Riddle time. What MLS NEXT Pro team is black and blue and has 29 points in the middle of the Western Conference table? If you guessed MNUFC2, you’re right. If you guessed San Jose Earthquakes II, you’re also right. This weekend’s Saturday night matchup pits these neck-and-neck opponents against each other in what could be a major turning point for either side. Brace yourself, folks, because this one’s going to be earth-shaking.
The similarities don’t end there. Both squads are riding winless streaks as of late, with the Twos losing back-to-back games by a single-goal deficit and the young Quakes winless in four. It’s worth noting that San Jose has two games in hand and also beat Minnesota earlier this season, but since then, these two clubs have been pretty even in terms of performance. In their last five matches, both squads have a record of 1-3-1 (W-L-D).
So who could the different-makers be in this Saturday night showdown? On Minnesota’s end, Marcus Caldeira still leads scoring with 10 goals in 16 games, but his appearance in Leagues Cup means he likely won’t be available this weekend. With Darius Randell and Kieran Chandler also on the Leagues Cup roster, the Twos may look to mainstays like Luciano Pechota and Anderson Farris to hold down the fort, and forwards like Luke Hille and Troy Putt to find the back of the net.
For San Jose, midfielder Zachary Bohane and forward Julian Donnery lead their scoring with six apiece, with Donnery also heading up the assists column alongside Edwyn Mendoza (four assists each). Donnery and midfielder Gabriel Bracken Serra are the only players to have played every single game this season, and they’ve become staples along with defender Niklas Dossman, who has started every game but one and is in the league’s top ten for completed passes (1,063). This trio of players provides stability in every line for the Quakes, a valuable asset in any team. But is it enough to take down this motivated Twos side?
Get your tickets now to see if the Twos can turn their recent form around at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 8. If you can’t make it to the National Sports Center, tune in live via MLSNEXTPro.com or OneFootball.
