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Sporting KC v San Jose Earthquakes: Preview, Predictions & How to Watch

The least we can do is have your prepared for the game this weekend for Sporting Kansas City as they take on the San Jose Earthquakes.

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Graham Zusi versus the Seattle Sounders. | Credit: Thad Bell

Sporting KC @ San Jose Earthquakes

When: Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 9:30 PM CT (9:39 kickoff)

Where: PayPal Park

How to Watch/Stream: Apple MLS Season Pass (FREE)

This is getting very old. Seven games into the 2023 season and Sporting Kansas City have yet to win a game. They’ve barely found the back of the net (two goals through seven games). No point in rehashing what we’ve beat to death this week. We’ve got plenty of coverage of what is wrong, if that’s what you are here for:

Sporting KC hit the road to face the San Jose Earthquakes who are off to a 3-2-2 start and are sitting at sixth place in the Western Conference, in a three-way tie with FC Dallas (4th) and Minnesota United (5th). They are just five points out of first place (the Seattle Sounders have passed St. Louis City SC).

The start for San Jose is actually their best start since 2016. To make matters worse for Sporting, the Quakes are 3-0-1 at home this season, so they haven’t been easy to beat.

San Jose’s Recent Form

Just one win in their last four, but I think even KC fans would take that!

What’s New in San Jose for 2023?

It’s the first full season under head coach Luchi Gonzalez and he’s starting to build the team in his image.

IN: The team’s biggest move is probably the addition of Designated Player (DP) Carlos Cruezo, who you may remember from his time with head coach Luchi Gonzalez at FC Dallas. A close second is the trade that brought Jonathan Mensah over from the Columbus Crew to solidify the central defense of the Quakes. Outside of that, they added goalkeeper Daniel via transfer from Internacional (Brazil), a couple Homegrowns (Cam Cilley and Keegan Tingey) and MLS veteran Michael Baldisimo via the re-entry draft, among others.

OUT: Former Minnesota United Designated Player Jan Gregus had his option declined after the season. The team also moved on from midfielder Eric Remedi and long-time contributor (and SKC pest) Shea Salinas retired. Everything else felt inconsequential.

Injury Report

Updated 4/15/23 with San Jose’s official injury/availability report. 

Sporting KC:

Sporting KC Injury Updates and Lineup Predictions v San Jose

San Jose:

OUT: Nathan (ACL surgery), Niko Tsakiris (adductor), Daniel (knee)

QUESTIONABLE: Judson (hamstring)

Stats

Sporting KC

Goals: Daniel Salloi, Willy Agada (1)

Assists: None

San Jose

Goals: Cristian Espinoza (4), Jeremy Ebobisse (2), Carlos Akapo (1)

Assists: Espinoza (2), five with one (1)

Predictions

Kansas City can’t win (anywhere) and the Earthquakes haven’t lost at home. It’s a bad combination. Until Sporting KC show something (absolutely anything, please!) I can’t in good conscience pick them to win. It’s stunning the naivety I had in picking them to win (I believe) all their home games this year.

Past is prologue until I’m shown otherwise.

One other story to watch is how San Jose react to the awful situation they ran into last weekend that has the league and online communities in a stir. RBNY player Dante Vanzeir has been sent away from the team after he made a racist remark to an Earthquakes player that led to 21 minutes of stoppage time between the teams last weekend. Will this be a distraction for the Quakes or an event that actually brings the team together?

PREDICTION: 1-0 SKC Loss

I've been covering Kansas City soccer since 2014, including Sporting Kansas City, the KC Current, SKC II and more. I'm based out of Kansas City, MO, but got my start covering SKC while writing from Phoenix, AZ.

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