Teams look for quick starts to season
Two teams that missed the Major League Soccer postseason in 2022 hope to get the 2023 season off to a strong start Saturday night, when Atlanta United host the San Jose Earthquakes in the season opener for both teams.
Atlanta, with one MLS Cup title from its second season of existence (2018), has not enjoyed the same kind of success in its most recent three seasons that it had in its first three. The club was 10-14-10 last season, with its 40 points good for only 11th place in the Eastern Conference.
Gone is club legend Josef Martinez, who is now with East rival Inter Miami CF. In his place with huge shoes to fill is Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, who will be counted on to provide offense.
“We go game by game. Now we’re thinking San Jose,”
defender Luis Abram said recently, “but our goal is the championship.”
The Earthquakes have nowhere to go but up after finishing with the Western
Conference’s worst record (8-15-11) and lowest point total (35) last season. San Jose is guided by new head coach Luchi Gonzalez, who was an assistant with the U.S. men’s national team and took over the Earthquakes after the Americans’ 2022 World Cup run.
Gonzalez used the preseason to play five MLS teams so the Earthquakes could face the caliber of competition they will see during the regular season.
“The preseason objective was to have different experiences against different styles of play,” Gonzalez said. “It just allows us to be bettered prepared for this moment.
“We want to build a road warrior mentality. This first challenge will be a big one, but I see the group ready.”
Jeremy Ebobisse led San Jose in goals last season with 17.
San Jose has lost the last four season openers it has played on the road, not having won a season opener away from home since the 2003 season.