San Jose Earthquakes Prepare to Face Struggling Sporting Kansas City

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Earthquakes will host Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at PayPal Park, seeking to rebound from a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Los Angeles FC. This match, part of the Major League Soccer season, is crucial for both teams aiming to improve their standings.

The Earthquakes are looking to avoid back-to-back losses as they face a Kansas City squad struggling to find form. San Jose currently sits ninth in the Western Conference with 10 points after eight matches and will be eager to capitalize on Kansas City’s recent lackluster performances. The visitors have lost three of their last four league matches, leaving them second-bottom in the standings with just four points.

San Jose’s coach Bruce Arena believes his team is capable of a strong performance, despite their recent inconsistency. “We need to get back on track offensively. There’s talent in this squad, and we have to show that against opponents like Kansas City,” Arena said. Last week’s defeat to LAFC was particularly tough, with Cristian Espinoza scoring a late consolation goal that highlighted the team’s difficulties to score.

Sporting Kansas City enters the match looking for renewed hope under interim coach Kerry Zavagnin, who briefly snapped a 13-game winless streak with a victory over St. Louis City. However, that momentum quickly faded as the team faced a 4-2 defeat to the Portland Timbers. Zavagnin emphasized the need for better focus and concentration during games. “It’s those brief moments that can change the tide of a match. We’re training to improve our mental fitness as well as our physical fitness,” he stated.

The Earthquakes will be almost at full strength for this encounter, with only a couple of injury absences impacting their lineup. Notably, long-term injured midfielder is still sidelined with a knee issue, while another player is out with a calf injury. Sporting Kansas City will also be affected by absences, including a key player suffering from a muscle problem.

Looking back at the last matchup between these two teams, San Jose secured a 2-1 victory over Kansas City on March 1, aiming to replicate that success at home. The Earthquakes have had their share of offensive struggles but showed glimpses of their capabilities with a 6-1 win against D.C. United earlier this season.

Statistics show that San Jose has scored 13 goals in their three wins this season but has been ineffective in their other matches, scoring just three goals in the rest. Conversely, Kansas City is under pressure, having lost their last eight away games across all competitions, raising questions about their capacity to perform on the road.

As both teams prepare for this critical clash, the Earthquakes are slightly favored to win, with probabilities indicating a 44.4% chance of a home victory compared to 28.8% for the Wizards.