Can goal-happy Earthquakes outscore Messi and Miami to extend win streak?

SAN JOSE Christian Espinoza was just when his Spanish club Alav s subbed him onto Barcelona s Camp Nuo pitch before fans Ten minutes earlier fellow Argentinian Lionel Messi entered for Barcelona to thunderous applause It was really special to play against players that you grew up watching Espinoza recalled Tuesday of that - upset win in September To have the opportunity to do it again is a really special opportunity for me and my band Espinoza and the high-scoring San Jose Earthquakes - - will host the legendary Messi and Inter Miami - - tonight in MLS s marquee attraction before PayPal Park s sellout crowd of zInter Miami forward Lionel Messi center practices at the San Jose Earthquakes training field on Monday May in San Jose Calif ahead of Wednesday s match Dai Sugano Bay Area News Group The biggest mistake you can make is just to focus on Messi Earthquakes coach Bruce Arena declared He s too good of a performer to think you re ever going to take him out of a event We need to respect Messi for what he is and he s one of the greatest players to ever play this battle Arena added Be aware of him on the field but also respect his teammates who are quite good as well Arena s Earthquakes are proving quite good at scoring too No crew in MLS has scored more goals than their Tied for the league lead are Chicho Arango with eight goals and Espinoza with seven assists Neither performer as respectful as they are to Messi is trying to replicate the incomparable Messi It s not easy to understand Messi s way to play because he s such a different competitor Espinoza declared Arango through an interpreter noted Yes Messi is a big player but there are no things I take from him My encounter is totally different I m in a good spell right now and I feel good Arango has four goals in his past four games He was with Real Salt Lake the past two years and served as its captain in last season s opening loss at Inter Miami against Messi who had an assist in a - win Messi has scored five goals in eight games this season for Inter Miami including his group s lone one in Saturday s - loss at Minnesota He has goals and assists in regular-season action since joining MLS late in the season a year after winning the World Cup with Argentina You just try to do the best you can to close down the spaces when he has the ball Espinoza explained Just be ready because he can change the event at any moment As for the Earthquakes Arena s takeover as coach is seeking to turn them into a playoff contender He called the Earthquakes offensive output a real positive noting that their finishing of plays has vastly improved since his first six games as coach San Jose is coming off a - shutout win Saturday at Colorado which followed a U S Open Cup win last Wednesday against Sacramento Republic and a - home preeminence the previous Saturday in MLS action against Portland We have a variety of players that can get goals for us so that s a real positive Arena declared Related Articles Sole MLS commissioner Garber talks Messi Apple TV deal and John Fisher Messi is back in the Bay Area Will he play against the Quakes Earthquakes beat Rapids on goals from Jones Arango Espinoza Arango lead Earthquakes over Timbers as Jones shines in home debut MLS Columbus edges Earthquakes - as San Jose loses its third straight match Another positive is the big-game aura something Arena has experienced both at a national unit level and earlier in his MLS coaching career I coached David Beckham with the - Los Angeles Galaxy so it was similar in a few tactics when we went into venues around the league Arena recalled They were well-focused and interested in the tournament That included a win over the Earthquakes before at the Oakland Coliseum We have a long tradition of success in this region as a soccer club but over the last couple of years we ve lost a little bit of attention in the marketplace Arena commented This tournament will be a real plus and draw a lot of attention It s good for the league and for the San Jose Earthquakes as well