Earthquakes travel to Sounders for battle of Western giants

The San Jose Earthquakes have lost just once this season in MLS play.

The Earthquakes (9-1-2, 29 points) will get a chance to avenge that Wednesday night with a trip to Seattle, but it won't be easy.

The Sounders (6-1-3, 21 points) extended their MLS unbeaten streak to eight matches (5-0-3) and haven't lost in 21 straight in all competitions at Lumen Field since a 2-0 defeat to reigning UEFA Champions Cup winner Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup last June 23.

The Earthquakes will likely be without forward Timo Werner (left hamstring strain), the MLS player of the month in April. In addition, midfielder Niko Tsakiris underwent right groin surgery Tuesday and is expected to miss three to four months.

"That's all part of it. Injuries are unfortunate, but it is part of the game and we can't use it as an excuse," Earthquakes coach Bruce Arena said. "Like everyone says, it's next man up."

Preston Judd, helping replace Werner up front, scored in the fourth minute of Saturday's 1-1 draw with visiting Vancouver that extended the Earthquakes' unbeaten run to eight (6-0-2) since their 1-0 home defeat to Seattle on March 15 at PayPal Park on Paul Rothrock's tally in the 20th minute.

The Sounders are coming off a 1-1 draw with visiting San Diego FC on Saturday, with Danny Musovski scoring his first league goal of the campaign in the 80th minute to draw Seattle even.

The Sounders also have just one league loss, in Week 2 at Real Salt Lake, though like San Jose they have drawn their past two matches.

"If you look at the standings, we've only lost one game all year in the regular season," Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said. "But it just feels like the last two games we've dropped points and that's why we have that funny feeling in our stomach of the job is not quite finished yet."

--Field Level Media