Goals will be hard to come by when Los Angeles FC hosts the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday. Both teams have allowed only two goals in seven league matches, leading Major League Soccer (MLS). They are among the four teams with a double-digit positive goal difference.
LAFC (5-1-1, 16 points) aims to maintain its perfect 4-0-0 home record during a busy start to the season.
In two home games earlier in April, LAFC won 6-0 against Orlando City and 3-0 versus Mexico’s Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Their sole MLS loss came on April 11, a 2-1 defeat at the Portland Timbers. On Tuesday, they drew 1-1 with Cruz Azul in Mexico, advancing in the cup.
Denis Bouanga leads LAFC with four goals this MLS season, while 20-year-old Venezuelan forward David Martinez has netted six goals across all competitions, including two in the first leg against Cruz Azul.
LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos commented on Martinez’s performance, saying, “If you see training, it’s normal for him. When he has space, he goes for it, and it’s fantastic to watch. David is strong, and he has a lot of courage.”
After struggling for 13 seasons without a winning record, the Earthquakes (6-1-0, 18 points) are experiencing a revival under head coach Bruce Arena.
They are currently on a four-game winning streak and recently beat Phoenix Rising FC 2-0 in the U.S. Open Cup. Their start of 7-1-0 across competitions is the best in the club’s history.
Arena said, “We will use our full roster this week. It’s crucial to show depth and the ability to rotate our squad as needed.”
San Jose scored three goals in each of its last two MLS matches, winning away against Sporting Kansas City and achieving a shutout at home against San Diego FC on April 4.
Jack Skhan scored twice against Sporting KC, while Niko Tsakiris netted two against San Diego FC. Preston Judd leads the Earthquakes with three goals this season, and Tsakiris has contributed four assists.