The 2011 MLS regular season schedule was released yesterday and the San Jose Earthquakes find themselves with a variety of intriguing matchups, with some tough road trips along the way. Arguably their toughest stretch of the season could come when they close the season with six of their final nine games coming on the road. If they want to make another playoff run that stretch in September and October could prove key.
Chris from TheOffside.com’s Earthquakes blog put together a rundown of the schedule discussing the key dates related to international play. Professional soccer is a bit different from the other sports in regards to international competition. Numerous MLS players are involved with national teams, which means appearances in international friendlies, the Gold Cup and other such tournaments.
For the purposes of the Eathquakes schedule, some key dates appear to be March 26 at FC Dallas and most of June. March 26 is an international friendly match, while the month of June features the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The winner moves on to the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil, which means Team USA will be pulling out all the stops.
For more on the San Jose Earthquakes 2011 regular season MLS schedule, check out our running stream.