Bruce Arena is not making excuses for the San Jose Earthquakes' recent dip in form, but he is determined to go into the World Cup break with a win over the Portland Timbers.

San Jose are second in the Western Conference, but level on 29 points with leaders Vancouver Whitecaps, though they have played a game more.

But after a strong start to the season, the Earthquakes are winless in their last four MLS games, losing their last two against the Seattle Sounders and FC Dallas.

They were also knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup quarter-finals in midweek by the Colorado Rapids, losing 2-0, and Arena is keen to bounce back from this run before the break.

"We'd like to win [against Portland], that would be a positive to take into the World Cup break," he said.

"The schedule has impacted a lot of teams in the league, so we can't attribute [struggles] to that. It's been challenging, but it's no excuse. We're no different to most of the teams in the league."

Portland, meanwhile, are 12th in the West after a run of just one win in their last four matches (D1 L2), having lost 2-0 to Inter Miami last time out.

A win on Saturday could see them close the gap to the playoff places, but defender Finn Surman, fresh from being called up to New Zealand's World Cup squad, is wary of the threat that the 'Quakes pose.

"They work very hard, and I think that's a really good strength of theirs. They work hard for each other, and they're a team you know will never stop running and never give up," he said.

"I think the way we train and the fact that we try to press as well, it helps because we're used to it. But it's going to be a very different game to the one against Miami, which was a bit slower.

"We still need to have quality on the ball and make chances and make things happen, which we'll try to do."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Portland Timbers – James Pantemis

Portland's 6-0 win over Sporting Kansas City on May 9 ended a run of 15 straight regular-season home matches allowing a goal, with James Pantemis keeping the clean sheet.

The Timbers have not kept consecutive clean sheets at Providence Park in league play since shutting out San Jose and Austin FC in October-November 2021.

San Jose Earthquakes – Preston Judd

Preston Judd has found the net in each of San Jose's last three away matches after scoring just three goals in his first 40 away matches in MLS.

The only two Earthquakes players to score in four or more consecutive away matches are Chris Wondolowski (three times, last in 2014) and Raul Diaz Arce (1999).

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

San Jose are unbeaten in three straight matches against Portland in all competitions (W2 D1), their longest unbeaten run against the Timbers since avoiding defeat in the first three meetings between the teams after Portland joined MLS in 2011 (May-September 2011).

Portland has won only three of their last 12 matches (D2 L7) after opening the season with a win over Columbus.

This is the fourth time the Timbers have 14 or fewer points through 13 matches of a season, though they went on to make the playoffs the last two times they did so (2019, 2024).

After losing only one of their first 12 matches this regular season (W9 D2), San Jose have suffered back-to-back defeats, a pair of 3-2 losses to Seattle Sounders and FC Dallas. The Earthquakes had allowed eight goals in their first 12 league games of 2026 before conceding six in the last two.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Portland Timbers – 39.5%

Draw – 26.6%

San Jose Earthquakes – 33.9%