Preview: Sporting KC at San Jose Earthquakes

Sporting Kansas City at San Jose Earthquakes
2024 MLS Regular Season | Match 24
Saturday, July 13 | 9:30 p.m. CT (9:40 kickoff)
PayPal Park | San Jose, California

Broadcast Schedule:
Apple TV | Free on MLS Season Pass
English Radio | Sports Radio 810 WHB
Spanish Radio | La Grande 1340 AM

Sporting Kansas City heads west for a pair of matches. First up, Sporting KC (5-13-5, 20 points) will face the San Jose Earthquakes (4-16-2, 14 points) Saturday evening. SKC will then play the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday. Manager Peter Vermes will again have to carefully manage his gameday roster after a late night win over FC Dallas in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals Wednesday. The two teams battled through a lengthy weather delay and extra time before Kansas City pulled out the win.

The players were given the next day off to get some rest and to mentally recover before returning to the training ground Friday but the schedule is not their friend. Sporting KC is in the midst of seven games stretch playing weekend and midweek with no break.

Sporting KC has struggled in 2024 but are on their hottest streak of the season, winning their last three home matches. San Jose currently sits in the fourteenth spot in the Western Conference with just 14 points in 22 games. Sporting KC is one spot higher in the standings with 20 points in 23 games. The Earthquakes have just one win and a draw in their last ten matches. That win was a 1-0 defeat at home over the equally hapless Chicago Fire.

The Earthquakes have the worst goal differential (-26), scoring 30 goals while allowing a league-leading 56 goals. SKC has a better, but not great goal differential (-11), scoring 37 and allowing 48.

Historically

Sporting KC leads the all-time series with a 31-26-10 record against the Earthquakes. The two sides met in March with SKC earning their first win of the season in a 2-1 victory in Kansas City. San Jose took the lead in the 11^th minute when Vítor Costa scored. SKC bounced back with goals by Rosero in the 18^th and Pulido in the 29^th.

Availability

Sporting KC is playing on short rest and traveling in the midst of an arduous schedule so Vermes will be challenged in finding fresh legs.  Kayden Pierre will be available after resting for the Open Cup so he may get the start.

Remi Walter saw his first minutes in a long time Wednesday and Vermes said he might have 30-45 minutes in him against San Jose. Adding Walter back into the mix is a welcome addition for SKC, especially with Jake Davis joining the US Olympic squad.

Tim Leibold played the full 120 Wednesday but there is not another left back available for this match after Zorhan Bassong received a red card last weekend. Will Leibold be ready to play or will Vermes be forced to get creative with the formation again remains to be seen.

Sporting Kansas City

Questionable

N/A

Out

Zorhan Bassong – Not Due to Injury  (Red Card Suspension)

Jake Davis – Not Due to Injury (Olympics)

Felipe Hernández – Not Due to Injury

Logan Ndenbe – ACL

John Pulskamp – Not Due to Injury (Olympics)

San Jose Earthquakes

Questionable

Niko Tsakiris – Lower Body

Out

Carlos Akapo – Lower Body

Daniel Britto – Lower Body

JT Marcinkowski – Knee Surgery

Jamar Ricketts – Lower Body

Bruno Wilson – Lower Body

Officials

Referee: Alexis Da Silva

Assistant ref: Corey Rockwell

Assistant ref:  Cory Richardson

4th official: Calin Radosav

VAR: Fotis Bazakos