With the majority of top leagues across Europe coming to an end, it’s time for Major League Soccer to step up. There are plenty of reasons why this campaign has the potential to be incredibly exciting but beyond that, it’s just been nice to see the continued growth and development of the game in North America. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the upcoming clash between New York City FC and San Jose Earthquakes.
New York Form GuideAfter years of trying, New York City finally climbed to the top of the mountain back in 2021 and won the MLS Cup. In the present day, though, they seem to have taken their foot off the gas ever so slightly. At this point, their aim is to get back to a point of prominence at the elite level - but we still believe it’s going to take a bit of time for them to get there, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
The good news for New York City fans is that the Eastern Conference, at least up to this point, has been pretty unpredictable. They have eight wins, two draws and five losses to their name which actually leaves them third in the conference, even with just a +3 GD behind them.
San Jose Form GuideThe Earthquakes have two MLS Cup triumphs to their name, but you could argue it’s been over two decades since they’ve really been taken seriously as contenders. They crept into the playoffs last year and made a decent account of themselves, and while they may not be the strongest side from top to bottom, there’s a lot of grit and self-belief in this squad.
San Jose have actually scored more goals than quite a few of the other teams in the Western Conference. So, then, why are they sat down in 13th? That would be because of their dreadful defensive record, having conceded 34 goals in just 15 games.
Match PredictionWe’re at the point in the MLS season now where it’s time to start really making some noise, and it feels like these two sides are aware of that. They both have attacking threats and in this game, we expect to see them showcase that. Therefore, we’re going to shoot for over 2.5 goals scored.
