It is a busier-than-usual Sunday night in Major League Soccer, where three matches are on tap, including a pair of key Eastern Conference showdowns.
D.C. United is looking to avoid a late-season slide like they suffered at the end of last season, and will need a victory against the Philadelphia Union today at RFK Stadium (5pm, NBC Sports) to move back ahead of the surging Montreal Impact for the fifth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
For Philadelphia, today's match is pretty much a must-win for a team still holding onto some faint hopes of a playoff run. Newly-acquired midfielder Danny Cruz will make the start in his debut, and will be facing the player he was traded for, Lionard Pajoy is starting for D.C. United.
In Houston, the Dynamo look to keep their unbeaten home record intact when they take on the Columbus Crew (9pm). The Crew are still recovering from the tragic loss of midfielder Kirk Urso and showed well in a mid-week draw against the LA Galaxy.
At Red Bull Arena, the New York Red Bulls take on struggling Portland (7pm, Telefutura) in a match the Red Bulls need to stay within striking distance of Sporting Kansas City for first place in the Eastern Conference. For the Timbers, Sunday's match is just another chance for players to audition for their jobs in 2013.
If you will be watching today's MLS action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action.