Even though both sides are in the top 6 of the league table, FC Los Angeles and the San Jose Earthquakes are in dire need of a win to boost their morale.
FC Los Angeles lost 1-2 against LA Galaxy in midweek, recording 3 straight losses in the league and 8 out of their last 11 matches in all competitions, which is definitely not a good trend for a defending champion.
LA's last visit to LA Galaxy set a record for the largest attendance in the USL (82,110), but they missed a lot of chances to score in front of their fans, and I think that's a reflection of the team this season. I think this is a reflection of the team this season. They need to be more efficient in their offense and convert their chances into goals.
Dennis Buanga, who scored 11 goals, is the top scorer of FC Los Angeles, but he has been on a scoring drought lately, scoring only 1 goal in 7 matches against them. I don't think Carlos Vena has been able to play at the right level either. The team has conceded 7 goals in their last 3 matches, reflecting the same problem in defense.
On the other hand, the San Jose Earthquakes haven't won in their last four matches, but managed to draw 2-2 with the LA Galaxy in their last match.
Keithon Espinoza scored the equalizer for his team, and he has actually helped his team to equalize a few times this season, and Ibogbis has been playing very well with him, and the two of them have produced 16 goals in total, so I expect that they will be the key men in this match.
Jaechen Juergen will miss this week's match as he was selected to play for the US National Team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. As the team has conceded more goals than they have scored, the loss of the defensive midfielder may greatly affect the team's chances of winning this match.
