Neither team would be mathematically eliminated with a defeat, but a loss on Saturday at Avaya Stadium would just about be a nail in the coffin for both the Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes.
San Jose and Seattle are both battling to reach the red line, with the seventh-place Earthquakes (32 points) and eighth-place Sounders (31 points) fighting to catch the Portland Timbers (35 points) for sixth in the West.
Saturday’s result will go a long way towards determining which club has the best shot at catching Portland, with a winner set to dramatically increase their playoff chances.
According to a tweet sent out on Thursday by ESPN’s Paul Carr, both clubs would move their odds of qualifying for the postseason over the 50 percent mark with a win in the Bay Area. Seattle’s chances – currently pegged at 29 percent – would drop to 18 percent with a loss, while San Jose’s – currently at 41 percent – would fall to 22 percent with a defeat.
A draw would see San Jose’s odds fall to 34 percent and Seattle’s chances increase one percentage point to 30 percent.
Saturday’s match will kick at 10:30 pm ET and will be broadcast nationally on MLS LIVE.
