San Jose Earthquakes vs. Portland Timbers | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Portland Timbers
2018 MLS Regular Season – Week 10
Avaya Stadium — San Jose
May 5 – 10:30 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (in Canada)
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The San Jose Earthquakes return to Avaya Stadium looking to replicate their success in Week 1 when they beat Minnesota United FC for their lone victory of the season.

San Jose have lost two straight and are winless in six following a 2-1 defeat to Columbus Crew SC last Saturday.

The Portland Timbers have enjoyed home cooking to win back-to-back games, but following a bye week they return to the road where they are 0-3-2 on the season.

San Jose have lost one home match against Portland in MLS play (4W-4D), conceding multiple goals just twice in that time, per Opta.

San Jose Earthquakes

For the second straight road match against an Eastern Conference opponent, San Jose (1-4-2) suffered a one-goal loss, falling to Crew SC, 2-1, at MAPFRE Stadium Saturday night.

Danny Hoesen scored the Quakes' lone goal, his first since an opening-weekend brace, just before the stroke of halftime, but Mike Grella came off the substitute’s bench to score the decisive goal six minutes from full time as the Quakes returned to northern California empty-handed from back-to-back games away from home.

“We have to continue with the same concepts in general, but we are playing a new opponent with different strengths next week,” San Jose coach Mikael Stahre said. “Now we will be playing at home after two tough away games against Orlando and Columbus in which we got two defeats. That is hard for the moment, but we have a great group of guys and a great mentality so hopefully we can work harder together and hopefully win really soon.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Tommy Thompson (illness); D - Yeferson Quintana (ankle), M - Eric Calvillo (knee)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Andrew Tarbell — Nick Lima, Francois Affolter, Harold Cummings, Florian Jungwirth — Magnus Eriksson, Jackson Yueill, Anibal Godoy, Vako — Chris Wondolowski, Danny Hoesen

Notes: Hoesen has seven goals and assists in this last eight appearances for the Earthquakes. He had eight in his first 31 games with the team. … The Earthquakes enter on a six-game winless run (4L-2D). They have not gone seven consecutive MLS games without a win since Aug. 19-Sept. 28, 2016.

Portland Timbers

The bye week might have come at the worst possible moment for Portland (2-3-2), which handed NYCFC their lone defeat of the season, 3-0, at Providence Park two weeks ago. It was the Timbers' second straight win — both at home.

But that win, as satisfying as it was, is behind Portland. The focus is avoiding a trap against a struggling, but hungry, San Jose side.

“It’s important to understand that the New York City game is part of the past,” Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said “It’s gone. Now, we have to be able to practice in a very professional way, being strong mentally, preparing ourselves the best possible way to understand that we’re going to play against a team that is difficult; a team that has some interesting players; a team that hasn’t been lucky in some games; a team that is desperate in looking for that win after so many matches.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Roy Miller (left Achilles tendon), F - Jeremy Ebobisse (right thigh); QUESTIONABLE: D - Vytas (right thigh), D - Bill Tuiloma (right knee), M - David Guzman (right knee)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-2-1, right to left)
GK: Jeff Attinella — Alvas Powell, Larrys Mabiala, Liam Ridgewell, Zarek Valentin — Andres Flores, Diego Chara, Andy Polo — Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco — Fanendo Adi

Notes: Two of Diego Valeri’s eight career braces have come against San Jose. … The Timbers have not won a MLS road game since a 1-0 victory on Sept. 9, 2017 at New York City FC. Including the postseason, they have gone 0W-5L-3D and have been outscored 16-8 since then.

All-Time Series

Overall: San Jose Earthquakes 4 wins, 21 goals … Portland Timbers 8 wins, 27 goals … 7 ties
At San Jose: Earthquakes 4 wins, 14 goals … Timbers 1 win, 9 goals … 4 ties
Last meeting at San Jose: San Jose Earthquakes 2, Portland Timbers 1 (Sept. 30, 2017)