Preview: CF Montreal vs. San Jose Earthquakes – Prediction, Team News, Lineups

I'm aiming for a third MLS home win in a row, CF Montreal Continue their playoff quest if they host that San Jose earthquake on Saturday at Saputo Stadium.

Last weekend, Montreal defeated the Chicago Fire 2-0 to move two points below the Eastern Conference postseason mark, while the Goonies were officially eliminated from the playoffs with a 2-1 loss to St. Louis City.

Game preview

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With four games remaining in the regular season, CF Montreal finds itself on the outside of the playoffs but fighting hard to stay in the postseason hunt.

They picked up their sixth shutout win of the MLS season against Chicago, four of which came at Saputo Stadium.

Montreal has picked up points in three consecutive league games and can win three straight games at Saputo Stadium on Saturday for the first time in 2024.

Le CFM has only suffered one home loss this season against teams currently below the playoff line, losing 5-0 to the New England Revolution last month.

A win this weekend would be Le CFM's longest winning streak in the competition under the first-year coach Laurent Courtois (two).

In five previous MLS home games with the Quakes, Le CFM maintained a 100 percent record, including a 2-0 triumph in their last meeting at Saputo Stadium in 2019 when they were known as the Montreal Impact.

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The playoffs will have to wait at least another year for San Jose, which will miss the postseason for the third time in the last four seasons.

Interim manager Ian Russell has only won one win in his last eight league games on the sidelines, his only triumph coming against Real Salt Lake (2-0) in Sandy, Utah in August.

Since Russell took charge, the Quakes' defensive deficiencies appear to have worsened: San Jose has conceded multiple goals in five of its last six league games, but has allowed the most domestic goals in 2024 (69).

That's far from the only issue this team has had to deal with in 2024, as their normally potent offense hasn't been quite as potent this season, scoring the second-fewest goals in the Western Conference (37).

While a win this weekend wouldn't change their postseason fortunes, it would improve their chances of avoiding the wrong club history, as the Quakes have just 18 points in 2024, three short of their all-time fewest points in an MLS at 34 Play regular season (21 in 2018).

Should they lose their final four league games, the Goonies would have suffered 26 losses in the competition this year, which would set a new MLS single-season record and surpass the 1999 New York/New Jersey MetroStars by one.

CF Montreal Major League Soccer Form:

Form of CF Montreal (all competitions):

Form of the San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer:

San Jose Earthquakes form (all competitions):

Team news

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In their victory over Chicago, Le CFM had to do without the services of Lassi Lappalainenwho has difficulty regaining full fitness Joaquin Sosa sat outside with muscle problems.

Victor Wanyama was excluded from the squad due to a coaching decision and Joel Waterman returned from the injured list and replaced him George Campbell in the second half last week.

Joseph Martinez scored the winning goal against the fire, with Caden Clark add some insurance in the last 45 minutes, and Jonathan Sirois made three stops and conceded his first goal since July (1-0 win over Atlanta United).

The list of injured in San Jose is long, including Preston Judd And Benji Kikanovicwho was sidelined last weekend due to upper body problems, during Daniel, Vitor Costa, Will Richmond And Jamar Ricketts All had to be sidelined due to lower body injuries.

Ousseni Bouda And Michael Baldisimo may miss this encounter due to impacts, Bruno Wilson is doubtful with a sore knee and JT Marcinkowski continues rehab after torn cruciate ligament.

Jeremy Ebobisse had the only goal for the Earthquakes against St. Louis, his fifth of the 2024 domestic season, two fewer Amahl Pellegrino for the team management.

CF Montreal possible starting lineup:
Sirois; Corbo, Waterman, Alvarez; Marshall-Rutty, Piette, Saliba, Edwards; Clark, Opoku; Martínez

Possible starting lineup for the San Jose Earthquakes:
Yarbrough; Marie, Rodrigues, Beason, Thompson; Tsakiris, Gruezo; Espinoza, Lopez, Pellegrino; Ebobisse

We say: CF Montreal 3-1 San Jose Earthquakes

These are the two worst defensive units in MLS, so we expect the net to bulge a few times, and in the end we think Montreal's urgency, still in playoff contention, is a Quakes- The team that manages to do that has seemed disinterested for weeks.

For data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this game, please click here.

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