Fresh off their first victory of the 2022 campaign, the Loons are flying high and flying home for a date with Matías Almeyda and the San Jose Earthquakes. The trend when these two clubs get together is that it’s almost never, ever boring. So get your popcorn ready and buckle up for a fun Saturday night at Allianz Field.
The Occasion: MLS Week 4; Game No. 4; Home Game No. 2
The Opponent: San Jose Earthquakes
Head-to-Head:
As far as I can tell, nowhere in Major League Soccer’s rules and regulations does it state that every time Minnesota and San Jose meet each other on the field, things need to get really, really weird. Yet, that’s pretty much how the story goes with these two Western Conference foes.
This weekend’s match between the Loons and Quakes marks the 12th all-time meeting between these two. San Jose holds the historical edge with a record of 5-4-2 against Minnesota since MNUFC entered MLS in 2017, though Adrian Heath and the Loons have gone undefeated in six matches against San Jose since Matías Almeyda took over as head coach in 2019. In those six matches, MNUFC has compiled four wins, two draws, and a +11 goal differential.
The Quakes have managed a record of 2-1-1 in games played in Minnesota, but have yet to win at Allianz Field. San Jose won both meetings at TCF Bank Stadium in 2017 and 2018 by scores of 1-0 and 3-1, respectively. Minnesota earned a 3-1 victory in San Jose’s first visit to Allianz Field in 2019, and the two sides played to a 2-2 draw in St. Paul last year.
The history of these two teams is rife with chaos, goals (lots of goals), and classic back-and-forth battles. It should shape up to be another great one on a beautiful early “spring” evening in St. Paul.
Their Run of Form — L-D-L
Week 3 - 0-2 L at Philadelphia Union
Week 2 - 3-3 D vs. Columbus Crew (9’ goal by Cristian Espinoza (PK); 84’ goal by Francisco Calvo, assisted by Jan Gregus; 90’+6 goal by Francisco Calvo, assisted by Jan Gregus)
Week 1 - 1-3 L vs. New York Red Bulls (69’ goal by Javier López, assisted by Cristian Espinoza)
Last Season
The Quakes finished 10th in the West with 41 points on a record of 10-13-11. The Loons and Quakes played to a pair of draws in their two meetings last season. Both Cade Cowell and Benji Kikanović found the back of the net for San Jose in a 2-2 result at Allianz Field in July; an own goal by Minnesota’s Bakaye Dibassy halved the points in a 1-1 draw in the season’s second meeting at PayPal Park. Mexican DP Javier López paced the SJ attack in 2021 with 12 goals and four assists.
More
Welcome back, old friends! Former Loons Ján Gregus and Francisco Calvo are two of the four Quakes who have played all 270 possible minutes for San Jose this season, and fans can expect to see them on the Allianz Field grass again this Saturday.
Saturday’s occasion will mark the first time back in front of the Minnesota United faithful for both players. Calvo returned to Allianz Field with the Chicago Fire in November of 2020, but played before an empty house due to COVID-19 restrictions. Not only is the former captain back for the first time, but he’s leading his current club in goals, too. Something tells me I’m not the only one looking forward to this reunion.
The Defense
It’s been three games and three goals for the Loons thus far in 2022. While the one-goal-per-game average doesn’t exactly pop on paper, all three matches have seen Minnesota create a handful of dangerous chances against some of the league’s stingier defenses. It’s tough to identify the difference between fact and fable for any team after a mere three-game sample size, but some of the defensive numbers the Quakes have put up to this point should have the MNUFC attack salivating.
The eight goals and 19 shots conceded by the Earthquakes are both tied for the most in the league through three games. San Jose is also one of eight MLS clubs still looking for their first clean sheet.
Joining Calvo on the San Jose backline is Bloomington, Minnesota native and team captain Jackson Yueill. Manager Matías Almeyda has moved Yueill around the field a bit in the various shapes the Quakes have played in, but all 270 of his minutes on the field this season have come at centerback.
For all of the Quakes struggles on the defensive end, one bright spot has been the performance of JT Marcinkowski in goal. The keeper is one of seven in MLS with double-digit saves already and has helped limit the damage so far for the Quakes.
The Attack
MNUFC is going to need to be alert on set pieces. San Jose may be looking for their first goal from the run of play this season, but they have found the back of the net on three set pieces and once more from the penalty spot.
The pair of former Loons, Calvo and Gregus, teamed up for a pair of goals in the Quakes furious come-from-behind 3-3 draw against Columbus in San Jose on March 5.
Trailing 3-1 and playing with only 10 men, Gregus lined up for a free kick about 35 yards out on the left flank in the 84th minute. His ball into the center of the area found the head of a completely unmarked Calvo, who cleanly dispensed it into the lower-right-hand corner of the net. Gregus and Calvo linked up again 12 minutes later in the waning moments of stoppage time. Gregus sent a hopeful ball from the right corner flag into a sea of bodies in the box, where it again found the bright, blonde head of Calvo, who beat Columbus keep Eloy Room in almost exactly the same spot as the first goal.
San Jose’s first goal of the season also came from a set piece against the New York Red Bulls. Cristian Espinoza whipped in a scorcher of a ball from his spot deep in the left flank, which glanced off the head of López and beat Carlos Coronel far post.
Jeremy Ebobisse is another player to keep an eye on. The former Timber has tallied one goal for the Quakes since he was traded to San Jose last August, but he’s enjoyed several long stretches of quality in his career, especially in helping Portland reach the 2018 MLS Cup Final and win the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020. Ebobisse has started all three games up top for the Quakes so far this season and should come out eager to open his 2022 account.
Final Thought
Accurately predicting what Matías Almeyda is going to do in any given game is a bit like guessing Wordle correctly on the first try. Can it happen? I mean, sure, but the game gives you six guesses for a reason (yesterday’s nearly broke my brain).
While I do strongly believe there are more five-letter words in the New York Times word database than there are possible shapes to put an 11-man soccer lineup into, I also believe if any manager wishes to prove that notion wrong, it’s Almeyda. In three matches this season, the Quakes have started in a 3-4-3, a 4-2-3-1, and a 4-1-4-1, respectively, and I truly have no idea what to expect from them this weekend.
Chaos is itself a form of consistency, and I’d bank on another chaotic—and fun—chapter in the history of these two clubs to be written on Saturday night.
MATCH INFO
Minnesota United FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Allianz Field | Saint Paul, Minnesota
03.19.2022 | MLS Week No. 4 | MLS Game No. 4
7:00 pm CT (Bally Sports North, The CW - Twin Cities, SKOR North)
