San Jose v Miami: Line-ups, stats and preview

San Jose v Miami match preview

Two managers with contrasting experience levels and recent results will meet on Wednesday when Bruce Arena’s San Jose Earthquakes target a fourth consecutive win in all competitions against Javier Mascherano’s Inter Miami, who have lost four of their last five games.

While Arena earned an MLS regular-season record-extending 267th career win as a coach in San Jose’s 2-0 win at Colorado on Sunday, new Miami boss Mascherano’s first poor run in the role continued with a 4-1 thrashing at Minnesota on Saturday.

Arena, who is approaching his 50th year as a manager, says focusing solely on Miami talisman Lionel Messi is the “biggest mistake you can make” when facing the Herons.

“He’s too good a player to think you’re just going to take him out of the game, so we need to respect him,” warned the man who was USA manager between 1998 and 2006.

“He’s one of the greatest to ever play the game but his team-mates are quite good, too. I’m sure they’re going to be highly motivated and a little bit angry. It’s going to be a huge challenge.”

🇧🇷 ➡️ 🇺🇸 COOK ON ‘EM CHEF JONES 👨‍🍳

Vítor and DeJuan give and go to give us the lead before the half! pic.twitter.com/eJSV2pp4ge

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) May 11, 2025

Mascherano says DeJuan Jones’s arrival has increased San Jose’s threat on the right, with the USA international scoring his first goal of the season at Colorado, adding to his three assists for the campaign.

The Quakes have scored two more goals than any other MLS team in 2025, helped by Cristian Espinoza – responsible for the most key passes and joint-most assists in the division – and Chico Arango, whose eight goals are the joint-most in this season’s MLS.

“They are very direct, with three forwards,” says Mascherano, whose team have conceded 14 goals in their last five games in all competitions.

“We’ve clearly had many situations in which we’ve conceded many goals. We are aware that in recent matches we have lost the solidity we had shown.

“The fundamental thing is to keep in mind that defensive vigilance has to be a priority and we can’t lose focus for a second. It’s something that we have to overcome.

“We carry out self-criticism behind closed doors. Many of the goals we’ve conceded have to do with inattention and individual errors rather than a collective aspect of the way we defend.

“I see that the group is united and wants to get out of this slump we’ve had.”

🎙️ | “the chemistry is building” 🧪 – @dejuanjones24 pic.twitter.com/heD3qmhCJd

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) May 11, 2025

San Jose v Inter Miami team news

Hernan Lopez could return for San Jose following a shoulder injury that has kept the Argentinian midfielder out of their campaign.

Right-back, winger or forward Benji Kikanovic is also yet to make an MLS appearance this season following a knee operation.

Forward Luis Suarez will miss a second concecutive Miami game because of injury, while winger Fafa Picault will be assessed.

Picault was set to start against Minnesota before suffering a migraine attack on Saturday. Federico Redondo started but was replaced by Tadeo Allende at half-time.

San Jose v Miami stats

San Jose v Inter Miami prediction

A trip to the highest scorers in the MLS does not bode well for Miami’s prospects of improving a run of three defeats and one win in their last five away games in all competitions.

Only five teams have conceded more than the Quakes, though, so a high-scoring home win looks likeliest – potentially 3-2.