Austin vs San Jose Earthquakes

Austin FC welcome San Jose Earthquakes for an MLS Western Conference matchup on Saturday evening, part of Matchday 23 of the 2026 regular season. Both sides are desperate for a turnaround: Austin are winless in four, while the Earthquakes arrive amid a four-match losing streak and a mounting injury crisis that leaves them shorthanded for the trip.

Team News and Injury Latest

Austin FC head coach Davy Arnaud has a full squad to choose from, with no players listed on the official MLS player status report for this fixture. A clean bill of health gives the Verde and Black a rare opportunity to field their strongest XI during a grueling stretch of the campaign.

San Jose Earthquakes, in contrast, are reeling from a spate of lower-body injuries. Five first-team players have been ruled out: Nonso Adimabua, Earl Edwards Jr., Darius Johnson, Dejuan Jones, and Timo Werner. The absence of Jones strips Bruce Arena’s backline of a starting defender, while the loss of Werner removes a key attacking outlet. No projected lineup had been confirmed at the time of writing, but the Quakes will need to piece together a makeshift defense and reshuffle their forward options.

Form Guide

Austin sit 14th in the Western Conference with a 5-6-10 record, having collected only 21 points from 21 matches. Their last five outings read D-W-L-L-L, the most recent a 3-1 defeat at Portland Timbers that underlined persistent defensive issues – they have shipped 40 goals this season, the worst mark in the West.

San Jose’s slide is even more startling. Once nestled high in the standings, the Earthquakes are now 4th but tumbling, with a form line of L-L-L-L-D. They have not won since early August and have conceded multiple goals in each of those four losses. The 39 goals they’ve scored this season show their attacking threat, but the sudden lack of defensive solidity has punctured their early-season momentum.

Key Battle: Austin’s Attack vs San Jose’s Depleted Defense

Austin’s front line, while inconsistent, will face a San Jose unit missing starting left-back Dejuan Jones and lacking the depth to seamlessly cover his absence. If the hosts can get their wide players into one-on-one situations against unfamiliar fullbacks, they could generate the chances that have too often been squandered. The Verde and Black have managed only 26 goals in 21 games, so capitalizing on a wounded opponent is non-negotiable. For San Jose, the task is to stay compact and protect a backline that will likely include at least one player out of position. If the makeshift group can rediscover some organization, the Quakes’ dangerous counterattack – even without Werner – could punish Austin’s own leaky defense.

What Comes Next

For Austin, a home victory is almost essential to keep faint playoff hopes alive; they enter the weekend 14 points adrift of the play-in line. San Jose, despite their tailspin, are only four points clear of the drop below the postseason cut-off and cannot afford to let their slide extend into a fifth straight defeat. With both clubs acutely aware of the stakes, Saturday’s contest could prove to be a turning point in markedly different ways.