San Jose Earthquakes is set to face Houston Dynamo at PayPal Park during this weekend’s MLS Playoffs showdown. As the home side, the Earthquakes are currently placed eighth in the Western Conference , holding 18 points , while the Dynamo occupies the tenth position, trailing just two points behind.
Match Preview
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After successfully entering the last eight of the US Open Cup , the San Jose Earthquakes aim to continue their unbeaten streak, which includes four consecutive MLS matches. Earlier this season, the Earthquakes faced a rough patch, accumulating just ten points from their first ten games, punctuated by three consecutive losses against notable teams like Los Angeles , Sporting Kansas City , and the Columbus Crew .
Rebounding from their struggles, they recently secured victories over Portland Timbers (4-1) and Colorado Rapids (2-0), marking their second back-to-back wins for the season. Following two draws against Inter Miami and New England Revolution , San Jose has found some momentum, with an unbeaten run providing them some confidence going into this crucial match.
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In contrast, Houston Dynamo enters this match following a disheartening 3-1 loss to Austin , which resulted in their elimination from the US Open Cup . Despite this setback, Dynamo’s recent league performance has been promising, registering four wins , two draws , and two defeats in their last eight matches. Coach Ben Olsen is looking to capitalize on this form, aiming to make it three league wins in a row for the first time since March 2024 .
However, the Dynamo’s poor away performance looms over them, having only achieved one victory in their past nine road games. A win this weekend could elevate them to seventh in the standings if other results align favorably.
San Jose Earthquakes form (all competitions): W, W, D, D
Houston Dynamo form (all competitions): L, W, W, W
Team News
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For the San Jose Earthquakes , coach Bruce Arena is likely to maintain a similar lineup to their previous match against New England Revolution . Notably, players like Niko Tsakiris , Noel Buck , and Bruno Wilson are still recuperating from injuries. Arena will be particularly concerned about the absence of Cristian Arango , who is a key player with nine goals this season and is struggling with a hamstring injury.
The Brazilian duo, Rodrigues and Daniel , are also sidelined with unspecified injuries and won’t be available for selection. On the other hand, the Houston Dynamo is grappling with their injury woes as well, with Nelson Quinones and Lawrence Ennali both out due to knee injuries. Furthermore, Andrew Tarbell remains sidelined with a long-term knee issue, while Erik Sviatchenko and Ezequiel Ponce have been ruled out due to undisclosed injuries.
Possible Starting Lineup for San Jose Earthquakes:
Daniel; Floriani, Munie, Roberts; Fernandez, Kaye, Ricketts, Lima; Pellegrino, Marie, Judd
Possible Starting Lineup for Houston Dynamo:
Bond; Awodesu, Ortiz, Dorsey, Escobar; Raines, Artur; Bassi, McGlynn, Kowalczyk; Lingr
We say: San Jose Earthquakes 1-1 Houston Dynamo
Both teams come into this match with their recent performances suggesting they are evenly matched, making a 1-1 draw a plausible outcome after regular time. For detailed statistical analysis of the most likely results and scorelines for this match, please click here.