Quakes hope to jump-start season
They face Vancouver tonight looking to improve their position
Magnus Eriksson, an Earthquakes attacking midfielder, agreed with the reviews that San Jose looked in fine form in a scoreless tie in its opener in the
MLS Is Back tournament.
But he hardly sounded satisfied heading into the second Group B game tonight against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex near Orlando, Florida.
“The feeling in the group is we want more,” Eriksson said in a conference call with reporters.
The Quakes (0-1-2) have a chance to jump-start their season in a big way against Vancouver. A victory would put San Jose on the cusp of advancing to the Round of 16 in the five-week-long tournament that is scheduled to end Aug. 11. The Earthquakes are scheduled to finish group play on Sunday night against the Chicago Fire.
Major League Soccer is one of the few American professional sports enterprises to return to competition in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that is hitting Florida hard.
Here is a rundown of the game against Vancouver: HOW TO WATCH >> The game kicks off at 6 p.m. and will air on TUDN and Twitter (English language), KNBR 1050, KZSF 1370 and TuneIn Radio. A drive-in viewing party will be held at Earthquakes Stadium in San Jose.
EARTHQUAKES UPDATE >> Some of the talk before the tournament focused on how Quakes coach Matias Almeyda would adjust his full-court style for a tournament where games are played with little recovery time.
Almeyda said his players would need to spend the weekend recovering after the torrid pace for almost 100 minutes, counting extra time, in the game Friday against Seattle.
“I believe that we are one of the fittest teams in this tournament,” Eriksson said. “We believe in what we’re doing, we run for each other, we fight for each other.”
The one lingering question for the Quakes is whether target striker Danny Hoesen can play. Andy Rios took his spot Friday because Hoesen suffered from a migraine headache, according to a team spokesman.
But the Quakes official said Tuesday that all players with the team should be available tonight. He added that left fullback Marcos Lopez is “working his way back from the appendectomy” surgery he had on June 30.
Rios, a midseason acquisition last year, acknowledged he is not used to playing in the most forward position.
“But I understand it is my responsibility to be up front,” he said through a translator. “I do have that flexibility in dropping back and helping out. I am looking forward to improving that position.”
The Quakes outshot Seattle 16-12 and forced Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei to make eight saves.
“The most important thing for me is we reach these situations in the game where we have the opportunities to score,” said Eriksson, who missed on three chances.
Keep an eye on veteran midfielder Shea Salinas, who needs one assist to tie
San Jose’s all-time leader Ronald Cerritos (47). WHITECAPS UPDATE >> Vancouver (1-1-0) arrived in Florida without five players because of the pandemic. Then its first game was canceled when FC Dallas had to withdraw from the tournament after 10 of its players tested positive for COVID-19. The Whitecaps will be playing a game for the first time since March 7.
Forwards Lucas Cavallini, Fredy Montero and Tosaint Ricketts and defenders Andy Rose and Georges Mukumbilwa did not join the team in Florida. Cavallini, Rickets and Rose started in the team’s last game while the veteran Montero entered the match as a substitute.
Coach Marc Dos Santos said the players will be missed “because we’re a young team and the players that aren’t with us are the most experienced voices of the team. They’re the oldest guys and they brought a certain type of leadership inside the locker-room.”