Bruce Arena is confident that Timo Werner will continue to get better and better after making an immediate impact on his MLS debut for the San Jose Earthquakes. 

Werner, who joined the Earthquakes from RB Leipzig in January, assisted Ousseni Bouda's 79th-minute finish in San Jose's 2-0 win over Atlanta United last time out. 

The German replaced Preston Judd just after the hour and created one chance for his team-mates, a total only bettered by Ian Harkes (two) for the Earthquakes in the match.

Arena was, however, not getting too carried away about Werner's strong start to life at Jose, but believes his experience will stand him in good stead in the MLS. 

"Well, I think [Jack] Skahan played the ball over the top to him, so Jack, in a matter of a day or two, figured out Timo's ability to run there," Arena said. 

"He took off, and he got to step on the defender and shook him loose a little bit with a little bit of a fake, and delivered an excellent ball across the six-yard box.

"So I think that's a guy with a lot of experience and ability, and I think he's just going to continue to get better as we move forward as a team."

Werner is in line to make his first league start for San Jose at Subaru Park this weekend, with the Philadelphia Union up next for the Earthquakes. 

Bradley Carnell's side are without a win in their first two league matches, with their season-opening defeat to D.C. United followed up by a 2-1 loss to New York City FC. 

Indiana Vassilev's 89th-minute penalty had cancelled out Hannes Wolf's first-half opener, only for Tayvon Gray to snatch all three points in the ninth minute of stoppage time. 

Philadelphia had their chances in the game, registering an expected goals (xG) total of 2.07 from their 16 shots to NYCFC's 2.43 from their 13 attempts at goal. 

And when questioned about his attack, who have yet to score a goal from open play in league play in 2026, Carnell was not fazed by his team's slow start in the final third. 

"That is something that we are looking at," Carnell said of his attack. "If you look at our chances in transition and all the shots we took, we had our moments to score. 

"But it is about us getting, I wouldn't say chemistry, because there were some nice moments out there, but maybe just that final pass and last bit of execution. 

"I thought it was way better than what it was in the first game against DC, and, to be honest, I didn't see that as a big problem against New York."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Philadelphia Union – Nathan Harriel

Should Philadelphia get their first win on the board, then Nathan Harriel may be key to getting his team all three points following his fine display against NYCFC last time out. 

Indeed, the American registered team-high totals for shots (five), touches (86) and possession won (eight), while only Olwethu Makhanya (14) had more final third entries than Harriel's 13 at Subaru Park. 

SJ Earthquakes – Preston Judd

Judd has scored in each of San Jose's first two matches this season, the first player to score in the club's opening two matches of a campaign since Jeremy Ebobisse in 2023.

The only players to score in the Earthquakes' first three matches of a season are Chris Wondolowski (2016) and Eric Wynalda (1998).

MATCH PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN

Philadelphia are favoured in the Opta supercomputers pre-match simulations despite losing their first two matches of a season for just the third time in club history (2012, 2019). The only previous season in which the Union went on to lose their first three matches of a campaign was in 2012.

In addition, their seven-match unbeaten run against San Jose (W4 D3) ended in the last meeting between the sides, a 2-1 home win for the Earthquakes in June 2023. This weekend's visitors have not won at the Union since a 2-1 victory in April 2012 (D2 L2 since), though. 

San Jose, meanwhile, have opened the season with back-to-back wins for the second straight year after doing so just twice in the club's first 27 MLS seasons. The Earthquakes have never won their first three matches of a season and collected seven points just once, in 2003, when they went on to win the MLS Cup.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Philadelphia Union – 61.3%

Draw – 20.4%

SJ Earthquakes – 18.3%