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We are two-thirds of the way done with the 2019 MLS season, and the San Jose Earthquakes are in the middle of a fierce Western Conference playoff battle. To help you keep up with all the games that impact the Quakes, I put together a watchlist of the most important games of this weekend.
Atlanta United vs. LA Galaxy - Saturday, August 3rd 2:00 PM
This is an intriguing match even if it didn’t directly impact the Earthquakes. Atlanta is only in its third year of MLS play, but they are the defending MLS champions and Galaxy has won more championships than any other team. Both have been having seasons that have been successful based on their standing in the table but have been dealing with off the pitch issues that have people questioning their long term success.
A win for LA pushes them to 40 points on the season and keeps their tie-breaker advantage over the Quakes. If two teams finish the season with the same amount of points, the first tie-breaker is the number of wins then goal differential. Currently, Galaxy has one more win than the Quakes but the Quakes have an advantage in goal differential (+6 vs -1).
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Columbus Crew - Saturday, August 3rd 7:00 PM
If you can’t make it out to Avaya Stadium on Saturday, you still want to find a way to watch this version of the Quakes in action. With flashy players like Vako and Cristian Espinoza, the Quakes are now one of the most entertaining teams to watch in all of MLS.
Minnesota United FC vs. Portland Timbers - Sunday, August 4th 1:00PM
With 35 points Minnesota sits in 5th place just behind the Quakes, but only a couple of weeks ago they were enjoying the 4th spot in the table. The top four spots are so important because the teams in second, third, and fourth place host playoff first-round home matches. Portland has been steadily climbing the standing since there newly expanded Providence Park opened up in late June and now hold the final playoff spot in the West. Both the teams haven’t lost in their last six matches, so this meeting has some extra spice to it.
Seattle Sounders vs. Sporting KC - Sunday, August 4th 7:30 PM
The Sounders are barely holding on to the second-place spot in the West with 38 points, but they play at home on Sunday where they are 8-1-2 this season. Sporting KC has had a tough year dealing with injuries to key players and currently sit in 10th place in the West. If Kansas City pulls off an improbable win in Seattle, the Quakes have a golden opportunity to jump into second place with 11 games left in the season.