Union vs. San Jose Earthquakes: Preview, projected lineups, and how to watch

A devastatingly late Wednesday night game in San Jose is the latest obstacle for the Union on their hellish stretch run. After drawing LAFC at home and coming away with nothing from Red Bull Arena, a win over the struggling Earthquakes is essential as the Union push for the Eastern Conference title and beyond.

With only three games left, the Union sit six points behind conference-leading NYCFC. As long as the Union are within three points of NYCFC come Decision Day, when the two sides meet at Talen Energy Stadium, they have a shot at overtaking them. To do that, they’ll need help, yes, but they also need to hold up their own end. That starts tonight with a win over the short-handed Quakes.

San Jose has lost three straight, and they’ve only picked up seven points over their last nine games. Their strong summer has kept them above the red line, but that could change if they fail to win tonight. Their task is made even harder by the absences of Chris Wondolowski, Cristian Espinoza, and Matías Almeyda, all of whom were sent off in San Jose’s loss to Atlanta United on Saturday. Those are San Jose’s top goalscorer, assist leader, and manager, respectively. Not good!

The Union are missing a few important players themselves, with Mark McKenzie and Sergio Santos out due to injuries sustained on Sunday. The short rest and cross-country commercial flight will surely result in other lineup adjustments, with Jim Curtin ready to rotate the squad prior to Sunday’s game in Columbus.

Projected lineups

Philadelphia Union: Andre Blake; Ray Gaddis, Jack Elliott, Aurélien Collin, Kai Wagner; Haris Medunjanin; Alejandro Bedoya, Jamiro Monteiro; Marco Fabián; Kacper Przybyłko, Andrew Wooten

San Jose Earthquakes: Daniel Vega; Tommy Thompson, Guram Kashia, Florian Jungwirth, Nick Lima; Jackson Yueill, Judson; Shea Salinas, Magnus Eriksson, Vako; Danny Hoesen

How to watch

Where: Avaya Stadium, San Jose, California
When: 11 p.m. ET, Wednesday, September 25, 2019
TV: Live Well Network
Streaming: ESPN+ (blackout restrictions apply), PhiladelphiaUnion.com (in-market)
Radio: Union Radio

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