**Late-night MLS grind: Dallas host the Earthquakes in a clash of inconsistency**, and someone's gotta finally nail three points. 🏟️

FC Dallas are the more win-heavy side (2W in their last five), but they're battered with injuries—**A. Julio**, **K. Scabin**, and **L. Farrington** all out. San Jose, meanwhile, are draw specialists (four of their last five ended level), which tells you they'll defend like they've got nothing to lose.

Key storylines:

- **FC Dallas depth crisis**: Missing **Julio** and **Scabin** is rough; they'll lean on **J. Valiente** and **P. Musa** to create chaos upfront.
- **San Jose's wall mentality**: Four straight draws show this team is built to frustrate—**D. Romney** and **J. Ricketts** will pack the back line.
- **Head-to-head pattern holds**: 41 meetings, 19 draws between these two. Could easily be another stalemate.

Expected lineups:

- **FC Dallas**: Daniel, N. Norris, S. Ibeagha, O. Urhoghide, S. Moore, C. Cappis, Kaick, Ramiro, J. Valiente, P. Musa, S. Moreno
- **San Jose Earthquakes**: A. Gunn, J. Ricketts, D. Romney, D. Munie, P. Marie, R. Vieira, B. Leroux, E. Löwen, T. Werner, P. Judd, O. Bouda

Prediction:

**1-1 draw** — lean slight edge to the stalemate given San Jose's form and Dallas' thinned roster. ⚪