The CONCACAF Gold Cup is front and center in the minds of many American soccer fans this week, but while the U.S. national team is playing on Saturday there will also be a handful of great MLS match-ups.
Like rivalries? Want to see the league's best face off? Then this is your weekend. Here is the rundown of games this Saturday:
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Houston Dynamo at Seattle Sounders, 4pm (Direct Kick)
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Kansas City Wizards at New England Revolution, 4pm (Direct Kick)
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Columbus Crew at Chicago Fire, 8pm (ESPN2)
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FC Dallas at Colorado Rapids, 9:30pm (Direct Kick)
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Toronto FC at San Jose Earthquakes, 10:30pm (Direct Kick)
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Los Angeles Galaxy at Chivas USA, 10:30pm (FSC)
So what are the best match-ups in this week loaded with plenty of great ones? Here is the Best XI:
Best XI Match-ups to watch
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Fredy Montero vs. What's left of Houston's defense
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Ricardo Clark vs. Freddie Ljungberg
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Jhon Kennedy Hurtado vs. Kei Kamara
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Steve Zakuani vs. Brian Mullan
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Guillermo Barros Schelotto vs. Wilman Conde
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Frankie Hejduk vs. Marco Pappa
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Landon Donovan vs. Paulo Nagamura
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Pablo Mastroeni vs. David Ferreira
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Cory Gibbs vs. Jeff Cunningham
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Josh Wolff vs. Darrius Barnes
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Eddie Gaven vs. Tim Ward
The Sounders-Dynamo match is a can't-miss affair that every MLS fan should at least TIVO (what, you don't have Direct Kick? Shame on you). Now, I wrote the previous sentence before realizing Houston's entire defense was missing the match due to suspensions. That should give us a chance to see what Pat Onstad can do with a MUCH weaker defense in front of him and Seattle's vaunted attack coming at him.
The Crew-Fire game should also be interesting, but Gold Cup absences have taken some of the punch out of that match-up. One interesting match-up in that game is the potential Gaven-Ward meeting. They were very close friends and former teammates with U.S. youth teams, the MetroStars and the Crew.
You can call the Rapids-FC Dallas match the "Are they for real" Derby. FC Dallas has been playing much better in recent weeks and this match will let them show if they're really ready to make a run at the playoffs. It will also show us of Colorado's early success was a fluke or if they're really that good.
What match-ups will you be watching for? Which match-ups should have made this list but didn't? What game are you looking most forward to? Will you be taping your team's MLS game and watching the Gold Cup, or TIVO'ing the Gold Cup and watching MLS on Saturday?
Share your thoughts below.
Chivas goes over 🙂
Anybody care to guess the over/under on cards for the Galaxy/Chivas game? I’m guessing six and taking the over.
Sigi’s also not going to be there for this match. He’s got his son’s wedding to attend.
Good job, Kid Presntable. You only get a yellow card, not a red!
It might not be Hejduk vs. Pappa — last week in Colorado, Pappa played on the right side for nearly the whole match, with Rolfe on the left, and it worked really, really well. Not sure how the matchups figure into it for Hamlett on making that decision.
Kid Presentable – Next time, try your refresh button.
Posted by: Tony in Quakeland | July 10, 2009 at 05:42 PM
Apologies to all. I am an ass. That is all
Kid Presentable – Next time, try your refresh button.
Whats the deal with the censorship ives?
Ives, why little to no mention of the Galaxy-Chivas USA game? I guarantee that game will be more exciting than any of the other matchups this weekend.
The other matchup to watch this weekend will be Zach Thornton (aka Ives’ All-Star pick) v. Josh Saunders (Save of the Week winner in Week 16).
Esky, Buddle, and Donovan are going to tear Thornton a new one, and Ives will be forced to reconsider his ridiculous vote for him and realize that Keller and Ricketts are the best GKs in MLS.
Posted by: Colin | July 10, 2009 at 04:59 PM
whats the deal ives whats with the cencorship?
Ives, why little to no mention of the Galaxy-Chivas USA game? I guarantee that game will be more exciting than any of the other matchups this weekend.
The other matchup to watch this weekend will be Zach Thornton (aka Ives’ All-Star pick) v. Josh Saunders (Save of the Week winner in Week 16).
Esky, Buddle, and Donovan are going to tear Thornton a new one, and Ives will be forced to reconsider his ridiculous vote for him and realize that Keller and Ricketts are the best GKs in MLS.
Posted by: Colin | July 10, 2009 at 04:59 PM
Quoted for truth
Ives did you hear Yura’s Randers move fell through?
Not that its even close to how many Houston are missing, but Seattle is without Brad Evans and Tyrone Marshall due to the Gold Cup. It should still be a good game, but neither team is at full strength.
Ives, why little to no mention of the Galaxy-Chivas USA game? I guarantee that game will be more exciting than any of the other matchups this weekend.
The other matchup to watch this weekend will be Zach Thornton (aka Ives’ All-Star pick) v. Josh Saunders (Save of the Week winner in Week 16).
Esky, Buddle, and Donovan are going to tear Thornton a new one, and Ives will be forced to reconsider his ridiculous vote for him and realize that Keller and Ricketts are the best GKs in MLS.
That’s what I was wondering Juan-John.
Ives? Any news from the NYRB summit? Surely someone’s head has to roll…..?
Sounders should take apart Houston handily at home. 4-0 SSFC.
Bobby Boswell is suspended for the Houston-Seattle game. Houston are without Ching, Holden, Hainult due to the Gold cup. Eddie Robinson is out for practically the season. Other injuries are: Cam Weaver and Wade Barret. Waibel might be able to play, he is listed as probable.
Bobby Boswell and Geoff Cameroon are suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
If waibel is out, that means 9 players, most of which are normal starters will be out.
The dynamo have played well with people missing, but this is probably too much.
Sounders are better off, but still have their own injury problems. Seattle is missing up to 9 as well, but I am not sure how many of them are normal starters. One of them is a backup goalie, and I dont see keller getting hurt. Two of them are listed as probable and 2 are either doubtful or questionable (one on each).
This game will not be the same as when we see (if we see) the two teams at full strength.
shouldn’t the “Matchups to watch” section actually read “Landon Donovan versus David Beckham”?
Gibbs is suspended for this game.
Ives: Are Stover and Agoos back from Vienna yet? Are they still employed?
Why why why must they schedule games during USMNT games? Nice work SUM.
I would be a lot more excited about the Seattle, Houston Game if the Dynamo weren’t missing the majority of their starters. As a long time Seattle fan I was looking forward to seeing Ching and Weaver back in Seattle. I think Houston will still play well but Seattle should win.
Cameron is suspended for the Seattle game.