San Jose Earthquakes will face Inter Miami in their second Major League Soccer meeting at PayPal Park on Thursday.
The hosts will be looking to earn their third straight win in the league and fourth across all competitions, while the visitors will aim to claim their third triumph in six top-flight fixtures.
Match preview
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Having suffered three successive losses in April, San Jose Earthquakes have returned to winning ways, claiming back-to-back wins in the league and three straight victories in all competitions.
In their latest outing, the Goonies claimed a 2-0 win on the road against Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, thanks to goals from Dejuane Jones and Cristian Arango.
That result saw them leap from 10th to seventh in the Western Conference standings with 16 points, six adrift of second-placed Minnesota United.
While they have struggled defensively since the start of the season, having conceded 20 times – a record which is the joint-third worst in the West – Bruce Arena will be pleased with his team’s attacking output, having scored 26 goals, the most by any side in the top division.
The Quakes have found the back of the net 16 times in their last six league outings, making them deadly in the attacking third.
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When Inter Miami visited the Allianz Field last weekend, they had hoped for back-to-back victories in the league for the first time since March, but they were handed a 4-1 thrashing by Minnesota United.
Since recording four consecutive league victories in March, the Herons have struggled for consistency, winning only two of the following six fixtures, with the other results being two wins and a couple of losses.
Despite managing only two wins in their last six league fixtures, Javier Mascherano‘s men are fourth in the Eastern Conference standings with 21 points after 11 games, four behind leaders FC Cincinnati and second-placed Columbus Crew, who are tied on 25 points each.
A victory for the visitors could see them leapfrog Philadelphia Union into third in the table, provided results elsewhere swing in their favour.
With nine goals conceded in their last five league exertions, it will be interesting to see how Vice City’s backline will cope against the rampant hosts.
Nevertheless, the away side can draw inspiration from their three away victories on the road in 2025 – a record which is the joint-highest in the entire league.
Team News
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Josef Martinez is set to miss his fourth consecutive match since he suffered a leg injury against Columbus Crew on April 27.
Similarly, Bruno Wilson will not be in Arena’s plans after he came off injured against Los Angeles earlier in the season.
Meanwhile, Mascherano could name an unchanged side from their 4-1 defeat last time out, with Drake Callender and David Ruiz sidelined.
Talisman and captain Lionel Messi will lead the line with support from Benjamin Cremaschi and Telasco Segovia.
Federico Redondo and Yannick Bright are expected to join Sergio Busquets in the middle of the park.
San Jose Earthquakes possible starting lineup:
Daniel; Munie, Romney, Rodrigues; Jones, Leroux, Harkes, Costa; Espinoza, Bouda; Arango
Inter Miami possible starting lineup:
Ustari; Allen, Lujan, Weigandt, Alba; Bright, Busquets, Redondo; Segovia, Messi, Cremaschi
We say: San Jose Earthquakes 2-2 Inter Miami
Earthquakes are currently enjoying a good run of form, and all things being equal, they should emerge victorious, but Inter Miami’s record on the road makes this fixture a little tricky for the hosts, with a 2-2 draw the most likely outcome, given the attacking prowess of both sides.
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