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MLS Preview: San Jose Earthquakes v. Kansas City Wizards
Darren Huckerby and the red-hot Earthquakes put their six-game unbeaten streak on the line as a slumping Kansas City side comes to town.
Aug 29, 2008 2:32:42 PM
San Jose Earthquakes v. Kansas City Wizards
When: 10 pm ET
Where: Buck Shaw Stadium, San Jose, CA
The Gist: With the Wizards struggling to score and San Jose not allowing many goals, the cellar-dwelling Quakes are looking forward to this game. They may finally move up the standings.
Things are so dire for Kansas City that defender Jimmy Conrad was moved into a striker’s role late last week and wound up scoring a game-tying goal. Having won just once in their past six games, the Wizards need at least a draw on the road to cling to hopes of a playoff berth.
Two months ago, those types of thoughts were mere fairy tales for San Jose. Now they are reality. Entering the weekend the expansion club is just four points away from a playoff berth and rapidly gaining ground in a weak Western Conference. With six of their final nine games at Buck Shaw Stadium, where they haven’t lost since May 10, the results should continue to come for Frank Yallop’s side.
Why You Should Care: Thanks to their midseason acquisitions the Earthquakes are now one of the most entertaining sides in MLS to watch. Prior to an off night against Chivas last weekend, San Jose’s previous two games combined for eleven goals.
Kansas City may not contribute much to those goals themselves, but will be ripe for giving up a few. Dallas scored early and then did not press forward much in the attack and were dealt a cruel blow in stoppage time to share the points. San Jose will learn from that mistake and press on as they did two weeks ago against New England when they showed their killer instinct in turning a close game into a 4-0 blowout in the final 20 minutes.
Darren Huckerby was instrumental in the attack in that match, but it was Ronnie O’Brien who was better with two goals and an assist. The Irishman is back to his dangerous self on the outside, causing problems with both whether he is shooting or crossing. Huckerby’s partner, Scott Sealy, should play with a chip on his shoulder as he faces his former club and will make San Jose’s offense that much more dangerous.
Conrad will be the one trying to contain Huckerby when he is not moving forward to add to his team-leading tally of five goals. While on defense, Conrad’s mates will need to circle the wagons and could use some help from keeper Kevin Hartman, who hasn’t made the big save or two the side has craved. If he can’t do it this time either, the club’s hopes of making the playoffs for the second straight year will be all but tatters.
He’s So Hot Right Now: Joe Cannon. Though he was once nearly Lloyd Christmas to Conrad’s Harry Dunne, there will be no friendship on the field for San Jose’s keeper. Cannon has been making the important saves recently and has not allowed a goal in 194 minutes.
Prediction: San Jose Earthquakes 2, Kansas City Wizards 0
-- Pat Walsh, Goal.com
When: 10 pm ET
Where: Buck Shaw Stadium, San Jose, CA
The Gist: With the Wizards struggling to score and San Jose not allowing many goals, the cellar-dwelling Quakes are looking forward to this game. They may finally move up the standings.
Things are so dire for Kansas City that defender Jimmy Conrad was moved into a striker’s role late last week and wound up scoring a game-tying goal. Having won just once in their past six games, the Wizards need at least a draw on the road to cling to hopes of a playoff berth.
Two months ago, those types of thoughts were mere fairy tales for San Jose. Now they are reality. Entering the weekend the expansion club is just four points away from a playoff berth and rapidly gaining ground in a weak Western Conference. With six of their final nine games at Buck Shaw Stadium, where they haven’t lost since May 10, the results should continue to come for Frank Yallop’s side.
Why You Should Care: Thanks to their midseason acquisitions the Earthquakes are now one of the most entertaining sides in MLS to watch. Prior to an off night against Chivas last weekend, San Jose’s previous two games combined for eleven goals.
Kansas City may not contribute much to those goals themselves, but will be ripe for giving up a few. Dallas scored early and then did not press forward much in the attack and were dealt a cruel blow in stoppage time to share the points. San Jose will learn from that mistake and press on as they did two weeks ago against New England when they showed their killer instinct in turning a close game into a 4-0 blowout in the final 20 minutes.
Darren Huckerby was instrumental in the attack in that match, but it was Ronnie O’Brien who was better with two goals and an assist. The Irishman is back to his dangerous self on the outside, causing problems with both whether he is shooting or crossing. Huckerby’s partner, Scott Sealy, should play with a chip on his shoulder as he faces his former club and will make San Jose’s offense that much more dangerous.
Conrad will be the one trying to contain Huckerby when he is not moving forward to add to his team-leading tally of five goals. While on defense, Conrad’s mates will need to circle the wagons and could use some help from keeper Kevin Hartman, who hasn’t made the big save or two the side has craved. If he can’t do it this time either, the club’s hopes of making the playoffs for the second straight year will be all but tatters.
He’s So Hot Right Now: Joe Cannon. Though he was once nearly Lloyd Christmas to Conrad’s Harry Dunne, there will be no friendship on the field for San Jose’s keeper. Cannon has been making the important saves recently and has not allowed a goal in 194 minutes.
Prediction: San Jose Earthquakes 2, Kansas City Wizards 0
-- Pat Walsh, Goal.com
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