San Jose Earthquakes host St. Louis City SC at PayPal Park on Saturday, August 15 (10:30 PM ET / 9:30 PM CT / 7:30 PM PT).
There are no fresh fitness concerns on either side heading into this one, so expect both managers to lean on the players who’ve carried their attacks all season. San Jose’s central threat runs through Preston Judd, whose 11 goals from 55 shots make him the focal point up top, with Timo Werner and Ousseni Bouda offering support either side of him. St. Louis City will look to Marcel Hartel, who leads the visitors with 6 goals and a team-high 44 chances created, to unlock a home side that have struggled for control in recent weeks.
San Jose come into this third in the Western Conference, well positioned in the playoff race, even if the underlying form (L W L D L) has been choppier than that spot suggests, punctuated by a heavy 4-2 defeat at Cincinnati last time out. St. Louis City sit seventh on 26 points, still firmly in the mix, and arrive in the better rhythm of the two — four wins and a draw across their last five (W W W W D), most recently a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake. Both attacks have shown enough in front of goal this season to suggest chances at either end, and with Judd’s finishing against Hartel’s creativity, this one should have goals in it — with San Jose edging it late at PayPal Park.
San Jose Earthquakes vs St. Louis City SC: Best Bets & Predictions
Preston Judd's goals against Marcel Hartel's creativity, with San Jose's playoff push on the line at PayPal Park.
Our approach: we lean on playoff-race positioning, recent form and the underlying output of each side's most productive players to arrive at our Result, Correct Score, Both Teams to Score, Over/Under and Anytime Goalscorer picks.
Odds correct at time of writing and shown in American format for illustration; your local odds may vary. 19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC). Please play responsibly. ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600 (ON).
Season Form & Standings
San Jose Earthquakes sit third in the Western Conference, while St. Louis City SC are seventh on 26 points from 18 games, with 7 wins, 5 draws and 6 losses and a goal difference of 0.
Western Conference
| Team | Pos | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis City SC | 7 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 26 |
San Jose Earthquakes vs St. Louis City SC Predicted Lineups
Predicted XI — updated for the latest team news.
San Jose Earthquakes
4-3-3St. Louis City SC
3-4-2-1Potential Match-Winners
- Preston Judd (San Jose Earthquakes): 11 goals from 55 shots and 26 of them on target — San Jose’s most productive weapon in front of goal this season.
- Timo Werner (San Jose Earthquakes): 5 goals in just 709 minutes, with 23 chances created underlining his link-up quality for San Jose.
- Marcel Hartel (St. Louis City SC): 6 goals and a team-high 44 chances created from 60 shots make him St. Louis City’s chief creative outlet.
Recent Form
San Jose Earthquakes: L W L D L
- 2026-08-02: FC Cincinnati 4-2 San Jose Earthquakes (L, away)
- 2026-07-26: San Jose Earthquakes 1-1 LA Galaxy (D, home)
- 2026-07-23: San Jose Earthquakes 0-4 Orlando City (L, home)
- 2026-05-24: Portland Timbers 1-3 San Jose Earthquakes (W, away)
- 2026-05-17: San Jose Earthquakes 2-3 FC Dallas (L, home)
San Jose’s form reads L W L D L, the low point a 0-4 home defeat to Orlando City and the most recent result a 4-2 loss away at Cincinnati.
St. Louis City SC: W W W W D
- 2026-08-02: St. Louis City SC 1-1 Real Salt Lake (D, home)
- 2026-07-26: St. Louis City SC 1-0 Colorado Rapids (W, home)
- 2026-07-23: LA Galaxy 1-3 St. Louis City SC (W, away)
- 2026-07-17: St. Louis City SC 3-2 Sporting KC (W, home)
- 2026-05-23: St. Louis City SC 3-0 Austin FC (W, home)
St. Louis City’s form reads W W W W D — 4 wins in their last 5 outings before a 1-1 draw at home to Real Salt Lake.
San Jose Earthquakes vs St. Louis City SC Prediction
San Jose’s edge in front of goal, led by Judd’s 11-goal return, should be enough to see off a St. Louis City side that create plenty through Hartel but have had to work for their seventh-place standing on 26 points. Expect goals at both ends before San Jose, third in the West and firmly in the playoff mix, edge it 2-1 at PayPal Park.