Don’t look now, but the San Jose Earthquakes might be the hottest team in Major League Soccer right now – and only getting better! If you haven’t paid attention to the standings this season and just happened to peek at them today, you wouldn’t think much of San Jose’s chances at making the playoffs this year. However, a closer look at their recent form and current players on the squad provide a glimpse of a team that could be poised to make a rather remarkable charge into the MLS post season. The ‘Quakes have 14 games left to make up 8pts on current 5th place team Vancouver, who have played 2 more games than San Jose, and 10pts on current 4th place team LA Galaxy.
San Jose Earthquakes Recent Form
Since the end of the World Cup, San Jose has gained 8pts (2 wins and 2 draws) while bringing themselves out of the Western conference basement. Granted, they are only 1 point clear of being back in Western conference cellar. The fact that they still have to play 2 more games than most of their Western Conference counterparts gives them the ability to make up some ground on the teams ahead of them and create some separation from the bottom of the table. Their recent run began in New Jersey as they salvaged a 1-1 tie v. the Red Bulls in a game that for all intense and purposes they should have lost, but some stingy defense and a brilliant late equalizer started them off on their current run. There was a quick turnaround that saw San Jose run all over Chicago in a 5-1 win followed by a gritty 1-0 win over Seattle in the San Francisco 49ers’ new stadium, Levi’s Stadium. Last week in the California Clasico, San Jose was outplayed, but still managed a 2-1 lead in the game before allowing an equalizer and hanging on for the eventual tie.
Players
It is probably no coincidence that San Jose improved as soon as their star forward, Chris Wondolowski, returned from Brazil. The 2012 MLS Golden Boot winner has scored 2 goals in the four games to bring his season tally to 8. Wondo looks like he is heating up as he scored this beauty vs. the Galaxy.
The gamble for the team coming into the season was picking up Benfica’s Yannick Djaló on a season long loan. The striker/winger has begun to come into his own during the team’s current run. Djalo has 2 goals and 3 assists on the season. All those have come in the two wins v. Chicago and Seattle. Unfortunately he injured his quadriceps muscles vs. Seattle and is expected to miss up to 3 weeks with the injury.
San Jose has only allowed 22 goals all year, tied with Sporting Kansas City, only the LA Galaxy has been stingier in goals allowed this season (19). A big reason has been Goalkeeper Jon Busch, who has the third most saves in MLS with 74. The veteran keeper has been a rock for the team all season, now he just needs his teammates to provide him with some scoring support on the other end, which seems to be picking up.
Vice-Captain Victor Bernardez came back from Brazil after representing Honduras and has been playing like a possessed man in the center back position. Together with Clarence Goodson, when healthy, the two provide one of the better center back combos in the league.
The addition of Argentinian midfielder Matias Perez Garcia, who made his debut with the team last week against the Galaxy, should provide the team with a much-needed play-maker in the middle of the field. The diminutive attacking midfielder joined the team from Club Atletico Tigre in Argentina and made his presence felt quickly, scoring his first MLS goal in his first game in the league.
Remaining Schedule
The team’s schedule does not get any easier as they still face games in Seattle, Vancouver, Colorado and two in Portland, along with another Clasico matchup against LA and a huge home game against Vancouver on the second to last week of the season that should have a playoff atmosphere if San Jose continues on their upward trend. The quakes are in for a tough road ahead as only 5 of their remaining 14 games will be in the confines of Buck Shaw Stadium. The make or break stretch of their schedule occurs September 7 – 14 when they play 3 games in a span of 7 days in a stretch that takes them to Portland, to Vancouver and then home against LA Galaxy. If they come out with more than 3 points in that stretch, it should make for an exciting finish in the West.
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