- San Jose's Preston Judd has 11 goals in 17 MLS 2026 appearances, including 2 in the last 5.
- San Jose are the more likely winners at home, but Minnesota are winless on the road in all competitions (D1, L3).
- San Jose have won two, drawn three and lost five of their last ten matches in all competitions.
MLS teams look to establish identity
Two MLS teams trying to establish their identity meet at PayPal Park on Sunday when San Jose Earthquakes host Minnesota United.
Bruce Arena has been in charge of San Jose since 1st January 2025 and he has installed a high-tempo, direct style that has the Quakes press aggressively and play at pace when they win the ball.
Preston Judd is the out and out finisher in this system and has 11 goals in 17 MLS 2026 games, including two in the Earthquakes' last five. He's a livewire up top, especially when San Jose can win the ball high and break quickly.
Loons have been grinding it out
This clash looks like a game of press versus possession with the Loons more of a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 team that operates with a double pivot and creative players either side of a central striker.
They have a patient, possession-based approach with a clear plan to play through pressure, when they can, and exploit vertical channels. Judd's pace and power could give them a problem on Sunday though.
Minnesota are in the middle of a similar run of form to the Quakes, with one win, two draws and two defeats in their last five. A 1-1 MLS draw at Real Salt Lake was followed by a Leagues Cup shootout defeat to Mexican giants Tigres last week, so this game could be tight.
Quakes’ edge is enough for a lean
San Jose have won 1, drawn 1 and lost 3 of their last 5 with a 4-0 home defeat to Orlando City SC followed by a 4-2 away defeat to FC Cincinnati in MLS 2026. Earthquakes are 1-1-2 at home in all competitions, scoring 1.75 goals per game on average, so they can get on the scoresheet at PayPal Park even if they don't control the game. The odds favor San Jose at 26/25 and the Loons at 243/100 and the draw at 301/100 look too big for a game that doesn't suit the visitors. Minnesota are still seeking their first away win after four road games in all competitions (D1, L3), so the travel stats are a real red flag and they give the home side the edge on the day. We think this game will be close though, so we're going to lean towards San Jose and the odds-on draw and both teams to score market looks like a good play on this matchup.
