San Jose (3-8-2) at Chicago (6-5-1), 8:30 p.m.

Bridgeview, IL (Sports Network) - The Chicago Fire and San Jose Earthquakes will both be desperate for a win when the two teams get together at Toyota Park on Saturday.

Both clubs enter the match without a win in their last three games, and have seen their place in the standings suffer because of it.

The Fire has lost its last three games and four of its last five overall, which is a stark contrast to the way the team opened the campaign. Chicago lost just once in its first seven games to start the year, but has failed to score in two consecutive matches and finds itself tied in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with D.C. United and Red Bull New York.

Head coach Denis Hamlett has seen his team drop in the standings with their recent struggles, but he knows that things must change for his squad to begin climbing back up the table.

"Two things (have changed): I think we were finishing our chances in that early part that we started, and we were making defensive plays and now we're having breakdowns where we're not making those plays," Hamlett said. "As a whole, it's just a team; the team is not playing well and we know that, and we're going to have this week to fix things and get ready for a very important game on Saturday at home."

Hamlett's Fire will get a good opportunity to get back into the win column this week with the last-place Earthquakes coming to town.

The 'Quakes appeared to be turning things around at the end of May with two wins in three games, but they have taken just one point from their last three games and are coming off of a 3-1 loss to D.C. United in their last contest.

Frank Yallop's team has not played poorly on the road this season despite its 2-5-1 mark away from home, but with just 10 goals in 13 games, the team is in need of some help up top.

They will have the services of striker Kei Kamara for the first time in five games after Kamara was away on international duty with Sierra Leone. His presence should allow Yallop to return Ryan Johnson to the wing, where his is more comfortable, and also give Kamara a chance to add to his two goals in eight games. John Cunliffe had teamed with Johnson up top and also has two goals in eight appearances, but the will be more dangerous with Kamara back in the lineup.

It is clear that the San Jose players have not yet become fully acclimated with one another, and although the results have not yet shown up in the standings, midfielder Ronnie O'Brien feels good about the effort he has seen from the team.

"I don't think you can ever question the effort," O'Brien said. "Whether we have the quality or not, that's another thing, a different debate, but you can never question the commitment of the players. We went down to Salt Lake with 10 men and gave it all we got and got a result. We came out (in D.C.) and for the most part emptied the tank but didn't get the result in the end."

Chicago will have to expect another strong effort from the 'Quakes on Saturday, but they also need to expect three points to get themselves back into contention in the East.