Lineups:

Here’s who San Jose is running with to start:

Dallas are running with this XI:

One game down and the next game is here for the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2021 season. This one should be a big one, as they host FC Dallas at PayPal Park for the home opener, with a limited number of fans back in the stands for the first time in over a year.

The Quakes opened the 2021 season with a 2-1 road loss against the Houston Dynamo last week. Memo Rodriguez and Maxi Urruti gave the Dynamo their margin, before Paul Marie came off the bench and pulled a goal back. San Jose’s substitutes were quite good in the game, and they nearly pulled off a full comeback to draw.

In contrast, FC Dallas opened their season at home last week with a 0-0 draw against the Colorado Rapids. I think they looked pretty good in defense, with the Rapids pushing them some, but lacked the killer edge in attack. San Jose will hope that struggle continues!

Marcos Lopez has been ruled out of the game, injured with an undisclosed leg issue. Two right backs, Tommy Thompson (shoulder) and Luciano Abecasis (thigh) are each listed as questionable. So there will be some juggling in the fullback spots, with Marie likely to start at left back.

A big absence for Dallas is homegrown attacker Jesus Ferreira, who’s out with a shoulder injury of his own. Given it’s the early part of the season I expect Dallas’ lineup to look pretty much the same as it did last week.

So, two teams looking for their first win of the 2021 season. Can the Quakes ramp up their intensity for all 90 minutes and get a cathartic win in front of the fans? Or will they need more time to find their best form? This should be a terrific match.

Odds:

Our partners at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Friday evening have San Jose at (+138), Dallas at (+195) and a draw at (+230). That means the Quakes are very slight favorites, but this is a toss-up, essentially.

How to Watch:

Saturday’s match between the Quakes and Sounders will be televised nationally on Univision, TUDN and Twitter. The broadcast is scheduled to start at 12:30 pm PT with kickoff to follow at 12:50.

Come chat about the game with us in the comment section below!