Godoy effectively against a Rapids defense that has allowed the 3rd fewest goals this season.
As well as the Quakes’ defense has played at home and as anemic as the Rapids’ offense has been at times, San Jose’s main focus will have to be on finding a way to score at home. During their current winless streak, San Jose has only scored 2 goals at home, both coming during the International Champions Cup matches. Quincy Amarikwa has been the only offense for San Jose during this streak, scoring 4 goals in his 5 games with the club, all goals coming on the road. San Jose will need Chris Wondolowski to get back on the score sheet at the very least and find a way to get Amarikwa a goal at home if they want to beat Colorado.
The Rapids offense has managed to score in their last 5 games, getting wins against Vancouver, Real Salt Lake, and Seattle in that time. Knowing the struggles San Jose’s offense has had at home, scoring one goal could be enough for Colorado to leave the Bay Area with 3 points. Goals have been coming from everywhere as of late for the Rapids, scoring 8 goals from 7 different players in their last 5 games. The head of the offense though is Designated Player Kevin Doyle, the only player who scored 2 goals in that stretch. Colorado will want to pressure the Quakes’ defense from the start and force them into mistakes to capitalize on, as well as continue to distribute the ball as well as they have these past matches to try and get their first win against San Jose since 2011.
History between these two clubs leans in favor of the Quakes having won 5 of the last 11 matches and drawing 6. It’s been since 2013 though since they last won, drawing the 4 matches since. Colorado haven’t won in San Jose since the 2010 season and will be desperate to end the streak on Friday night. Whatever playoff hopes the sides have left at this point is quickly running out and neither team can afford to drop points so expect to see two teams playing out of desperation when they meet at Avaya Stadium in San Jose.
The match will be nationally broadcast on UniMas at 8pm PDT, Friday, August 14th.
