Photo by ISIphotos.com
With the upcoming FIFA fixture date falling on an MLS Saturday, many players in the league figured to be missing a match while on international duty.
Unfortunately for MLS fans, among those players happens to be one of the league's all-time greats and one of the league's top scorers missing one of the season's most anticipated matches.
Landon Donovan will be with the United States and Alvaro Saborio will be with Costa Rica as the Los Angeles Galaxy takes on Western Conference rival Real Salt Lake in one of two meetings between the league powerhouses.
L.A. and RSL are far from the only teams that will be at a disadvantage on March 26, though.
The New York Red Bulls, for example, will be without six players for their match against Eastern Conference foe Columbus. Projected starters Juan Agudelo, Tim Ream (United States); Dane Richards (Jamaica); Roy Miller (Costa Rica); Bouna Coundoul (Senegal) and Rafael Marquez (Mexico) will all miss that match.
Sporting Kansas City will have to do without Kei Kamara (Sierra Leone), Stephane Auvray (Guadeloupe) and Shavar Thomas (Jamaica) for its match at Chicago.
RSL will also be down three players as well, as Will Johnson (Canada) and Arturo Alvarez (El Salvador) join Saborio as those not available for the Galaxy match.
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Disappointed that the LA-RSL match was scheduled on an international fixture date? Do you think the Red Bulls and SKC have the depth to withstand their player losses?
Share your thoughts below.
Why do International Teams even bother taking these guys? They should looking at younger players with the World Cup almost 4 years away. They know what these guys can do…
+1
anyone know why chirgadze was released by red bull?
Bro, I don’t see it changing anytime soon. Do you? If the WC bid wasn’t hovering around I am not so sure that the league would have even taken a 2 week break last year. Maybe I’m wrong.
This is more of a joke than Ochocinco’s trial. How can you possibly have a legitimate competition when some of the league’s best players miss games due to stupid and naive scheduling? MLS has got to get with it.
If MLS wants to attract higher level players, they really need to start observing the FIFA international friendly dates. If larger leagues like the EPL can manage to do it with their calender, I think that MLS should be able to make it work too.
RBNY with no Tim Ream or Rafa Marquez? Ouch.
Maybe that will be the game Luis Gil comes on and scores a hat-trick.
I think he is only talking about international fixture dates- not changing the season to EPL/La Liga calendar.
They try not to play midweek games b/c of low attendance right? But as MLS becomes a better league, more players are going to be called up for international duty (as we see happening now). Especially with so many CONCACAF players.
I also think MLS should break for the group stages of GOLD CUP as well, like they did with the WC last summer.
They may just have to start the season earlier with games @ FCD, HOU, LAG, CHV, maybe Portland, start using some midweek games if neccesary, and shortening the MLS Cup.
Yup, we do have those guys, and it could be worse. We still have Rimando.
We’ve got a great team, no doubt, and I’m excited about the season.
But I’m still disappointed that the MLS doesn’t take these breaks. I’d much rather see RSL v. LA with Donovan, Johnson, Olave, Saborio, and Alvarez all taking part.
I’ll make the trip another weekend.
Definetly not! Mls would not survive in a winter season, competition with nfl plus its too cold. Plus your being a hypocrite if you want to follow the rest of the world and you say soccer. ( I don’t think we should call it football)
My apologies for the last post…I’ll shut up now.
I tentatively have Blake Brettschneider penciled in as a starting forward on my fantasy team instead of Saborio.
Isn’t it a weeeee bit early to be penciling names into Bradley’s selections…or any other National Team’s for that matter?
I’m also from Idaho, and I plan on being at the RSL v. Gals game on the 26th. It hurts not to have Sabo, Johnson, and Alvarez, but RSL has the depth to insert Paulo Jr., Ned, Andy Williams, Nelson Gonzalez, or others as needed. Yes, I’m dissapointed not to see some of the big guns…but it should still be a great game.
That’s how MLS achieves parity…
Yeah, we’ll be missing Johnson, Olave, Saborio, and Alvarez.
We do have other players. Good players, too. But the point remains: the game should be first team against first team.
actually Arturo Alvarez will be with El Salvador. RSL will also be missing Will Johnson.
It’d be awesome if supporter’s groups could team up to design a tifo calling out MLS for scheduling league games on international dates, and then have every home team display it on March 26.
17 players from 8 teams will be missing that weekend. 14 of them are CONCACAF players. The MLS games during the Gold Cup are going to be interesting…
Speaking of that, I can understand not being able to fit the Gold Cup into the schedule and as a result, playing through it, but for individual days like the 26th surely MLS could have scheduled around that? I mean really. NY missing 6, RSL missing 3, SKC missing 3… that’s a big advantage for their opponents, who are missing no one (Columbus), 1 player (LA), and no one (Chicago) respectively.
Because Sabo is gone? We still have Paulo, Arturo, and Arnoux. It’s not like they sailed our ship. They’re missing their stud midfielder anyways.
I’m extremely disappointed. I live in Idaho and follow Real Salt Lake. I go to 5-6 games a year. After watching that great CL match against Saprissa live at Rio Tinto, I started to talk to people up here for a trip down to see LA play RSL on March 26.
But I don’t want to see RSL minus 4 players take on LA. I want to see the best RSL has against the best LA has. Anything else is not worth the ticket price or effort to get there, so I won’t be going.
In addition, wouldn’t it be a shame for RSL’s home unbeaten streak to end that day?
Come on, MLS – take the international breaks.
Maybe this is why pretty much every team makes the playoffs anyway…
Double word.
It’s really time for MLS to start observing FIFA dates. If you want to be taken seriously as a league, one team cannot be missing 6 starters in a conference rival game.
I blame Sepp.
not sure if its pathetic, but mls should have the foresight to not schedule this paticular match on a international fixture date
There go my fantasy squads
This is really pathetic that MLS does not respect the international fixture dates. Playing through winter is one thing but not having matches on international detes is another!
Teal Bunbury should be back from his elbow injury to cover for Kamara’s absence. KC also has adequate back-up for Thomas (if he even starts) and Auvray.
Good thing Greg Sutton didn’t get called up.
Just one more reason MLS needs to follow the rest of the world when it comes to international dates. Get with it MLS!!! NY sure looks to be hit the hardest here, but as a diehard RSL fan, I’m worried about our home opener.
I think we have the depth to cover our missing players though. It will be a good test for us and an opportunity for Paulo Jr to get a start (I hope). Go USA and RSL!
Ugh. Here’s hoping Luke Rodgers is fit for RBNY(and doesn’t get arrested on St. Paddy’s… hahaha).