Storylines to Watch:
The Quakes break their winless streak
Despite sitting at the bottom of the table in Major League Soccer, the San Jose Earthquakes (3-12-7) snapped their 12-game winless streak this past weekend by beating FC Dallas in Texas. The Quakes handed Dallas their first loss at home of the season.
"It was a really important win, especially against a top team like FC Dallas," head coach Mikael Stahre said postgame. "We weathered the conditions, and I'm really happy with the performance."
Not only did San Jose secure their first win in nearly three months, their defense is looking stronger than ever. Their backline has only conceded two goals in the past four matches in all competitions (Manchester United friendly, Seattle Sounders FC, Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas.)
The MLS veteran holds a record against the Rapids
Chris Wondolowski, who Colorado knows all too well, registered his fourth assist of the season against FC Dallas over the weekend. Among all active players in MLS, the 35-year-old forward is currently the all-time leading goal scorer against the Rapids with 11 goals in 25 appearances.
Player to Watch: Valeri 'Vako' Qazaishvili
San Jose's 25-year-old Designated Player, Vako, was honored as the Alcatel MLS Player of the Week and was given a spot on the MLS Team of the Week after finding his mid-season form against FC Dallas this past weekend.
The midfielder gave the Quakes an early lead in the 19th minute and put the match out of reach in the 88th minute when he tapped in San Jose's third goal.
The Ozurgeti, Georgia native, known for being an attack-minded midfielder has already paid dividends this season by taking part in 10 of the Quake's 32 goals. He has recorded six of his own and has assisted on four others in 22 games. Vako is the second leading scorer for the San Jose Earthquakes in 2018 behind Danny Hoesen (10).
In total, Vako has scored 11 goals in 35 MLS appearances. He contributed five goals and two assists after joining San Jose for the final 13 games of 2017. In addition to his time with the Quakes, he has extensive experience playing with the Georgia national team, scoring nine goals in 24 appearances at various youth levels and six goals in 31 appearances for the senior team.
Colorado Rapids vs San Jose Earthquakes - Head-to-Head
The Rapids have met the San Jose Earthquakes 64 times in the MLS regular season, resulting in a 20-29-15 record. The Quakes are currently in last place (23rd) in the league with a 3-12-7 overall record. The Rapids, meanwhile, are coming off a thrilling 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy at home that sees their season record sit at 5-12-5 overall.
- Head-to-Head Overall: Colorado Rapids 20 wins, 76 goals | San Jose Earthquakes 29 wins, 89 goals | 15 ties
- Head-to-Head in Colorado: Colorado Rapids 12 wins, 41 goals | San Jose Earthquakes 13 wins, 38 goals | 8 ties
- Previous Meeting: San Jose Earthquakes 1, Colorado Rapids 0 (July 29, 2017)
