San Jose Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas – MLS, April 24, 2021

San Jose welcomes FC Dallas to PayPal Park on Saturday, April 24, as both sides search for their first win of the 2021 MLS season.

The Earthquakes suffered a 2-1 loss to another Texas club – Houston Dynamo – last weekend, while Dallas was held to a goalless draw by Colorado Rapids.

Before I share my San Jose Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas prediction and pick, let’s take a look at the odds for Saturday’s clash.

The odds for this matchup suggest there isn’t much to separate these teams.

Ending the previous campaign with a points per game average of 1.55, Dallas only finished two places ahead of San Jose (1.30 PPG) in the 2020 Western Conference.

I assess both sides’ chances below.

Despite enjoying 61% possession last weekend, the Quakes failed to keep Houston at bay. In fact, having faced 17 shots in their opening game, Matias Almeyda’s men can count themselves lucky to have only lost 2-1.

Paul Marie netted what proved to be a consolation goal with 15 minutes left to play, although San Jose didn’t deserve to win the match.

It goes without saying that Almeyda’s men will need to make the most of their domination this season.

17-year-old prodigy Cade Cowell led the line against the Dynamo, with veteran Chris Wondolowski coming off the bench in the second half. If Almeyda can find a way to get both strikers on the field at the same time, San Jose could pose a real attacking threat this year.

Having finished the previous campaign with the worst defensive record in the West, the Quakes seem to have carried their defensive problems into the new season.

On the flip side, Dallas boasted the second-best defensive record in the West last term, so it is no real surprise that Luchi Gonzalez’s side kept a clean sheet on the opening weekend of the new season.

The Texans registered 11 shots against the Rapids and also managed an impressive 84% pass accuracy, but much like last year, they lacked a clinical edge in attack.

Only three teams in the West scored fewer goals than Dallas last season, with Franco Jara doing the bulk of the work up front. If guys like Ricardo Pepi, Freddy Vargas, and Jader Obrian fail to chip in this term, the Toros could struggle to secure a playoff berth.

Remarkably, the Texans have failed to win any of their previous six meetings with San Jose, with their last victory over the Quakes coming all the way back in 2016.

After struggling to break down Colorado last time out, Dallas may find it difficult to buck that trend this weekend.

While Dallas has only managed to beat San Jose once in nine attempts, it is worth noting that the two sides have recorded five draws in that time. With that in mind, the draw is my San Jose Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas prediction.

We all know that Dallas possesses one of the toughest backlines in the league, but Gonzalez’s team doesn’t score many goals. Following a goalless draw with the Rapids, I can see the Texans registering another low-scoring draw on Saturday.