LAFC Battles San Jose Earthquakes at Levi’s Stadium This Weekend

Santa Clara, CA – LAFC will visit Levi’s Stadium this weekend to take on the San Jose Earthquakes. The match, scheduled for Saturday evening, features two Western Conference rivals currently vying for playoff positions.

This game represents the only scheduled home match for San Jose at Levi’s Stadium this season, which has a capacity of 68,500. The event is hyped as the largest Mexican Independence Day Weekend celebration in the Bay Area, with ticket sales rapidly climbing.

“I think we’re gonna face a hard opponent,” said LAFC midfielder Timmy Tillman after training on Thursday. “It’s a very important game for us to show that we can win there. They are fighting for playoffs, we are fighting for playoffs too, so it’s gonna be an intense game.”

LAFC comes into the match unbeaten in their last eight MLS road games and is currently in fifth place in the Western Conference with 41 points. San Jose trails in ninth with 35 points. Earlier this season, LAFC defeated the Quakes 2-1 in Los Angeles.

Denis Bouanga has been a standout player for LAFC, scoring 15 goals this season, making him a significant part of their playoff aspirations. He is just three goals shy of tying Carlos Vela‘s record as LAFC’s all-time leading scorer. The three points from the earlier match against San Jose could prove crucial for LAFC’s playoff positioning.

For San Jose, the stakes are high. The Quakes aim for a top-nine finish to secure a playoff spot, but they must improve defensively, having allowed 51 goals this season, ranking among the higher conceders in the league.

San Jose saw action on the pitch recently, with their last outing resulting in a 3-1 loss to Austin FC on August 30, despite leading in possession and shots.

Both teams have players who excel on international stages as well. LAFC’s Son Heung-min has impressed in his short time with the club, and San Jose’s Cristian Espinoza remains a key figure with contributions in terms of goals and assists.

With playoff implications on the line, both coaches expressed the importance of the match. Earthquakes head coach Bruce Arena emphasized the need for starting strong to build momentum in their run toward the playoffs. The record crowd expected at Levi’s Stadium adds to the excitement surrounding this match.

“It’s going to be a big crowd, and hopefully we can give them something that they can cheer about,” Arena said.

The match is set to kick off at 8:30 PM ET and will be broadcast on various streaming platforms.