The Seattle Sounders are visiting the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday in their first midweek match of the 2021 MLS season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on JOEtv and Prime Video.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM.
2021 RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-D-L): Seattle 3-1-0 (10 points, 1st West), San Jose: 3-0-1 (9 points, 2nd West)
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Sounders hosted the Earthquakes on Decision Day last year in what was a 4-1 romp for Seattle. Nicolás Lodeiro and Raúl Ruidíaz gave the Sounders a two-goal lead in the second half before Marcos López pulled a goal back for the visitors. But Jordan Morris and an own goal from López rounded out a comfortable win.
CONQUERING THE ‘QUAKES: The Sounders owned the Earthquakes in 2020, going unbeaten in all four matches (2-2-0) and outscoring them 11-2, including an 7-1 onslaught in what was the most dominant scoring performance in club history.
TOP OF MLS: The Sounders and Earthquakes enter Wednesday not only as the top two teams in the Western Conference, but all of MLS. The two teams have combined to take 19 of a possible 24 points to start the campaign.
HIGH-OCTANE OFFENSES: Seattle and San Jose also lead MLS in Goals For, with 10 tallies apiece through the opening four matches of the season.
DEFENSIVE LOCKDOWN: The Sounders also own the best goal differential in the league at plus-eight, and they have the best defensive mark of any team that has played four games so far. Seattle has yet to concede from open play, with its only two goals allowed coming directly off free kicks.
STEFAN SAVING: Speaking of stellar defensive play, it all starts in between the posts with goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who reached 1,000 career saves in a 2-1 win at the Portland Timbers over the weekend. He became only the eighth goalkeeper in MLS history to reach that milestone.
THE RUIDÍAZ SHOW: Ruidíaz has started 2021 off with a bang with five goals to start the campaign. Only the LA Galaxy’s Chicharito (six) has more than the Sounders’ Peruvian marksman, who converted a penalty kick over the weekend.
SUPER SUB MONTERO: Reacquired in the offseason after nine years away, forward Fredy Montero has wasted little time in adding to his already franchise-leading goals record with two more in the opening month of the season, including the match-winner at Portland last weekend. He has two goals and an assist in an incredible 36 minutes across two substitute appearances.
WONDO FOREVER: Major League Soccer’s all-time leading goalscorer refuses to quit and continues to bag goals at an impressive level. The 38-year-old is coming off an MLS Player of the Week performance last week when he recorded a brace in an 18-minute substitute cameo that helped the ‘Quakes come from behind to defeat Real Salt Lake 2-1.
THE KID IS MORE THAN ALL RIGHT: San Jose Homegrown midfielder Cade Cowell has been one of the league’s breakout stars of the early season. The 17-year-old has two goals and three assists in four matches and was named MLS Player of the Week in Week 3.
NEW MAN IN THE MIDDLE: The Earthquakes shored up their defensive midfield over the offseason by signing former Atlanta United midfielder Eric Remedi. The Argentine has played every single minute so far and looks to be one of the better intra-league moves of 2021.
