Now that MLS has released the 2015 schedule, supporters can start getting more excited for the new season. Two new teams are joining the leagues and here in Northern California, the San Jose Earthquakes are getting ready to open the brand new, 18,000-seat Avaya Stadium. A coach with a winning pedigree that has had success in San Jose in the past has the fan base in a frenzy, but the questionable signings in the offseason have left some scratching their heads. I plan on waiting until after the February 18 opening of the transfer window before I reach for my pitchfork. Talking with some people in the organization and noticing that the attacking midfielder spot has been left untouched all offseason while overloading with defensive mids makes me believe the Quakes have are holding a much better hand than they are showing. Maybe Dave Kaval has been perfecting his poker face at M8trix Casino a couple miles down the road from Avaya Stadium.
That being said, I went through the whole schedule for the Earthquakes and selected a few games that I think will be notable this season and why I feel they are important. Here we go:
2015 San Jose Earthquakes: Schedule and Matches to Watch
March 22 vs Chicago
Whenever a team opens a new stadium the first game is usually the biggest game of the season. Players, coaches, supporters, food truck workers, everyone is anxious and excited. It is hard to match that feeling; after the first game it becomes business as usual and all the focus is on the next game. Naturally this was my first pick. This will also be a chance, early in the season, to see if former Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop’s transformation of the Fire is working or if it is going to be another season near the bottom of the Eastern Conference table. This game is also going to be televised nationally on prime time in the East Coast. I am sure the extra attention will add to the already electric atmosphere.
May 8 vs Colorado
This is the 11th game of the season and is about a third of the way into the season. After 11 games Dominic Kinnear’s formula for the Earthquakes will become clearer. I am not trying to guess as to what it might be at the moment, I am going to wait until the transfer window that opens February 18 before I try to figure anything out. But the Quakes are planning something, I can feel it. This game is also a battle of Western Conference bottom dwellers in 2014; Colorado finished 2 points ahead of last place San Jose. With the addition of Sporting Kansas City and Houston Dynamo the West will be much more competitive this season so the Earthquakes must be within striking distance of the top 6 spots to have a chance at advancing into the playoffs.
June 27 vs Galaxy
My first California Clasico at Stanford Stadium was in 2013 and I was not prepared for what I walked into. The new Stanford Stadium is modern, but being on the historic grounds of Stanford University it oozes tradition. Walking to the stadium from the Caltrain station it seemed to have its own pulse, it puffed up and compressed a hundred times a minute. Much like Chris Wondolowski’s chest after a charging run against goal. Walking through the tunnel to get to our seat I was faced with 50,000 people going absolutely crazy for an American soccer game. It was like looking into the future. The play on the pitch matched the intensity of the crowd as the Earthquakes used some of their Goonie magic to win the game in the final minute. Bringing an end to one of the most classic California Clasico’s we have ever seen. On June 27, 2015 fifty-thousand people will once again gather to go crazy for American soccer and I can’t wait.
May 24 vs Orlando City SC
There is plenty of time to form a genuine dislike for Orlando City. Eventually they will be successful enough that some group will dislike them for their success. This is not that year. I am excited for this game because I get to see Kaka play while he is still in world class form. I know I’m not the only MLS fan who is a little excited to see Orlando City on the home schedule. The Earthquakes front office seems to believe this game will attract extra attention and are hosting the game at Levi’s Stadium. This is the second game of five that are going to be played at Levi’s with its 68,500 capacity. The Earthquakes will play one game a year there for the next three years.
September 19 vs NYCFC
This game is going to be played in New York in a baseball stadium, but I am still excited. By this time in the year NYC should have their full roster available, including (maybe, surely) Frank Lampard. It will also be interesting to see where NYC stands in the Eastern Conference table, but it would be shocking if they were not in the top 6. Even a weatherman could not predict where the Earthquakes might be in the Western Conference table at this point in the season, but being in the top 6 would definitely make the front office sleep more comfortably at night. New coach, new stadium, and last place is not going to satisfy the supporters of the Earthquakes in 2015.
August 2 vs Portland
Games against Portland are more exciting than they might seem. This game is going to be the first meeting between the two teams at Avaya and one month after they play each other at Providence Park. The first game of the series usually sets the stage for the second. Hard tackles lead to grudges that spill over into the second game. The Timbers Army travels very well to San Jose and the 1906 Ultras are usually out in full force with extra bass in their voices in return. On top of all that the game is being televised on ESPN2. Games against the Timbers were some of the loudest at 10,000-seat Buck Shaw. Now that Avaya Stadium is almost double the capacity, you might hear the crowd over the planes landing across the street.
There are my picks for some of the more intriguing games of the season. Do you agree with the games I picked or are you looking at other games? I would like to hear your feedback, let me know in the comments.
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