Preston Judd lifts San Jose into the Western Conference race

Preston Judd scored twice and led the San Jose Earthquakes to a 3-1 victory over the Portland Timbers at PayPal Park, a result that lifts the Quakes to third place in the Western Conference and marks an unprecedented six-game unbeaten run.

As mlssoccer reports, the 27-year-old Judd netted his 14th and 15th goals of the season: the first a sixth-minute header off a pinpoint cross from Eduard Löwen, the second a first-time finish in the box in the 29th minute. Löwen, acquired in a trade from St. Louis CITY last month, also contributed a goal and an assist, underlining his importance to San Jose’s playoff ambitions.

After a difficult post-World Cup stretch in which the side went eight matches without a win, the team has recovered with three victories in its last four outings. The win over Portland, sealed within the first half hour, moves the team to within five points of leaders Vancouver Whitecaps and fuels optimism about reaching the postseason.

According to mlssoccer, coach Bruce Arena stressed that the objective remains playoff qualification and warned of a congested month of fixtures, noting that the squad must stay intense and outwork its opponents to achieve what it is aiming for.