Bruce Area is assured that Timo Werner will solely enhance the San Jose Earthquakes following their profitable begin to the 2026 MLS marketing campaign final weekend.
Area watched on as his group beat Sporting Kansas Metropolis 3-0 at PayPal Park, with Preston Judd’s Forty sixth-minute strike coming both facet of defender Daniel Munie’s brace.
However there was no place within the squad for current arrival Werner, who joined the MLS outfit on a chosen participant contract that can preserve him on the membership till June 2028.
The Earthquakes are at dwelling once more as they face Atlanta United, and although Werner continues to be unavailable to Area, the San Jose boss is worked up about what affect he might have.
“Hopefully, he’s going to make our group higher. We’ll proceed to attempt to enhance our roster,” Area stated.
“The explanation we didn’t do a lot within the offseason was as a result of we felt that this group of gamers that we’ve has nice potential.
“In time, they’ll be superb gamers. I believe you noticed a few of that tonight.”
Welcome to @PayPalPark Timo pic.twitter.com/fHKsIUCdee
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) February 26, 2026
Atlanta’s marketing campaign, nevertheless, began with a whimper as they slipped to a late 2-0 defeat to FC Cincinnati, with Kevin Denkey and Nick Hagglund netting within the final 10 minutes.
It marked a shedding return for Gerardo Martino on his second debut for the membership, however there was one constructive for Atlanta within the type of proficient teenager Cooper Sanchez.
Sanchez grew to become the youngest ever Atlanta participant to begin a season opener. At 17 years, 332 days previous, he’s the primary ever 17-year-old to earn that distinction for the 5 Stripes.
“We didn’t actually know till in the direction of the top of the week,” Sanchez stated in regards to the construct as much as his first MLS begin. “However as soon as we received prepared for the sport, I knew I used to be beginning.
“I believe my headspace was like that. I knew I used to be prepared. I believe after the sport in Miami, I discovered rather a lot from final 12 months and need to preserve constructing on that transferring ahead.
“I felt prepared going into the sport and simply wished to specific myself and to point out the world what sort of participant that I’m, and I believe that I did that.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
SJ Earthquakes – Daniel Munie
Munie scored two of San Jose’s three targets of their opening-day win, changing into the primary defender to attain twice in a match for the membership since Francisco Calvo in March 2022.
He’s additionally the second Earthquakes defender to attain twice within the membership’s season opener, after Victor Bernardez in 2014.
Atlanta United – Tomas Jacob
Tomas Jacob received 11 of 13 duels and received three tackles for Atlanta in his MLS debut Saturday, one among three gamers to hit each marks on the opening weekend.
Certainly, he’s the primary participant to win 11+ duels and three+ tackles in his MLS debut since Nathan for San Jose in July 2021.
MATCH PREDICTION: SJ EARTHQUAKES WIN
Atlanta have received all 4 of their all-time conferences with San Jose, scoring a number of targets in all 4 victories. A group has recorded outright wins (excluding breakaway shootouts) in every of their first 5 regular-season conferences with an opponent simply seven occasions in MLS historical past.
Nevertheless, the 5 Stripes have begun a season winless of their first two matches solely as soon as earlier than, in 2019. Of groups which have been in MLS since at the least 2020, Atlanta is one among two that recorded at the least one win of their first two matches in all six seasons from 2020 to 2025.
San Jose, in the meantime, opened the 2025 season with a 4-0 win over Actual Salt Lake and beat Sporting Kansas Metropolis, 3-0, to begin the 2026 marketing campaign. The Earthquakes are the second group in MLS historical past to win their season opener by three or extra targets in consecutive seasons, after Columbus Crew in 2013 and 2014.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
SJ Earthquakes – 47.7%
Draw – 26.1%
Atlanta United – 26.2%
