Each Major League Soccer matchday in 2021, the KeyBank Scouting Report will give you this snapshot of the Portland Timbers’ next opponent. On Saturday, Portland makes its latest trip to San Jose, California, to face the Earthquakes. The game kicks off at 7:00 p.m. PT and can be seen locally on FOX 12 PLUS.
Team Form
The Earthquakes are off to one of the best starts in Major League Soccer. Winners of three of five games, San Jose has earned nine points through the season’s first month and sit four points back of Western Conference-leading Seattle Sounders FC. That standing also gives San Jose the second-best record in MLS.
In attack
Only two teams have hit the 10-goal mark through one month of play: the Earthquakes (10) and the Sounders (11). Coming off a season where they averaged 1.52 goals per game, MathÃas Almeyda’s team has upped their production, with the Earthquakes scoring seven times in their three games at home.
The goals come from …
The breadth of San Jose’s scoring options has been one of the most impressive parts of their start. Though three players (Cade Cowell, Chris Wondolowski, Jackson Yuell) have scored multiple times, nobody has registered more than two goals. Instead, seven different Earthquakes are responsible for the team’s scoring, with six players having registered assists, so far.
… and the goals come through
With three assists, Cowell has been the team’s leading provider, while forward Carlos Fierro has also recorded two helpers. In terms of scoring opportunities, though, right wing Cristian Espinoza and has been the team’s most prolific player, registering nine key passes through the team's five matches.
Defending
Last season, San Jose allowed 51 goals in 23 games, giving the Earthquakes an obvious path to improvement in 2021. That 2.22 goals allowed per game was the league’s worst, with the league’s next-worst defense allowing five fewer goals. Moving from worst to merely one of MLS’s worst defends could be a big boost in the standings.
So far, so good. Through five games, the team has only conceded six times, and although the Earthquakes lost their Wednesday-night match to the Sounders, San Jose held the league's most prolific attack to one goal.
Stalwart
Mexican international Oswaldo AlanÃs was a notable acquisition when he followed his former Chivas de Guadalajara coach (Almeyda) north, joining the Earthquakes before last season. Though San Jose’s defense still struggled, AlanÃs proves a cornerstone defender in the middle, as well as somebody who can snare an occasional goal. In 16 regular-season appearances with the Earthquakes, the 32-year-old has already scored three times, including the penalty kick he converted on April 24 against FC Dallas.
AlanÃs was listed as questionable for San Jose's Wednesday match against Seattle and did not make the matchday squad. It's unclear whether his right-knee injury will also sideline him for Portland's visit.
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