Photo by Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports
By RYAN TOLMICH
After a midweek full of tournament action, MLS boasts a full slate of games heading into the holiday weekend.
Headlining the proceedings will be a pair of inter-conference matches, as the LA Galaxy play host to Toronto FC, while Eastern Conference leaders D.C. United travel west to take on the Seattle Sounders.
Riding victories over their two local rivals, the New York Red Bulls return to action against an increasingly fit Columbus Crew, while NYCFC looks to bounce back in a clash against the Montreal Impact.
Elsewhere, The surging Portland Timbers face a San Jose Earthquakes team riding two straight victories and FC Dallas takes on the struggling New England Revolution.
Here’s a closer look at this weekend’s MLS action:
HOUSTON DYNAMO vs. CHICAGO FIRE (Friday, 9 p.m., Univision Deportes)
After both snagging U.S. Open Cup victories in midweek action, the Houston Dynamo and Chicago Fire battle Friday night in need of season-altering victories.
The Fire currently sit bottom of the Eastern Conference and, despite leading the league in shots, currently sit dead last in the East in goals scored. The return of Mike Magee will certainly aid the cause, while Giles Barnes and Jermaine Taylor remain with the Dynamo for one more game before departing for international duty.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS vs. D.C. UNITED (Friday 11 p.m., UniMas)
Clint Dempsey’s suspension is set to expire this week, but the Sounders will once again be without their star forward.
Dempsey will be away on international duty, while Obafemi Martins remains on the shelf for a Sounders team that last lost three straight in their absences. In town will be a D.C. United team untouched by Gold Cup absences, ensuring a full-strength roster for the Eastern Conference leaders
COLUMBUS CREW vs. NEW YORK RED BULLS (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., MLS Live)
Riding the high of a pair of wins over their local rivals, the Red Bulls now travel to the midwest to take on the Columbus Crew.
The Red Bulls have major issues at fullback as Kemar Lawrence and Roy Miller depart for the Gold Cup, while Chris Duvall has been sidelined by a broken leg. With that, the Red Bulls will likely have to get creative out wide with Connor Lade and Anthony Wallace, giving plenty of space for Ethan Finlay to exploit, as the Crew winger has provided 10 assists this season.
MONTREAL IMPACT vs. NEW YORK CITY FC (Saturday, 8 p.m., MLS Live)
After seeing a three-game winning streak halted by the Red Bulls last weekend, NYCFC now turns towards a matchup with a Montreal Impact team that is competing for a playoff position.
The Impact and NYCFC currently sit eighth and ninth, respectively, in the Eastern Conference, although the Impact have three games in hand and a one point lead. However, the Impact have already fallen to the Impact this season having been on the wrong end of a 3-1 decision in June. Now the Impact will be facing a team without Mix Diskerud, who scored in the earlier clash.
FC DALLAS vs. NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (Saturday, 9 p.m., MLS Live)
Two teams in need of a pick-me-up will faceoff Saturday at Toyota Stadium.
FC Dallas enters the weekend on the heels of a 6-2 thumping at the hands of Sporting KC that ended the team’s U.S. Open Cup run. Meanwhile, the Revs somehow remain second in the Eastern Conference despite winning just one of 10, which includes three straight defeats. To make matters worse for the Revs, Andrew Farrell will not be available after earning a red card in last week’s defeat to the Whitecaps.
COLORADO RAPIDS vs. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (Saturday, 9 p.m., MLS Live)
Saturday evening presents a matchup of two Western Conference teams going in vastly different directions.
Winless in six, the Colorado Rapids continue to struggle and have claimed just one victory since mid-April. That win, coincidentally, came against Saturday’s opponents, the Vancouver Whitecaps, whose recent three-game winning streak has carried the team to the top of the Western Conference table. However, the Rapids do have history on their side, despite little else, as the hosts have won the last four meetings between the two teams at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
REAL SALT LAKE vs. ORLANDO CITY (Saturday, 10 p.m., MLS Live)
Orlando City is set to make the club’s first trip to Rio Tinto Stadium, and they do it riding a bit of a hot-streak.
Having lost just twice in the team’s last 11 total contests, Orlando City has surged into the playoff picture in the East while riding the goalscoring of Kaka and Cyle Larin. The latter will be away with his national team, leaving a hole up top for an Orlando City team that faces an RSL side without veteran leaders in Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando. In Larin’s absence, Adrian Heath has generally used Pedro Ribeiro to slot in, while Danny Mwanga remains an option off the bench.
LA GALAXY vs. TORONTO FC (Saturday, 10:30 p.m., MLS Live)
Facing the reigning MLS Cup champions, Toronto FC will enter a series of matches in which the club will be rendered shorthanded.
Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley will be away on national team duty, leaving Sebastian Giovinco as TFC’s one DP to lead the charge. The Galaxy, meanwhile, will also be purged by the Gold Cup, with Jaime Penedo, Omar Gonzalez and Gyasi Zardes all set to miss out. With Robbie Keane ready to lead the charge up top, look for Sebastian Lletget to continue his hot-streak in midfield having provided three goals in just six games played.
PORTLAND TIMBERS vs. SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (Sunday, 11 p.m., ESPN 2)
After both sides slumped to defeat in the U.S. Open Cup in midweek action, the Timbers and Earthquakes put their MLS hot streaks on the line Sunday evening.
Riding the play of Fanendo Adi and Darlington Nagbe, the Timbers have won five of the team’s last six games, moving to within four points of the top of the Western Conference. The Earthquakes, meanwhile, ride back-to-back league victories over the Galaxy and Sounders and now sit just one point off a playoff position. However, Sunday faces the added task of playing without Chris Wondolowski, while Sanna Nyassi will miss out due to suspension.