San Jose Earthquakes vs. Toronto FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Toronto FC 2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 25 Avaya Stadium — San Jose August 18 - 10 pm ET WATCH: TSN4, ESPN+

Fresh off their third straight Canadian Championship title, which clinched a spot back in the Concacaf Champions League, Toronto FC are hoping to ride that momentum into another must-win match against the host San Jose Earthquakes Saturday at Avaya Stadium.

While TFC thumped the Vancouver Whitecaps in the second leg, 5-2, to win 7-4 on aggregate, the Quakes werent able to build on their latest uptick, falling to the Colorado Rapids last Saturday.

Toronto FC have won three of their last four games against San Jose (1L). They had two wins in their first 10 meetings with the Earthquakes (4L-3D), per Opta.

San Jose Earthquakes

With a win and a draw in their previous two games, the Earthquakes (3-13-7) were enjoying one of their best runs of form of the season when they went to Dicks Sporting Goods Park to face the Rapids.

However, they left Commerce City with a 13th loss of the season, finishing the match with just 10 men after Shea Salinas was sent off in the 88th minute.

Magnus Eriksson leveled from the penalty spot in the 58th minute, canceling out a first-half goal by Tommy Smith. But after Salinas was sent off, Nana Boateng scored the winner in the third minute of second-half stoppage time for the Rapids.

Projected Starting XI (4-4-2, right to left) GK: Andrew Tarbell — Nick Lima, Guram Kashia, Yeferson Quintana, Harold Cummings — Magnus Eriksson, Anibal Godoy, Luis Felipe Fernandes, Jahmir Hyka — Danny Hoesen, Vako

Toronto FC

Toronto FC (6-12-5) took their frustrations from a crushing 3-2 loss to New York City FC at BMO Field on Sunday out on the Vancouver Whitecaps in the second leg of the Canadian Championship final Wednesday night.

Jozy Altidore, who was sent off in the 11th minute against NYCFC, had a personal redemption with a hat trick and Sebastian Giovinco added a goal just before halftime as the Reds opened up a commanding 4-0 lead after 53 minutes. Kei Kamara and Brek Shea gave the ‘Caps a ray of hope, but Tosaint Ricketts slammed that door shut with an 80th minute goal.

“It was a final, but it was also for us an important night to win a championship, get that back under our belt, to use it as a way to build confidence and momentum down this final stretch of 11 games,” Greg Vanney said. “If you don't win it, that's another kick in the gut to a group that has had a lot of challenges to deal with this year.”

Projected Starting XI (4-1-2-1-2, right to left) GK: Alex Bono — Gregory van der Wiel, Eriq Zavaleta, Nick Hagglund, Justin Morrow — Michael Bradley — Marky Delgado, Jonathan Osorio — Victor Vazquez — Sebastian Giovinco, Tosaint Ricketts

All-Time Series

Officials

Referee: Silviu Petrescu Assistant Referees: Gianni Facchini, Jason White 4th Official: Daniel Radford VAR: Alex Chilowicz