What a week! Three wins. Three clean sheets. Wondo’s 100th goal with the Quakes. Biggest road win in over a decade with the 5-0 throttling of Sporting KC. While it is fun to get caught up in the excitement and many accomplishments of the past week, the task at hand is making the playoffs. We have nine more matches to finish above the red line and seven are at the friendly confines of Avaya Stadium.

It all starts on Friday with the rubber match of the three-game 2015 California Clasico derby against the LA Galaxy. The Quakes took the opener 3-1 at Stanford Stadium in front of a sold out crowd in excess of 50,000. It was a powerful statement match for the Quakes with a winning goal from defender Clarence Goodson. The Galaxy countered with a 5-2 shootout in July that was also the debut of ex-Liverpool great Steven Gerrard. The Galaxy have added Mexican striker Giovanni Dos Santos and look loaded for broke on a quest for another MLS Cup.

But the Galaxy’s coronation is far from assured especially in the topsy turvy world of Major League Soccer. The two long-standing rivals are on a collision course. The Quakes boasting a suffocating defense against the Galaxy’s freewheeling offensive unit that has been averaging over three goals per match of late. It should be an epic match and one that you will certainly not want to miss this Friday at 8pm at Avaya Stadium, broadcast live nationally on Unimas.

One huge advantage we have is Avaya Stadium. I want to encourage all fans to kick it up a notch in rooting for the Quakes in this latest installment of the California Clasico. It is for games like this one that we designed Avaya with a tight roof, steep rake, and dedicated supporters section in order to create a fortress for our club. Let’s give the boys that added energy that only a home field can bring. Let’s cement our new Home as a place where visiting teams lose sleep over in fearful anticipation of their coming demise.

It has been great to see the new midseason additions making such a big impact on the club’s performance in August. Forward Quincy Amarikwa has been reborn next to Wondo in a target roll and has 4 goals and 3 assists. His work rate is fabulous and I love seeing him get under the skin of opposing defenders. Anibal Godoy has been the missing link in the midfield, making a great pairing with Fatai Alashe to completely shut down other team’s attacks. And Marc Pelosi is showing some great promise as another key member of the midfield.

It is going to be a super exciting late August and September as the Quakes battle for a playoff spot in a increasingly competitive Western Conference. Put on your seat belts as it is going to be one hell of a ride.