Sporting KC return to San Jose, scene of last road win

The host San Jose Earthquakes aim to defeat Sporting Kansas City for the second time this season when the teams meet Saturday night.

While the Earthquakes (3-4-1, 10 points) are looking to improve upon a 2-2-1 home record, Sporting Kansas City (1-6-1, 4 points) will bid for their first road victory since posting a 2-1 triumph in San Jose on July 13, 2024.

Offseason arrivals Chicho Arango and Josef Martinez each scored in the first half to pace the Earthquakes to a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on March 1. Arango and Martinez share the team lead with four goals on the season, while captain Cristian Espinoza has a club-best five assists.

Speaking of Espinoza, he scored in second-half stoppage time last Saturday. Unfortunately for San Jose, it dropped a 2-1 setback to Los Angeles FC and fell to 1-4-1 in its last six matches.

With the Earthquakes heading in the wrong direction, forward Ousseni Bouda said the team is focused on getting back on track Saturday.

"It's a must-win game," Bouda said. "We want to improve our record. I think we're a really good team. We have to continue to show that. I think we've done a lot of good things, but we've made some mistakes that have cost us some games. Everyone is focused on getting results, especially at home this Saturday."

Sporting Kansas City were unable to sustain the momentum of their first win of the season and dropped a 4-2 decision to the Portland Timbers last weekend. Two goals allowed by Kansas City in particular were troublesome to interim manager Kerry Zavagnin as they dealt with what he perceived was a lack of awareness by his charges.

"The teams that lose that concentration more often and in decisive moments are the ones that are penalized," Zavagnin said. "The challenge is always to get better, not just physically better from a fitness perspective, but a concentration fitness perspective. That's a work in progress."

Dejan Joveljic scored on a penalty kick versus the Timbers to boost his goal total to a team-high five on the season. He also tallied in the previous encounter versus the Earthquakes.

--Field Level Media