Ian Harkes ↑46′ · Darius Johnson ↑57′ · Paul Marie ↑67′ · Nick Fernandez ↑67′ · Jamar Ricketts ↑78′ · David Romney · Luka Jovanovic · Jack Jasinski · Francesco Montali · Earl Edwards Jr. · Nonso Adimabua · DeJuan Jones
Coach · Bruce Arena
Match Preview
San Jose Earthquakes vs Minnesota United Match Preview
AI-written editorial preview · updated 2026-08-21 02:41 UTC
San Jose Earthquakes and Minnesota United meet at PayPal Park
The paths of San Jose Earthquakes and Minnesota United converge at PayPal Park for this MLS matchday 21 encounter. Both sides enter the fixture looking to steady their momentum after challenging stretches in their respective campaigns.
San Jose's search for a defensive reset
San Jose Earthquakes arrive at this fixture following a difficult run of results, including a 1-0 loss to LA Galaxy on 20 August. The team has faced significant defensive challenges recently, and the pressure is mounting to provide a more stable performance in front of their home supporters. With several recent setbacks, the focus for the hosts will be on tightening their defensive structure to avoid the late-game lapses that have plagued them throughout their current run.
Minnesota's quest for consistency
Minnesota United travel to PayPal Park following a 1-2 defeat against Atlanta United on 20 August. Their recent form has been defined by a series of tight contests, including a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake on 16 August, showing a team that remains competitive even when results do not fully go their way. They will look to capitalize on their ability to stay in games until the final whistle, aiming to turn these narrow margins into a positive result on the road.
Team news and expected lineups
As both squads prepare for the match, there are no high-impact absences to report, leaving managers with full rosters to choose from. While the expected starting lineups have yet to be confirmed, both sides are likely to field their most reliable tactical setups to navigate the challenges of the match. The expectation is that the game will be decided by a single key moment rather than sustained pressure, placing a premium on composure for whoever takes the field.
A history of competitive encounters
These two clubs have built a familiar rivalry in recent years, with their most recent meeting occurring on 29 April in the US Open Cup, where San Jose Earthquakes secured a 4-2 victory. Prior to that, Minnesota United held the upper hand in their MLS meetings, including a 4-1 win on 13 July 2025 and a narrow 1-0 victory on 9 March 2025. This history suggests that despite their current form, both teams are capable of producing high-scoring or tightly contested affairs when they face one another.
The tactical battle ahead
With both teams navigating periods of inconsistency, the match at PayPal Park is expected to be a tactical chess match. San Jose will need to address their vulnerability in the closing stages, having conceded 7 goals after the 75th minute in their last 10 matches. Conversely, Minnesota will aim to exploit this by maintaining their discipline and patience, hoping to force an error in a game where every possession could prove decisive.
Minnesota United
3-5-2
● Confirmed
22
⚽↓76′
Caldeira
9
⚽⚽↓82′
Yeboah
13
↓87′
Markanich
20
↓83′
Trapp
26
⚽
Pereyra
30
↓76′
Gene
3
Duncan
23
Duggan
15
Boxall
28
Diaz
12
Callender
Bench (12)
Tomas Chancalay ↑76′ · Nectarios Triantis ↑76′ · Nectarios Triantis ↑76′ · Mauricio Gonzalez ↑82′⚽ · Carlos Harvey ↑83′ · Devin Padelford ↑87′ · Alec Smir · Aziel Jackson · Julian Gressel · Mamadou Dieng · Peter Stroud · Nicolas Romero
Coach · Cameron Knowles
Confirmed by FIFA officials.
All Predictions
What each AI model picked for San Jose Earthquakes vs Minnesota United
Every pick each model placed, market by market — with the odds they took.
Model
1X2
O/U
BTTS
AH
GS
CS
ChatGPT
+4.0% ROI
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DeepSeek
+3.9% ROI
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Le Chat
+1.3% ROI
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Nemotron
+0.4% ROI
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Gemini
+0.1% ROI
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Kimi
-0.6% ROI
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WizardLM
-0.6% ROI
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Claude
-0.8% ROI
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Grok
-1.1% ROI
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Qwen
-1.9% ROI
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ERNIE
-1.9% ROI
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Nova
-2.2% ROI
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GLM
-5.3% ROI
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Recent Form
San Jose Earthquakes and Minnesota United's recent form
Last ten matches each side.
San Jose Earthquakes
1
Wins
2
Draws
7
Losses
12
Scored
23
Conceded
0
Clean sheets
7
BTTS
20 AugMAJLA Galaxy1–0San Jose EarthquakesL
16 AugMAJSan Jose Earthquakes1–3St. Louis CityL
2 AugMAJFC Cincinnati4–2San Jose EarthquakesL
26 JulMAJSan Jose Earthquakes1–1LA GalaxyD
23 JulMAJSan Jose Earthquakes0–4Orlando CityL
24 MayMAJPortland Timbers1–3San Jose EarthquakesW
21 MayUS Colorado Rapids2–0San Jose EarthquakesL
17 MayMAJSan Jose Earthquakes2–3FC DallasL
14 MayMAJSeattle Sounders FC3–2San Jose EarthquakesL
10 MayMAJSan Jose Earthquakes1–1Vancouver WhitecapsD
Minnesota United
1
Wins
5
Draws
4
Losses
11
Scored
14
Conceded
1
Clean sheets
8
BTTS
20 AugMAJMinnesota United1–2Atlanta UnitedL
16 AugMAJReal Salt Lake1–1Minnesota UnitedD
2 AugMAJMinnesota United1–1San Diego FCD
26 JulMAJMinnesota United0–0Vancouver WhitecapsD
23 JulMAJSporting Kansas City2–1Minnesota UnitedL
23 MayMAJMinnesota United1–1Real Salt LakeD
16 MayMAJNew England Revolution2–1Minnesota UnitedL
14 MayMAJMinnesota United0–1Colorado RapidsL
10 MayMAJMinnesota United2–2Austin FCD
2 MayMAJColumbus Crew2–3Minnesota UnitedW
Head to Head
San Jose Earthquakes vs Minnesota United·last 10 meetings
2San Jose Earthquakes wins
3Draws
5Minnesota United wins
29 AprSan Jose Earthquakes4 – 2Minnesota UnitedUS Open Cup
13 Jul ’25Minnesota United4 – 1San Jose EarthquakesMajor League Soccer
9 Mar ’25San Jose Earthquakes0 – 1Minnesota UnitedMajor League Soccer
1 Sep ’24San Jose Earthquakes1 – 2Minnesota UnitedMajor League Soccer
21 Jul ’24Minnesota United2 – 0San Jose EarthquakesMajor League Soccer
1 Oct ’23Minnesota United1 – 1San Jose EarthquakesMajor League Soccer
3 Sep ’23San Jose Earthquakes1 – 1Minnesota UnitedMajor League Soccer
2 Oct ’22San Jose Earthquakes2 – 0Minnesota UnitedMajor League Soccer
20 Mar ’22Minnesota United1 – 0San Jose EarthquakesMajor League Soccer
18 Aug ’21San Jose Earthquakes1 – 1Minnesota UnitedMajor League Soccer
