The San Jose Earthquakes have done many things well in the past eight weeks. Four home victories, positive results in two of their four road matches, and players breaking all-time MLS records highlight a drastic change from the first few weeks of the season.
The one thing the Quakes haven’t done yet is pick up three points away from home.
Sunday is a good opportunity to do so against a shorthanded Toronto FC side that find themselves in a bit of turmoil. Toronto have won just one of their last six (1-4-1) and none of their last four (0-3-1). They haven’t won a home match since April 19 and are 0-2-1 in their last three at BMO Field. To make things worse, TFC will be without Spanish playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo, who has five goals and six assists in 10 appearances and is without question one of the top newcomers to Major League Soccer this season. He will be serving a one-match suspension after picking up two yellow cards in a span of eight minutes during last weekend’s 3-0 loss to Real Salt Lake.
Toronto FC still has plenty of playmakers, including forward Jozy Altidore, who scored five goals in his first four appearances of the year. Altidore, who is scoreless since April 13, however, has been hampered by heel and hamstring injuries so far this season. His status for Sunday is up in the air.
The club also has USMNT legend Michael Bradley, former Quakes defender Justin Morrow, Canadian midfielder Jonathan Osorio and USYNT forward Ayo Akinola that present a challenge for San Jose’s defense.
