MLS

San Jose Earthquakes v FC Cincinnati: Gonzalez aiming to make home into a fortress

By Sports Desk June 15, 2024

Luchi Gonzalez has urged San Jose Earthquakes to turn PayPal Park into a fortress, starting against FC Cincinnati in the MLS on Saturday.

San Jose sit bottom of the Western Conference, three points adrift of FC Dallas and Sporting Kansas City after winning just three games this season.

The ‘Quakes are winless in their last four matches, but Gonzalez is confident the mid-season break served his team’s preparation for Cincinnati well.

"The guys had some time off to kind of recharge and miss each other, miss training, miss the competition," Gonzalez said. "They're showing hunger, they're showing intensity and excitement as we approach Cincinnati.

"It's about getting the stadium back to being our fortress. Making teams miserable here and our intensity and our urgency to push the game. We know Cincinnati defend very well. They can hurt you with some individual talent."

Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s seven-game winning streak was ended by defeat to Nashville SC last time out.

They sit second in the Eastern Conference, just two points behind leaders Inter Miami, having played two games less, but head coach Pat Noonan does not want them to pay any attention to the standings.

"I don't want our group to focus at all on where they are in the standings," said Noonan. I don't think it's indicative of the quality they have and the challenges that we'll face so that part’s important.

"The second you think you have any type of advantage because of the position in the standings, or your opponents’ position, you step on the field and understand pretty quickly that's a poor approach."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

San Jose – Amahl Pellegrino

Pellegrino scored his team-leading fifth goal in San Jose’s last match on May 31. He’s scored four of the Earthquakes’ last nine MLS goals dating back to early May.

Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Acosta has recorded at least one goal contribution in each of his last five away matches (three goals, four assists), the longest streak in club history. Only Cristian Arango (11) has more goal contributions in road matches than Acosta (10 – four goals, six assists) this season.

MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN

Each team recorded a home win over the other in the first two meetings between San Jose and FC Cincinnati. Cincinnati won the last meeting, 6-0, in 2022, the largest margin of victory in team history and tied for San Jose’s largest-ever defeat.

Cincinnati has lost only one of its last 14 MLS away matches (incl. playoffs) dating back to last August (W9 D4) including winning the last four in a row. The only team in MLS history to lose just once in a span of 15 road games (incl. playoffs) was LA Galaxy in 2009-10.

Meanwhile, San Jose has just 11 points from 16 matches this season, equaling their worst total at this stage of a season in club history (also in 2018). The ‘Quakes have never hit the halfway point of a 34-match season with fewer than 12 points.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

San Jose – 21.6%

Draw – 21.8%

Cincinnati – 56.6%

Related items

  • Slegers maintains unbeaten Arsenal start with statement Juventus win Slegers maintains unbeaten Arsenal start with statement Juventus win

    Renee Slegers claimed the biggest win of her time as Arsenal's interim head coach as they beat Juventus 4-0 in the Women's Champions League on Tuesday. 

    Since taking over from Jonas Eidevall, Slegers has led the Gunners to four wins from her five games at the helm, though their most recent result was their most impressive.

    After seeing Alessia Russo and Emily Fox denied by smart stops from Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, the Gunners eventually made the breakthrough seven minutes from half-time. 

    A well-worked team move saw Caitlin Foord pick out Frida Maanum inside the box, with the Norwegian remaining calm and finishing into the far corner. 

    Fox again went close with an effort that crashed the crossbar, but Arsenal finally got their second when substitute Stina Blackstenius fired the ball home in the 75th minute.

    Mariona Caldentey, another substitute made by Slegers, grabbed the Gunners' third before Foord sealed a statement win at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora. 

    Heading into Tuesday's match, Arsenal were winless across their last three Champions League away matches (D1 L2), but were worthy winners in Italy this time around. 

    They accumulated an expected goals (xG) total of 2.5 from their 17 shots, compared to Juventus' 1.06 from their 12 attempts during the contest. 

    In the other early kick-off taking place on Tuesday, Barcelona romped to a comfortable 7-0 victory over St. Polten, helped by a flurry of goals at the end of the first half. 

    With the game level after half an hour, Ewa Pajor opened the scoring in the 32nd minute after turning home Ona Batlle's cross at Carina Schluter's front post. 

    Kika Nazareth then doubled Barca's advantage six minutes later before Pajor notched her second of the game after being picked out by Ballon d'Or Feminin winner Aitana Bonmati. 

    Keira Walsh then curled a wonderful effort into the far corner from the edge of the box as Claudia Pina concluded the 13-minute onslaught on the stroke of half-time. 

    Barca notched their sixth from the spot after Kamila Dubcova brought down Batlle, with Pina sending Schluter the wrong way, before Caroline Hansen completed the scoring to move her side onto six points in Group D. 

  • Upamecano: Mbappe shown 'lack of gratitude' in latest France omission Upamecano: Mbappe shown 'lack of gratitude' in latest France omission

    Dayot Upamecano believes a "lack of gratitude" has been shown towards France team-mate Kylian Mbappe after his latest omission from Les Blues' Nations League squad. 

    Mbappe was not included for France's upcoming fixtures against Israel and Italy as a "one off", according to Didier Deschamps. 

    The France captain also missed Les Bleus' last two matches, being rested despite his return to fitness in time for the October international break, with Mbappe coming under scrutiny for his absence.

    The 25-year-old played the duration of Real Madrid's 4-0 win over Osasuna at the weekend, but was unable to find the target for the fourth game in a row. 

    Mbappe has netted six goals in 11 LaLiga appearances since his move from Paris Saint-Germain, but has underperformed his season's expected goals (xG) total by 2.04.

    He has also scored 48 goals in 86 outings for his nation, along with helping them claim the 2018 World Cup and 2020-21 Nations League title. 

    Despite the recent speculation about Mbappe's absence from the side, Upamecano leapt to the defence of his team-mate and is hopeful for a swift return to the France set-up.

    “Am I worried [about Mbappe]? No. You can’t forget what he’s done for the France national team. We lack a bit of gratitude towards him," Upamecano said. 

    "I hope to see him again quickly. You can’t forget that he is our captain."

    When asked if Mbappé’s absence could be due to physical or mental fatigue, Upamecano expressed understanding for his team-mate’s situation.

    “There are many games, and I mentioned this at the start of the season. We’re human, and mental well-being is a big factor for us.

    "I won’t go into details, but as I said, he’s our captain, and I hope he’ll be back with us soon. He’s very important to us.”

  • Gakpo feels 'more dangerous' for Liverpool under Slot Gakpo feels 'more dangerous' for Liverpool under Slot

    Cody Gakpo believes he has become a more "dangerous" player after returning to his preferred left-wing role under new Liverpool boss, Arne Slot. 

    Gakpo, who joined the Reds in January 2023, was often deployed in a central striker role under Jurgen Klopp during his first 18 months at Anfield. 

    Across his 53 appearances for Liverpool last season, 27 came as a centre forward, with the remaining 26 coming on either flank or in the attacking midfield position. 

    The Dutchman, however, has registered eight goal contributions (six goals, two assists) in 17 appearances in all competitions this season, all but one of which has come from the left wing. 

    Gakpo has found the net four times in his last four outings for the Reds, which included a brace against Brighton in the EFL Cup to propel them into the quarter-finals. 

    Speaking about the switch, he told Men in Blazers: “Before I came to Liverpool I also played as a left-winger. Then I came here, and I started to play more as a central striker.

    “At the Euros, I played as a left-winger again. Then this season the new manager came in. I had a talk with him, and he said, ‘You have to focus on the left-winger position.

    "This is your position when you come on or when you start.’ Because he said there’s a lot of competition here, so you just have to show yourself. But he said, ‘That is going to be your position.’

    “It felt a little bit, for me, like the old me, like what I did at PSV [Eindhoven] as well. I feel really good in this position. I try to show my best to everybody, what I’m capable of.

    “I think I come into more one-v-ones now with my face towards the opponent, where I can really go inside and give a cross, shoot or go outside and give a cross – which is more my game, I would say, and where I think I can be really dangerous and help the team the most.”

    Liverpool have enjoyed a fine start to the season, sitting top of both the Premier League and Champions League tables heading into the November international break.

    Slot has earned 28 points from his first 11 top-flight games in charge (W9 D1 L1), the joint-most by a manager after as many games in the competition along with Guus Hiddink at Chelsea.

    The Reds also remain the only side with a 100% record in the Champions League and have edged closer to defending their EFL Cup crown this season. 

    And Gakpo, who played a part in the Reds' win over Chelsea in the final of that competition last year, is eager for that fighting spirit to help bring more success to the club.

    “I see those [as] separate,” he said. “When I’m on the pitch, [I’m] really there to win the game, to show my quality," Gakpo said.

    “I think one of my qualities is going inside and going for a goal or maybe going for an assist. As an attacking player, I think that’s also part of the job.

    “Outside of the pitch, I tend to be a different guy – it’s more about life and development, mental growth, health growth with family, with friends.

    "I just try to be myself and I’m very happy that people speak so nicely of me, so thank you everybody!

    “Obviously when you come on the pitch, it’s game on. You have to think a little bit different – maybe not that nice in some ways because you have to win.

    "But for me, it will never be personal. Out there, [I’m] just trying to do my best for the club and to win these games for the fans, for myself, for the team.

    "When the referee blows the last whistle then the switch flips again and then I’m back to normal again.”

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.