After back-to-back matches last week against the Houston Dynamo (W 2-0) and LA Galaxy (W 3-0), the Earthquakes have little time to recover before their next two-match week.
San Jose hits the road for a road showdown with Minnesota United FC on Wednesday (5 p.m.; NBCSCA+) before returning home to face Real Salt Lake on Saturday (7:15 p.m.). The two matches could have significant implications on the Western Conference standings, with just three points separating fourth place and eighth.
The Quakes can’t look ahead to Saturday though, as Wednesday’s match pits the West’s fifth and sixth seeds. Minnesota, who defeated the Earthquakes 3-0 way back on March 9, will be looking to complete the double over San Jose.
United FC have had a very topsy-turvy season thus far. The Loons went 6-4-3 in their first 13 matches, including impressive wins over the New York Red Bulls and D.C. United. Since then, the club had lost three straight before blasting expansion side FC Cincinnati 7-1 last weekend.
Minnesota are a legitimate threat to make the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time this season. They are led by Designated Players Darwin Quintero and Angelo Rodriguez. The Colombian duo has combined to score 10 goals this season.
Defensively the club is anchored by former Quakes center back Ike Opara and Italian goalkeeper Vito Mannone. Mannone, on loan from England’s Reading FC, has made 49 saves and kept five shutouts so far this year.
"[The win] sets up nicely for what I believe will be our biggest game of the season so far on Wednesday," head coach Adrian Heath said after the game on Saturday. "We’ll pick our strongest fight on Wednesday. It’s going to be a big game for us. Another Western Conference team. So, we’ll be ready."
San Jose isn’t scared of playing on short rest. The team has stressed fitness since coming together in Cancun during preseason and is more often than not the protagonist late in matches.
“I remember the last few years in MLS, when you had a game on Wednesday and the other team didn't, there was always a big disadvantage,” defender Florian Jungwirth said on Saturday. "Now, we played better than [the Galaxy] in the second half. Remember, we did the same thing at [FC] Dallas because we were more fit. That's a big part of our game. I'm sure we are one of the fittest teams, maybe the fittest."
The match kicks off at 5 p.m. and will be broadcast live on NBC Sports California Plus, KNBR 1050 and 1370 KZSF.
