Austin FC carry momentum into clash vs. struggling Earthquakes

The San Jose Earthquakes are still seeking their first win since returning from the World Cup break as they travel to face suddenly dangerous Austin FC on Saturday in a Western Conference clash.

The Earthquakes (10-8-4, 34 points) head to the Lone Star State for the second straight weekend and will look for a better result after playing Houston to a scoreless draw Aug. 29. San Jose did not allow Houston a shot on goal, enabling Angus Gunn to record his first clean sheet in his seventh MLS start without making a save.

Gunn had allowed 18 goals in the Earthquakes' previous six matches.

San Jose lost four of five games in August and is 0-5-2 in seven matches since July 22. The Earthquakes begin the weekend in fourth place in the West, tied with Dallas and St. Louis in points but ahead in the table due to more wins.

"We're right in the thick of things at this point -- it's all part of an MLS season," San Jose coach Bruce Arena said. "There's no teams in this league that are superior to anybody. The teams that people envision are at the bottom can beat anybody. That's MLS."

Preston Judd leads San Jose in goals with 11, while Niko Tsakiris paces the side with seven assists.

Austin (6-10-6, 24 points) is near the bottom of the standings. The Verde head into the weekend 14th in the 15-team conference after a 2-1 win over the Timbers in Portland on Aug. 29.

The road victory was Austin's second straight after beginning the season without a win in its first 10 away contests. The recent surge has the Verde within two points of the LA Galaxy and Seattle and within five of ninth-place Minnesota and the playoff line with 12 matches remaining.

Oleksandr Svatok scored in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time to produce the game-winner for the Verde against Portland after Facundo Torres found the net in the 25th minute to open the scoring.

"Svatok's one of the guys that you root for because he is all about the team," Austin FC interim coach Davy Arnaud said. "He's all about the collective. He does everything the right way every single day. He doesn't complain. He goes about his business. He's a guy you root for."

Myrto Uzuni leads Austin's attack with six goals, while Torres has tallied six assists to pace the club. The Verde have scored just 28 goals this year and have a minus-13 goal differential.

The Verde have won the teams' past two meetings in Austin and are 2-7-4 in MLS matches against the Earthquakes.

--Field Level Media