MLS Match Preview: San Jose Earthquakes (8-10-8) vs. San Diego FC (15-7-4)

Venue: PayPal Park, San Jose, California
Kickoff: 7:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM ET
Broadcast: MLS Season Pass (Apple TV+)

Match Context

This is the first-ever meeting between the San Jose Earthquakes and expansion powerhouse San Diego FC, who have taken MLS by storm in their debut season. San Diego sits second in the Western Conference with 49 points, while San Jose—under Bruce Arena’s first-year stewardship—is clawing for a playoff spot after last season’s Wooden Spoon finish. San Jose’s recent 2–1 win over Vancouver snapped an eight-match winless streak, but they’ll need a near-perfect run to climb into the top eight. San Diego, meanwhile, has won eight of their last ten road games and boasts one of the league’s most balanced attacks.

Key Players to Watch

San Jose Earthquakes

Cristian Espinoza – 4 goals, 12 assists; elite chance creator and set-piece specialist

Chicho Arango – 9 goals; cooled off after a hot start but remains a game-changer

Beau Leroux – Breakout midfielder with box-to-box impact and defensive grit

San Diego FC

Anders Dreyer – Leads MLS with 29 goal contributions (12 goals, 17 assists); dynamic winger

Luca de la Torre – Smooth No. 8 with elite ball progression and vision

Jeppe Tverskov – Defensive anchor likened to Kyle Beckerman; quietly dominant

Team Form & Stats

Team	Record	Goals For	Goals Against	Last 5 Matches
San Jose Earthquakes	8-10-8	49	45	W-L-D-L-L
San Diego FC	15-7-4	50	32	W-W-L-W-D

San Diego has scored in 12 straight matches

San Jose has conceded in 9 of their last 10 games

Both teams average over 1.5 goals per match

Tactical Breakdown

San Jose plays a high-risk, high-reward style under Arena, often leaving gaps in transition.

San Diego is tactically disciplined, with Dreyer and de la Torre orchestrating attacks from wide and central zones.

Expect San Diego to dominate possession and exploit San Jose’s defensive lapses, especially on the counter.