- San Jose have won two, drawn three and lost five of their last ten games in all competitions.
- Minnesota United have won one, drawn four and lost five of their last ten matches in all competitions.
- Judd has scored 11 goals in 17 appearances for San Jose in MLS 2026, including two in his last five.
Quakes and Loons to split the points in a close affair
A clash between high-press San Jose and a more controlled Minnesota United side has all the ingredients to be an interesting and perhaps cagey clash at PayPal Park on Sunday.
Bruce Arena has been the Earthquakes' boss since 1st January 2025 and he has imbued the Quakes with a high-energy style of play that sets the tone from the start and doesn't relent until the final whistle. They will be pressing high and trying to win the ball back in their opponents' half, looking for quick breaks and trying to create errors.
The Loons are a more controlled side, deploying a double pivot in their 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-4 shape and using their central players to build up patiently before feeding the ball into the forwards to break lines.
Loons have been grinding more than winning
Minnesota have been less than spectacular in 2026 with a record of one win, four draws and five defeats in their last ten in all competitions and the Loons have been more grinding than winning.
The last five have seen them win one, draw two and lose two, with a 1-1 draw at Real Salt Lake in MLS followed by a shootout defeat to Mexican side Tigres in the Leagues Cup.
San Jose have fared little better, with three defeats in their last five, including a 4-0 home loss to Orlando City SC and a 4-2 reverse at FC Cincinnati in MLS 2026. However, they are 1-1-2 at home in all competitions this year, averaging 1.75 goals per match, so they do score goals at PayPal Park.
San Jose could just nick this
The odds certainly have the Quakes as the slight favourites at 2.04, ahead of Minnesota at 3.43 and the draw at 4.01, and we can see the hosts edging this one. Minnesota have yet to win an away game after four attempts in all competitions, with one draw and three defeats.
It should be a close game, however, so the draw or BTTS market could be the better selection in this one than any result in the 90 minutes.
Preston Judd is the main finisher for the hosts with 11 MLS 2026 goals to his name and he could strike again here as the livewire target at the top of San Jose's line when they are turning it over high up the pitch.
