St. Louis Metropolis interim head coach John Hackworth says they are going to deal with San Jose Earthquakes with respect as he’s cautious of their preventing spirit.
St. Louis sit thirteenth within the Western Convention, one place above Saturday’s opponents, however are 10 factors higher off than San Jose on 28.
Their four-match unbeaten streak got here to an finish final weekend, as they didn’t defend their early lead in a 3-1 defeat to Minnesota United.
Hackworth continues to be with out an away win since getting into the recent seat, and he expects an enormous problem as he makes an attempt to alter that weekend.
“[San Jose] have plenty of consistency, and I’ve been actually impressed by their spirit,” Hackworth stated.
“They don’t seem like a workforce that needs to be final within the west proper now. They’ve plenty of battle left in them.
“They don’t seem to be a workforce that we are able to take frivolously, we have to give them our full respect, however concentrate on us as a result of we consider we’re a significantly better workforce than our report exhibits.”
On our method to San Jose #SJvSTL x #AllForCITY pic.twitter.com/TjkBwxm4Rd
— St Louis CITY SC (@stlCITYsc) September 20, 2024
In the meantime, San Jose returned to MLS after the Leagues Cup with a shock win over Actual Salt Lake however are winless in three since.
They snatched a late 2-2 draw towards Seattle Sounders on Wednesday, and interim head coach Ian Russell is focusing on a powerful end to the season.
“We all the time come out and plan to try to push the sport,” Russell stated. “As a coach, I need to be on the entrance foot and I need to assault, however you need to perceive that being pressed is a part of it.
“However you even have to harm them as effectively. We all the time need to begin quick. We’ve by no means had a gameplan the place we’re set as much as soak up stress, that’s not a part of it.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Espinoza
Cristian Espinoza delivered his eleventh and twelfth assists of the common season on Wednesday towards Seattle Sounders.
That is Espinoza’s fourth common season with greater than 10 assists for San Jose (additionally 2019, 2022, 2023), with no different participant in workforce historical past having greater than two such seasons.
St. Louis Metropolis – Cedric Teuchert
Cedric Teuchert’s fourth-minute objective for St. Louis on Saturday was the membership’s sixth objective within the opening 5 minutes of matches.
The one workforce with extra targets within the first 5 minutes of matches since St. Louis Metropolis joined MLS in 2023 is the Vancouver Whitecaps (seven).
St. Louis return leg tomorrow at @PayPalPark .
Pictures from the Previous, offered by @Patron. #Quakes74 pic.twitter.com/9p8ak7Xq5K
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) September 20, 2024
MATCH PREDICTION: ST. LOUIS CITY WIN
St. Louis have gained all three conferences with San Jose, outscoring them 7-1 over the three video games. The Earthquakes are the one workforce St. Louis have confronted greater than as soon as and gained each match.
Nevertheless, St. Louis are winless in 17 immediately matches in all competitions (D8 L9) courting again to the tip of final season, although their final three on the highway have all been drawn. They’ve by no means gone unbeaten in 4 immediately matches in all competitions earlier than.
In the meantime, San Jose got here from behind to earn a 2-2 draw at Seattle on Wednesday. It marked the primary time the Earthquakes had earned a degree from a dropping place since a come-from-behind 3-2 win over the Colorado Rapids in Could, after dropping their earlier 13 regular-season matches when going behind.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
San Jose Earthquakes – 34.3%
Draw – 25.8%
St. Louis Metropolis – 39.9%
