San Jose Earthquakes v St. Louis City: Arena determined to learn from LAFC defeat

San Jose Earthquakes head coach Bruce Arena is determined to learn from their defeat to Los Angeles FC as they push for a playoff spot.

The Earthquakes lost 4-2 to LAFC after conceding three goals in the opening 12 minutes of the match, proving too much to come back from.

San Jose remain in ninth in the Western Conference for the time being, but are just one point ahead of Real Salt Lake, who have a game in hand.

With just four games to go, and St. Louis City first up, Arena is focused on doing all he can to prepare his side for four victories.

"I'm preparing a team to try to win these last four games," said Arena after the LAFC defeat.

"If we come out the way we did [against LAFC], we're not going to win any of them. So hopefully, I'd like to say we can learn something from this, but this has been a bit of a broken record this year, some of the mistakes we've made.

"I have to accept the responsibility that we have two of our better players in [Chicho] Arango and [Cristian] Espinoza turning the ball over right in the opening minute of the game that helped create their goal.

"We have to be better to start a game. They're veteran players and they have to be a little bit sharper."

St. Louis, meanwhile, would have to win all four of their remaining matches to have a chance of reaching the playoffs, but would also need the five teams above them to lose the majority of their games.

They do come into this match off the back of a victory, defeating CF Montreal 2-0 last time out.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Arango

Cristian Arango has been the Earthquakes' brightest spark this season, scoring 12 goals and registering seven assists in 26 MLS games.

Although the forward provided an assist against LAFC, he has scored just once since the start of August.

St. Louis City – Marcel Hartel

Although St. Louis are on the road, that could benefit Marcel Hartel.

Hartel scored his sixth MLS goal of the season and the ninth of his career in the Montreal win. Six of his nine career goals have come away from home, while four of his goals this season have come on the road. 

MATCH PREDICTION – SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES WIN

San Jose are tied for the second-most goals in MLS this regular season with 55, the first time since 2022 the Earthquakes have scored 50+ goals in a season. The Earthquakes have scored more goals in a season once since returning to MLS in 2008 (74 in 2012).

St. Louis City earned their first road win since March with victory over Montreal, but have not won consecutive road games in all competitions since between June and July 2023.

However, St. Louis have won all five meetings with the Earthquakes, their longest winning streak against a single opponent. San Jose has not lost six straight regular-season matches to a single opponent in the post-shootout era.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

San Jose Earthquakes – 45.8%

Draw – 26.8%

St. Louis City – 27.5%