Fifteen MLS groups are nonetheless within the hunt for the playoffs, and that signifies that the stakes are getting greater and the depth degree is ratcheting up. Right here is Brian Sciaretta’s weekend preview.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
August 15, 2014
12:11 PM
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OF THE 19 TEAMS IN MLS solely San Jose, Chivas USA, Houston, and Montreal are greater than three factors out a playoff spot. As of at this time each different crew is both within the playoffs or inside one victory of qualifying for the postseason.
Due to this—and even though that is the opening of the English Premier League season—there are nonetheless loads of causes to maintain tabs on the American high flight. This is what we’ll be watching, and why.
Actual Salt Lake vs. Seattle
The highest two groups within the Western Convention will face off at Rio Tinto on Saturday, and this sport ought to function an actual indication as to the place these groups stand. Whereas a RSL win would briefly transfer it into first place by one level, Seattle has two video games in hand.
Each of those groups are the entrance runners to play for the Western Convention title (though Dallas is sneaking up) and this will likely be an intriguing matchup. From a U.S. nationwide crew perspective, there’s loads to see: Seattle options Clint Dempsey and DeAndre Yedlin; Salt Lake has Kyle Beckerman, Nick Rimando, and certain U.S. Olympic midfielder Luis Gil.
Sporting Kansas Metropolis vs. Toronto
For this primary time since its founding, Toronto FC supporters have one thing to be enthusiastic about. The membership spent a ton of cash on Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley, and in only one yr the membership is pushing for a spot atop the Jap Convention. At the moment in third place with 32 factors, Toronto trails first place Kansas Metropolis by seven factors however has performed two fewer video games.
Kansas Metropolis is coming of a poor 2-0 loss towards Vancouver final weekend and has been lackluster in its earlier two video games. Going through Toronto is not any straightforward option to halt a skid however the crew boasts veteran management in Graham Zusi, Matt Besler, Benny Feilhaber, and Aurélien Colin. Toronto is hungry. SKC will likely be trying to rebound. This ought to be an actual cracker.
D.C. United vs. Colorado
Only a few weeks in the past D.C. United was surging and rookie coach Pablo Mastroeni was working magic with a really younger Colorado crew. Since then, nonetheless, each groups have appeared poor.
Colorado has misplaced three in a row and 4 of 5, and has struggled to do something offensively.
D.C. remains to be clinging to second place within the Jap Convention however the crew was saved scoreless in its latest two-game highway journey, shedding to Houston 1-0 and to RSL by a 3-0 depend. After which there’s the entire Eddie Johnson kerfuffle: The Florida native is paid some huge cash to place the ball at the back of the web, however currently he has been placing his foot in his mouth. Will he get it collectively? Will he lose it altogether? It makes for some compelling storylines, that is for certain.
Matt Hedges and Dallas are surging
FC Dallas doesn’t have any blockbuster names and maybe that’s the reason it’s flying beneath the radar. What it does have are wins, and many them. Not having misplaced since Might, Dallas is climbing shortly within the Western Convention. The crew’s finest participant is defender Matt Hedges, who may very properly be on the verge of getting a glance on the U.S. nationwide crew.
Dallas is in third place within the West and is inside attain of RSL, however the Texas facet’s two-point lead on the Galaxy is skinny (and L.A. has three video games in hand). Nonetheless, Dallas are in a robust place and the crew has a winnable sport on Saturday towards San Jose. Head coach Oscar Pareja could not have the star energy however he’s the chief of a really well-run crew proper now and one MLS followers ought to be following intently.
Right here is the total slate of video games—all instances Jap.
Friday
Philadelphia at Houston (9 p.m.; NBCSN)
Saturday
Seattle at Actual Salt Lake (2:30 p.m.; NBCSN)
Chicago at Montreal (6:30 p.m.; MLS Reside)
Portland at New England (7:30 p.m.; MLS Reside)
Los Angeles at Columbus (7:30 p.m.; MLS Reside)
Toronto at Sporting Kansas Metropolis (8:30 p.m.; MLS Reside)
Vancouver at Chivas USA (10:30 p.m.; MLS Reside)
Dallas at San Jose (10:30 p.m.; MLS Reside)
Sunday
Colorado at D.C. United (8 p.m.; UDN)
