Saturday’s match is the San Jose Earthquakes’ last at home for nearly a month. It’s also the club’s last against a team currently below the playoff line until the season finale on Oct. 6. Put two and two together and you get a recipe that suggests three points are crucial.
Orlando City SC is by no means going to let those three points come easily. At 9-12-7 (34 pts.), Orlando finds themselves in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and just three points out of the coveted seventh and final playoff spot.
Last Friday’s loss to Atlanta was their first defeat in their last five matches (2-1-2).