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MLS Matchday 19 (A Look Ahead)

PappaHurtado (ISIphotos.com) 

                                                                      Photo by ISIphotos.com

Major League Soccer has some juicy match-ups this week, including some that even the impartial fan will want to see.

What's that? MLS? Yes, you remember that league you followed so closely before the Confederations Cup and Gold Cup started stealing your attention. MLS hasn't gone anywhere, it's still trudging along and the league's top teams are starting to make their moves as we head toward the second half of the season.

Chicago travels to Seattle to take on the Sounders in the week's marquee showdown. Chicago is coping with the absence of Brian McBride, who is out after shoulder surgery, and will take on a streaking Sounders squad that will look to post another win and put more pressure on Houston atop the West standings. The Fire enter with the league's best road record as it makes its first visit to Qwest Field.

(As a side note, remember to set your Fantasy MLS lineup. We're looking for a new fantasy MLS writer and will look to bring back the SBI MLS Fantasy Corner shortly.)

Here are this week's full slate of games (with every team but Chivas USA playing), as well as this week's Best XI Match-ups to watch:

Week 19 Schedule

FRIDAY

FC Dallas at Real Salt Lake, 10pm

SATURDAY

Chicago Fire at Seattle Sounders, 3pm (ESPN)

Toronto FC at Columbus Crew, 7:30pm

New England Revolution at Houston Dynamo, 8:30pm

Los Angeles Galaxy at Kansas City Wizards, 9pm (ESPN2)

New York Red Bulls at Colorado Rapids, 9:30pm

D.C. United at San Jose Earthquakes, 10:30pm (Fox Soccer Channel)

Best XI Match-ups to Watch

Wilman Conde vs. Fredy Montero

Chris Rolfe vs. Jhon Kennedy Hurtado

Freddie Ljungberg vs. John Thorrington

Tim Ward vs. Steve Zakuani

Frankie Hejduk vs. Dwayne DeRosario

Shalrie Joseph vs. Ricardo Clark

Brad Davis vs. Steve Ralston

David Beckham vs. Jack Jewsbury

Landon Donovan vs. Matt Besler

Josh Wolff vs. Gregg Berhalter

Darren Huckerby vs. Brian Namoff

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What MLS matches will you be watching this weekend? What individual match-up are you most looking forward to?

Share your thoughts on MLS Week 19 below.

Comments

  1. What do you mean Dallas got shafted on the 2nd penalty? That one was awarded to them, and Rimando saved the game. While I agree with both penalty goals, I think the Findley one was more deserving then Cunninghams.

    Reply
  2. Dear Sounders fans,

    I love your city, have visited many times. I respect and enjoy watching your team. That said, let’s see how much heat gets generated by the Fire from the Rolfe, Nyarko, Blanco and Pappa combo. Chi-town travels well, and the Fire is ready to burn it up.

    Reply
  3. “Yes, you remember that league you followed so closely before the Confederations Cup and Gold Cup started stealing your attention.”

    Well, for some of us here in New York, the national team has been a welcome distraction this summer….

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  4. FC Dallas got shafted on the second penalty goal though. Didn’t really matter in the end though. Dallas screwed themselves all night.

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  5. The Fire will finally know what it’s like to play in a packed stadium, and then they’ll know what it’s like to lose in said stadium.

    GO SOUNDERS!

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  6. I’ve probably been paying more attention to the Gold Cup, but I appreciate the MLS coverage. It’s been a fun season

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  7. I am with scott47a and sasoccerfan. While I am still interested in gold cup action, the site has been lacking in MLS content. I almost feel like there is more reporting on WPS than MLS.

    I know you cover so much soccer that something has to give, but if you can squeeze it in, more MLS!

    Go Quakes!

    Reply
  8. I am with scott47a…

    I am exponentially more interested in MLS than in Copa Oro…

    Good to see the Beckham Experiment getting more MLS into people’s homes (thanks ESPN).

    Real possibilty of all 7 road teams earning points this weekend…

    Reply
  9. Richard Mulrooney is out for the rest of the season Ives, he has been out due to surgery, similar to Eddie Robinson’s surgery. Brian Mullan is out for 4 to 6 weeks. Luckily only Cam Weaver appears to be the only other one out. Brian Ching and Stuart Holden are obviously on Gold Cup duty.
    New England is the only team I know to have suffered more people missing than the dynamo at a single time. However, their list is full of probables, so not quite as bad as it seems

    Reply
  10. I will be interested to see if the Crew play as well without GBS and Marshall as they did last week against RSL. I wonder what items TFC fans will dislodge and throw on to the field this time. 😉

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  11. Here’s my fantasy Tip: Tim Ward, D Chicago. What a lucky find he was for me this year. Rode the bench in Colorado last year (next to Gomez who’s been good for DC this year) but is a rock in that Chicago Defense this year.

    Reply
  12. Very big match for both the Sounders and Chicago. With the standing so tight in both conferences a win and 3 points really allows one of these teams to solidify their playoff position. I think the Sounders win they’ve improved since the last match in Chicago and the Fire will miss Soumare, Seagares and McBride where Seattle will only miss Brad Evans. I look for a few more goals this time around 3-2 Sounders.

    Reply
  13. Ives, you put the Seattle positive spin on the game. Allow me to put the Fire spin on it. The Fire looks to improve on the league’s best road record when they travel to Seattle. I will say this, Seattle needs to play 100 percent better to tie the Fire this time because they were dominated in Chicago.

    This will be the first time since 1983 that a Chicago first division team will take on the Sounders in Seattle. Looking forward to a good one.

    Reply
  14. Ives,
    I still pay way more attention to MLS than that other stuff — especially the Gold Cup with those watered-down teams.

    Hopefully you can spend some more time on it in the coming week too. Looks like a lot of players movement happening in the next few days — El Salvadorian in at San Jose, Diz at Colorado, Ngewnya on his way back.

    Love to see a lot more coverage of MLS transfers and transfer rumors.

    Thanks

    Reply

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