On Saturday, July 27, the Earthquakes breezed to a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids. The victory brought the Quakes into fourth place in the West. The Quakes were aided by an early own goal by Lalas Abubakar followed by goals from Vako and Shea Salinas.
Next up for the Quakes is Columbus Crew SC. Columbus has had an up and down season so far in that they show flashes of talent, but often fail. They currently sit 10th in the East with a 7-14-3 record. Columbus’ back line tends to be fragile and is always ready to give up goals (-12 goal differential).
Fortunately, the fact that the Quakes are playing host to Columbus, it is highly likely the Quakes will come away with a few goals and the victory. Let’s take a look at the Quakes players that can take a spot in your fantasy lineup:
Jungwirth, Jungwirth, Jungwirth. The defender put in another solid display over the weekend and will only set you back $7 million. Jungwirth consistently plays the full 90 minutes and getting a cleansheet isn’t a far-fetched idea, therefore, the Quakes defender can be a good source of points. Nick Lima ($5.5m) can also be a legitimate option for your defensive (and offensive) needs. The Quakes style of play uses the fullbacks heavily in the final third of the pitch. Going against this Columbus team could be a good opportunity for Lima to rip down the flanks to send in crosses and notching an assist or two.
It seems that the midfield for the Quakes is the powerhouse of this team. Again, Vako ($8.7m) is an obvious choice to include in your lineup. He found himself on the scoresheet once again and continuously put himself in dangerous positions. He’ll not only score you points for goals, but he’ll also get you points for his number of passes, pass completions, shots, and assists. He is a must have. Magnus Eriksson ($9.7m) is another midfielder you may want in your lineup. Much like Vako, he likes to put himself in dangerous positions. He’ll pick out the key passes and slot his teammates in on goal. Lastly, Cristian Espinoza ($9.4m). He’s relentless down the flanks and isn’t afraid of taking players on. He’s got a cannon of a leg that can score form distance and he sends in crosses like there is no tomorrow. Espinoza leads the team in assists (9) for a reason and it wouldn’t be surprising if he tallies another one on Saturday. The price tag on the Quakes midfielders are definitely on the higher end of the spectrum, but the way the team has been playing, the points they generate is worth the cost.
You can catch the Quakes play Columbus on Saturday, August 3, at 6:45 p.m. at Avaya Stadium.
