San Jose Earthquakes, fresh from a 2-1 win over Houston Dynamo, prepare to face Austin FC in a crucial Western Conference match. Coach Bruce Arena praises his team’s growing tactical awareness. The game carries significant playoff implications, with both teams level on points. Key players to watch include Austin’s in-form Owen Wolff and San Jose’s Cristian Arango, who has a strong scoring record against Austin. Prediction favors an Austin win, leveraging home advantage, but San Jose’s improved form makes them a dangerous opponent.
San Jose Earthquakes are riding high after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Houston Dynamo, a win that head coach Bruce Arena described as “far from perfect” but indicative of his team’s growing savvy in closing out tight games. The Quakes are now preparing to face Austin FC in a crucial Western Conference clash with significant playoff implications.
In the Houston match, Cristian Arango and Ian Harkes found the net either side of halftime, providing a cushion that proved vital as Antonio Carlos pulled one back for the Dynamo. Despite the late pressure, San Jose demonstrated resilience and tactical awareness to secure the three points on a sweltering Houston evening.
“We were a little bit smart at the end,” Arena acknowledged post-match. “We were fatigued, as was their team I think with the heat and humidity. But a little bit smart. At least we had good numbers behind the ball and trying to close out the game. We did that. It was far from perfect, but I think they learned a little something from last week.”
back at it this Saturday vs. Austin pic.twitter.com/USNx5dtF9X
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) August 28, 2025
The victory propelled San Jose into eighth place in the Western Conference standings, level on 35 points with Austin FC, their upcoming opponents. The two teams are separated only by goal difference, intensifying the stakes for their Saturday encounter.
Austin FC will be looking to bounce back from a 3-2 defeat to CF Montreal. Despite goals from Myrto Uzuni and Owen Wolff, a strong performance from the Canadian side left Austin empty-handed. Austin, currently ninth in the West, are desperate to secure a playoff berth.
The upcoming match promises to be a tense affair, with both teams keenly aware of the playoff implications. Here are players to watch:
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Austin FC – Owen Wolff
Owen Wolff has been in impressive form, scoring four goals in his last five regular-season matches, including goals in consecutive games against Dallas and Montreal. He'll be key to Austin's attack. Only Sebastian Driussi and Gyasi Zardes have scored in three or more consecutive regular-season games for Austin.
San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Arango
Cristian Arango has a strong track record against Austin, having scored six goals in six career regular-season matches against them. Only Jesus Ferreira has scored more goals against Austin in league play than Arango.
Owen Wolff with his 4th goal in his last 5 matches. pic.twitter.com/Upz8S3oIz0
— Austin FC (@AustinFC) August 26, 2025
MATCH PREDICTION – AUSTIN WIN
Austin are unbeaten in nine straight home matches in all competitions, making their home ground a fortress. However, six of those have been draws, including the last three. While their recent form has been inconsistent, they will be expected to leverage their home advantage against San Jose. Austin are also unbeaten in the last six MLS matches against the Earthquakes, with San Jose seeking their first league win in this fixture since October 2021.
San Jose's matches have been high-scoring affairs, with both teams finding the net in each of their last 12 regular-season games – the longest such streak since Montreal in 2020.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Austin FC – 50.8%
Draw – 25%
San Jose Earthquakes – 24.3%
The stage is set for a compelling match between two teams battling for playoff contention. Austin's home form and historical dominance in this fixture give them a slight edge, but San Jose's improved tactical awareness and Arango's scoring record against Austin suggest they are more than capable of causing an upset. Expect a closely contested game with plenty at stake.