MLS announced the schedule and format for the 2012 Reserve League season earlier today, and the San Jose Earthquakes will remain in the same six-team Western Conference as last year. The Earthquakes open up their 10-game schedule with a home match against the Portland Timbers reserves on March 27. The game is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. and will be held at the team’s training facility adjacent to the proposed new stadium site. Attendance to the public is open and free of charge; be sure to come prepared with your own chairs as the venue does not offer any seating.
Playing a home-and-away schedule against their five conference opponents, the team with the most points during the season will finish as conference champions. Along with the other two Reserve League conferences — the Eastern and Central Conferences — the team with the most points overall will be crowned MLS Reserve League Champions. In 2011, that honor went to the Columbus Crew out of the East. Last year, the top team from the West was the Seattle Sounders, with the Earthquakes finishing in third place.
(Photo courtesy of Lyndsay Radnedge)
Conference breakdown:
Western: Chivas USA, Los Angeles Galaxy, Portland Timbers FC, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Central: Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Sporting Kansas City, Real Salt Lake.
Eastern: Columbus Crew, D.C. United, Montreal Impact, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC.
The San Jose Earthquakes 2012 MLS Reserve League schedule:
March 27 — vs. Portland Timbers FC, 11 a.m., Nutrilite Training Facility
April 8 — vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 11 a.m., Nutrilite Training Facility
May 8 — at Los Angeles Galaxy, 11 a.m., Training or University Field
May 14 — vs. Chivas USA, 11 a.m., Nutrilite Training Facility
June 8 — at Chivas USA, 11 a.m., Home Depot Center
August 12 — vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 11 a.m., Nutrilite Training Facility
August 26 — at Portland Timbers, 6 p.m., JELD-WEN Field
September 4 — vs. Los Angeles Galaxy, 11 a.m., Nutrilite Training Facility
September 10 — at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 11 a.m., University of British Columbia
September 25 — at Seattle Sounders FC, 7 p.m., Starfire Sports Complex