LAFC vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
8:00 p.m. PT
TV: TUDN, Unimás
Radio: ESPN LA 710AM, ESPN App, KFWB 980 AM
For just the third time in club history, and over two years since it last happened, LAFC has dropped two consecutive MLS regular season matches after losing 3-1 in Seattle on Aug. 30.
“We’re going through a very difficult stretch,” LAFC head coach Bob Bradley said after the Seattle match. “You can see that we have a lot of guys who are not in good form, and mentally they are just not where they need to be.”
Now, LAFC is back at Banc of California Stadium and looking to get back on track against another California rival in the San Jose Earthquakes, also a club fighting to stay in form after a tough 3-2 loss to Galaxy last weekend.
The MLS regular season series between LAFC and San Jose has been vastly one-sided, with LAFC owning a perfect 4-0-0 record and a whopping +12 goal differential.
That’s not to say though, that the series hasn’t provided its fair share of drama. In their first meeting between the two clubs on June 9, 2018, the Black and Gold were down 2-1 in the waning moments of the match when LAFC’s Adama Diomande scored in the 90th minute to tie it up. LAFC’s then-rookie defender João Moutinho scored the game winner in extra time to break the only four-game winless streak in Club history.
The subsequent matchups were less competitive on field, with San Jose failing to score a goal in the next three matches, but the last meeting on Aug. 22, 2019 provided a little extra drama with Earthquake’s Head Coach Matias Almeyda requiring extra persuasion to leave the field after being sent off in the first half.
Like many teams in this tumultuous season, the Earthquakes have had an up and down 2020, opening with a draw against Toronto FC and a tough 5-2 loss to Minnesota. The club appeared to to find their footing in the MLS is Back tournament, with wins against Chicago and Vancouver and a draw against Seattle. San Jose downed Real Salt Lake in the Round of 16 before falling to Minnesota United FC 4-1 in the quarterfinals. The Earthquakes opened the latest season restart on a 3-2 loss to Galaxy last weekend and currently sit in eighth place in the Western Conference table with a 2-2-2 record (8 points).
The Black & Gold are currently looking to break a three-game losing streak across all competitions, the Club’s second-ever such streak in its short history. LAFC opened the 2020 MLS Season with a win over expansion Inter Miami FC and a draw against the Philadelphia Union before the season was suspended on March 12. In the MLS Is Back Tournament, the Black & Gold were sent home by Orlando City SC in the quarterfinals by way of penalties, but not before picking up five regular season points in the group stage with ties against Houston and Portland and a win over the Galaxy. The Club suffered back-to-back losses to the Galaxy and Seattle Sounders in the latest regular season restart and currently sits in 7th place in the Western Conference with a 2-2-3 record (9 points).
SAN JOSE IN DEPTH
The Earthquakes are known to be one of the top pressing teams in MLS, employing a frenetic heavy man-marking style. San Jose aims to create chaos and make its opponent uncomfortable throughout the match, looking to create as many turnovers as possible. Offensively, San Jose reslies on a potent counter attack and chances created off of turnovers.
FIGHTING ADVERSITY
This LAFC squad has plenty of young talent that have seen experienced almost nothing but on-field success since joining the Club last season.
After setting the record for the best record for an MLS expansion team in 2018 and then enjoying the best regular season in league history in 2019, the Black and Gold have rarely faced real on-field adversity. But the 2020 MLS season has provided adversity in spades. A global pandemic, a shortened season with limited turnaround time, injured star players, civil unrest and a focus on social injustice throughout the country are just the top line issues players are dealing with as they attempt to focus on performing on the field.
"We have been working really hard [as a team] ever since the pandemic started and trying to do what the coaches ask of us, but we are people first and then footballers,” said LAFC midfielder Jośe Cifuentes. “We are going through a rough stretch on the field, but we have our objectives and it's clear that we all want to improve our performances."
Adversity has the ability to make good teams great, and Bob Bradley is looking forward to see exactly what this Club is made of.
“To become a really top team you have to be able to go through tough moments,” Bradley said. “You never get to the top where it’s just nice and easy.”
LAFC WILL WIN IF…
The Club can bring intensity for a full 90 mins to break out the current slump. If the Black & Gold can come out strong from the first minute and creating space on the attacking side while winning the crucial one-vs-one battles, they can find success. Most importantly, it is imperative that LAFC cleans up individual defensive errors on the back line.
SAN JOSE CAN WIN IF…
They can win the one vs. one battles all over the pitch defensively. While San Jose does not necessarily have an identifiable attacking style, they do have a true cultural identity under head coach Matias Almeyda. They work hard for each other and they work hard for their coach, and now if San Jose is able to win battle of intensity, they will see success.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT…
Both LAFC and San Jose are coming off of consecutive losses, and this match could be crucial as the Western Conference table continues to take shape.
LAFC will still be playing without stars Carlos Vela and Eduard Atuesta, and the Club is now 1-2-2 when forced to play without the talented duo.
San Jose recently lost former designated player Magnus Eriksson, who returned home last week to play for his former Swedish club, Djurgardens IF. With Eriksson’s departure, the Earthquakes have now employed Vako in the middle of the pitch, giving one of the best dribblers in the league more opportunity to advance the ball forward, something LAFC needs to be wary of.
