Since their stunning upset last year, the Earthquakes have been diligently honing their skills and refining their strategy. They know they can't rely solely on past glory; instead, they've been focused on continuous improvement, both individually and as a team. So far this season, things have not gone the way that the San Jose Earthquakes could have wanted as they are currently leading in the stats no team wants to lead in, but they were finally able to capture more points in their last match-up on the road in Nashville.
It is no secret that San Jose needs to get back to a similar state in which they were in last year because they can't afford to not have points award at the end of a game, but in all honestly they need a win. Last season, San Jose seemed to strive in games they were slated to "lose" and it is crucial that they can tap into the same energy and mindset as they had last season. The Earthquakes have played very hard, and you can tell that they have been frustrated with the results that they have had, but the players continue to put their head down and get to work. During the most recent media day prior to this upcoming game against LAFC, the team even spent a little more time in the practice sessions to work on their gameplan. The team recently were able to acquire Hernan Lopez, in hopes to sure up the midfield, and also introduced him to the Bay Area media at Levi's Stadium on Wednesday.
Earthquakes coach Luchi Gonzalez did mention in the past that he wants to get Lopez into the lineup as quickly as possible, but he wants to make sure it was in the right time for him to get adjusted to the team. Lopez stated that he did talk to players across the MLS, including Earthquakes star Cristian Espinoza, and that "Espinoza is a big reason why [Lopez] came" along with the fact that Lopez "[Appreciates] all the leadership [Cristian] Espinoza has shown so far." An interesting point to know about the latest Earthquakes signing is that his great-uncle is the Argentine Legend Diego Maradona, and he mentioned that he believes that his great-uncle "Would be very happy for me" and that "We had a good relationship, and it would have been a nice moment for me." Something that Earthquakes fans can look forward to was one of the first things that Hernan said to the media. Lopez did comment on the competition in the MLS, including Lionel Messi, and said "It is something that will be very exciting the first time I get to play [vs. Messi], but my first priority is to get San Jose to the playoffs so we can make those games count."
Levi's Stadium is set to host over 30,000 people for the Cinco De Mayo weekend game, and fans going to the game can expect an electric atmosphere within the walls of the home of the 49ers. The Earthquakes are hosting tons of activities as apart of their Fan Fest including music from DJ Chuy Gomez, Pro Wrestling Revolution matches, Mariachi performances, Interviews, and a lot more.
The San Jose Earthquakes, along with other Major League Soccer games, can be streamed via Apple TV and MLS Season Pass. LAFC travel to the Bay Area to take on the San Jose Earthquakes inside Levi's Stadium with kickoff time of 4:30pm (PST).
Additional Links:
Rocha Report: www.rochamultimedia.com/rochareport
Rocha Multimedia:Â www.rochamultimedia.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rochamultimedia
