New on Sports Illustrated: Earthquakes-Sounders Preview

Brian Schmetzer acknowledges Seattle Sounders must improve if they are to successfully defend their MLS Cup title this postseason.

The Sounders have cruised into the playoffs in the West but briefly looked capable of challenging for the Supporters' Shield prior to a poor run.

Seattle have just one win in six and enter the Decision Day clash with San Jose Earthquakes third behind Sporting Kansas City and rivals Portland Timbers.

If the Rave Green are to collect a third title under Schmetzer, whose contract expires at the end of the season, they must rediscover their best form, having had to come up with a stoppage-time equaliser to hold struggling LA Galaxy in midweek.

Schmetzer said: "How are we going to win a championship? What if we have to go on the road and play against a strong team? Is this good enough? How are we going to repeat as champions?

"(The Galaxy game) actually has to hurt because it's two points lost.

"If you just say, 'Okay, we're satisfied with a draw', you're never going to win a championship. You just won't.

"You'll be a good team, but championship teams find ways to win in these types of moments and in these types of games.

"They all played hard, but I want to drive them to get that last little piece so that we can repeat as champions."

Sunday's opponents San Jose enjoyed a rather better week as they secured a playoff place, recovering from a dismal run earlier in the season that included a 7-1 loss to the Sounders.

Coach Diego Alonso said: "I never focus on a single result, which is why we got back up.

"I've transmitted this mindset to the players and make them see that this is how I live football."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Seattle Sounders - Nicolas Lodeiro

Lodeiro is surely one of the players Schmetzer wants a little more from. Perhaps Seattle's most important performer, he has only scored or assisted in one of the team's past five games - their only win in this time. He will hope to use the San Jose game to get back on track.

San Jose Earthquakes - Cristian Espinoza

Another South American playmaker, Espinoza is a less consistent performer than Lodeiro but has saved some of his best displays for the run-in. A goal and an assist in the win over Los Angeles FC showed what he is capable of.

KEY OPTA FACTS

- The Sounders have not lost any of their past 12 matches against the Earthquakes (W6 D6) dating back to September 2015. Seattle are unbeaten in their past five home matches against San Jose (W4 D1), including scoring a club-record seven goals in a 7-1 victory over the Quakes in September.

- Seattle picked up a 1-1 draw against LA Galaxy thanks to a 93rd-minute goal by Raul Ruidiaz on Wednesday. The Sounders have just one win in their past six games (D3 L2); they had won five of their previous six (L1).

- Following a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Los Angeles FC on Wednesday, the Earthquakes have earned 14 points from losing positions this season, including four fightback wins - both are the most in the league this season.

- Ruidiaz's game-tying goal against the Galaxy on Wednesday was his 11th this season, extending his lead as Seattle's top scorer. Nine of those have come since the league resumed play after MLS is Back, tied with Chicago Fire's Robert Beric for the most in MLS in that span.

- From September 14 through October 24, Chris Wondolowski went 11 matches without a goal, the longest single-season streak of his career. In his two games since then, he has a brace against Real Salt Lake on October 28 and a go-ahead goal on Wednesday against LAFC.