San Jose Earthquakes vs. Toronto FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Toronto FC
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 25
Avaya Stadium — San Jose
August 18 - 10 pm ET
WATCH: TSN4, ESPN+

Fresh off their third straight Canadian Championship title, which clinched a spot back in the Concacaf Champions League, Toronto FC are hoping to ride that momentum into another must-win match against the host San Jose Earthquakes Saturday at Avaya Stadium.

While TFC thumped the Vancouver Whitecaps in the second leg, 5-2, to win 7-4 on aggregate, the Quakes weren’t able to build on their latest uptick, falling to the Colorado Rapids last Saturday.

Toronto FC have won three of their last four games against San Jose (1L). They had two wins in their first 10 meetings with the Earthquakes (4L-3D), per Opta.

San Jose Earthquakes

With a win and a draw in their previous two games, the Earthquakes (3-13-7) were enjoying one of their best runs of form of the season when they went to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to face the Rapids.

However, they left Commerce City with a 13th loss of the season, finishing the match with just 10 men after Shea Salinas was sent off in the 88th minute.

Magnus Eriksson leveled from the penalty spot in the 58th minute, canceling out a first-half goal by Tommy Smith. But after Salinas was sent off, Nana Boateng scored the winner in the third minute of second-half stoppage time for the Rapids.

Suspended: D - Shea Salinas
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Kevin Partida (right ACL reconstruction surgery and partial meniscectomy); QUESTIONABLE: M - Tommy Thompson (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Andrew Tarbell — Nick Lima, Guram Kashia, Yeferson Quintana, Harold Cummings — Magnus Eriksson, Anibal Godoy, Luis Felipe Fernandes, Jahmir Hyka — Danny Hoesen, Vako

Notes: Earthquakes keeper Andrew Tarbell has conceded 10 goals from outside the box this season. Since 2010, only one keeper has allowed more such goals in a single season. … The Earthquakes are in the midst of a nine-game home winless run (5L-4D), tied for their longest such streak in club history, June – August 2000.

Toronto FC

Toronto FC (6-12-5) took their frustrations from a crushing 3-2 loss to New York City FC at BMO Field on Sunday out on the Vancouver Whitecaps in the second leg of the Canadian Championship final Wednesday night.

Jozy Altidore, who was sent off in the 11th minute against NYCFC, had a personal redemption with a hat trick and Sebastian Giovinco added a goal just before halftime as the Reds opened up a commanding 4-0 lead after 53 minutes. Kei Kamara and Brek Shea gave the ‘Caps a ray of hope, but Tosaint Ricketts slammed that door shut with an 80th minute goal.

“It was a final, but it was also for us an important night to win a championship, get that back under our belt, to use it as a way to build confidence and momentum down this final stretch of 11 games,” Greg Vanney said. “If you don't win it, that's another kick in the gut to a group that has had a lot of challenges to deal with this year.”

Suspended: F - Jozy Altidore, D - Chris Mavinga
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Auro (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-2-1-2, right to left)
GK: Alex Bono — Gregory van der Wiel, Eriq Zavaleta, Nick Hagglund, Justin Morrow — Michael Bradley — Jay Chapman, Jonathan Osorio — Marky Delgado — Sebastian Giovinco, Tosaint Ricketts

Notes: In the six MLS games this season that Chris Mavinga has started, Toronto FC is averaging 1.7 points and 1.2 goals allowed per game, numbers that devolve into 0.8 points and 2.2 goals per game in the 17 matches he hasn’t started. … Toronto have one win in their last six league away games (3L-2D), allowing 2+ goals in five of the six matches.

All-Time Series

Overall: San Jose Earthquakes 5 wins, 18 goals … Toronto FC 5 wins, 21 goals … 4 draws
At San Jose: Earthquakes 3 wins, 9 goals … Toronto FC 2 wins, 9 goals … 1 draw
Last meeting at San Jose: San Jose Earthquakes 2, Toronto FC 1 (July 16, 2016)