Sporting KC v San Jose Earthquakes: Preview, Predictions & How to Watch

Sporting KC vs San Jose Earthquakes

When: Saturday, August 27th, 2022 at 7:30 PM CT (Kickoff 7:38)

Where: Children’s Mercy Park

How to Watch/Stream: 38 the Spot | ESPN+ (out of market) | SportingKC.com & SKC App (in market) | Sporting One App on Roku, Apple TV and Fire TV

Sporting Kansas City are once again riding high after a strong performance against the Portland Timbers last Sunday. They’ve now scored 11 goals in three games (and they only have 30 on the season, so 19 in the first 24 games) and are the first team in Major League Soccer history to score three first half goals in three straight games. Can they make it four?

They welcome to town a fellow Wooden Spoon contender in the San Jose Earthquakes who are currently two positions and one point ahead of Sporting in the standings, but SJ have a game in hand (as do the Houston Dynamo in 13th place). The actual Wooden Spoon leaders are D.C. United who have four less points, though do have a game in hand and swung pretty big in the secondary transfer window to try and pull themselves out of the league’s basement.

It’s probably worth mentioning that Sporting KC are still technically alive for the playoffs. The math is a little rough, but basically they need to win out (with some help) to have a chance. It’s almost surely over, but I guess a glimmer is better than no hope.

San Jose’s Recent Form

• July 30th vs Real Salt Lake — 2-2 Draw
• August 3rd vs. Inter Miami CF — 0-1 Loss
• August 6th @ Austin FC — 3-3 Draw
• August 13th @ FC Dallas — 1-4 Loss
• August 20th vs. LAFC — 2-1 Win

Who are the Quakes? They beat LAFC. They drew Austin FC on the road. Yet they remain as in the wooden spoon race as anyone.

What’s new for the Quakes since the last meeting?

For most of the information on the Earthquakes, you’ll want to head back to our prior preview to cover their offseason. Below are the moves since that story was written on May 20th. The Quakes have been a little busy with three additions and three subtractions.

IN: They’ve tried to bolster the defense with two additions, adding Carlos Akapo on a free from Cadiz (Spain) but he’s yet to play despite coming from the Spanish top flight. They also made a loan move for Rodrigues from Gremio (Brazil) who has also yet to appear. Their final move was adding Homegrown midfielder Cruz Medina, who is a promising 15-year-old.

OUT: MLS veteran defender Francisco Calvo was transferred to Konyaspor (Turkey) and midfielder Chofis’ loan expired and he returned to his club Pachuca (Mexico). Their last move out was a transfer of defender Marcos Lopez to Feyenoord (Netherlands).

Injuries/Availability*

Sporting KC

OUT - Alan Pulido (knee surgery), Gadi Kinda (SEI - knee surgery), Kortne Ford (suspension), Tim Melia (hamstring)

QUESTIONABLE - Ozzie Cisneros (hamstring)

*This has been updated based on the official injury report.

San Jose

OUT - Nathan (yellow card accumulation), Ousseni Bouda (left foot), Gilbert Fuentes (personal), Casey Walls (left upper leg)

QUESTIONABLE - None

Discipline Watch for Sporting KC

Suspended Next Yellow Card: Kortne Ford, Roger Espinoza

Stats

Sporting KC

Goals: Johnny Russell (7), Daniel Salloi, Willy Agada (5), Remi Walter (3), Roger Espinoza, Erik Thommy, Andreu Fontas (2), Marinos Tzionis, Felipe Hernandez, Graham Zusi (1)

Assists: Felipe Hernandez, Cam Duke, Daniel Salloi, Roger Espinoza (3), Ben Sweat (2), Uri Rosell, Remi Walter, Khiry Shelton, Kayden Pierre, Willy Agada, Graham Zusi (1)

Earthquakes

Goals: Jeremey Ebobisse (14), Cristian Espinoza (6), Benji Kikanovic (5), Jackson Yueill (4), Jamiro Monteiro (3), Francisco Calvo, Cade Cowell (2), six with one (1)

Assists: Espinoza (11), Monteiro (7), Jan Gregus (6), Cowell (4), Kikanovic (3), Ebobisse, Tommy Thompson (2), three with one (1)

Starting XI Predictions

This will get it’s own story. Look for it closer to game day. (Update: Here it is!)

Predictions

Sporting seem like a better team than the Earthquakes, despite the one point disadvantage in the standings. They have historically had the upper hand with a 31-27-10 all-time lead in the series and they’ve won two of their last three (and should have beaten Austin). The Quakes did upset LAFC last weekend but you have to go back about six weeks to find another win.

Add to that the fact that San Jose are 1-8-4 on the road this year and the odds start looking better for Kansas City.

But the Quakes are a wild card. You never know what team is going to show up and they definitely have been known for chaotic games in the past. They are without long-time head coach Matias Almeida and hired Luchi Gonzalez, formerly of FC Dallas, but he won’t join quite yet. I’ll pick a win for the first time in a very long time and probably jinx Sporting’s season to an end. Let’s go ahead and jinx those goals scored in the process.

4-2 Sporting KC Win

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