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MLS Weekend Preview

3 Tasty Matchups on the MLS Docket this Weekend

Fifteen MLS teams are still in the hunt for the playoffs, and that means that the stakes are getting higher and the intensity level is ratcheting up. Here is Brian Sciaretta's weekend preview.
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
August 15, 2014
12:11 PM
OF THE 19 TEAMS IN MLS only San Jose, Chivas USA, Houston, and Montreal are more than three points out a playoff spot. As of today every other team is either in the playoffs or within one victory of qualifying for the postseason.

Because of this—and despite the fact that this is the opening of the English Premier League season—there are still plenty of reasons to keep tabs on the American top flight. Here's what we'll be watching, and why.

Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle

The top two teams in the Western Conference will face off at Rio Tinto on Saturday, and this game should serve as a real indication as to where these teams stand. While a RSL win would temporarily move it into first place by one point, Seattle has two games in hand.

Both of these teams are the front runners to play for the Western Conference title (although Dallas is sneaking up) and this will be an intriguing matchup. From a U.S. national team perspective, there's plenty to see: Seattle features Clint Dempsey and DeAndre Yedlin; Salt Lake has Kyle Beckerman, Nick Rimando, and likely U.S. Olympic midfielder Luis Gil.

Sporting Kansas City vs. Toronto

For this first time since its founding, Toronto FC supporters have something to be excited about. The club spent a ton of money on Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley, and in just one year the club is pushing for a place atop the Eastern Conference. Currently in third place with 32 points, Toronto trails first place Kansas City by seven points but has played two fewer games.

Kansas City is coming of a poor 2-0 loss against Vancouver last weekend and has been lackluster in its previous two games. Facing Toronto is no easy way to halt a skid but the team boasts veteran leadership in Graham Zusi, Matt Besler, Benny Feilhaber, and Aurélien Colin. Toronto is hungry. SKC will be looking to rebound. This should be a real cracker.

D.C. United vs. Colorado

Just a few weeks ago D.C. United was surging and rookie coach Pablo Mastroeni was working magic with a very young Colorado team. Since then, however, both teams have looked poor.

Colorado has lost three in a row and four of five, and has struggled to do anything offensively.

D.C. is still clinging to second place in the Eastern Conference but the team was kept scoreless in its recent two-game road trip, losing to Houston 1-0 and to RSL by a 3-0 count. And then there's the whole Eddie Johnson kerfuffle: The Florida native is paid a lot of money to put the ball in the back of the net, but lately he has been putting his foot in his mouth. Will he get it together? Will he lose it altogether? It makes for some compelling storylines, that's for sure.

Matt Hedges and Dallas are surging

FC Dallas doesn’t have any blockbuster names and perhaps that is why it is flying under the radar. What it does have are wins, and lots of them. Not having lost since May, Dallas is climbing quickly in the Western Conference. The team's best player is defender Matt Hedges, who could very well be on the verge of getting a look on the U.S. national team.

Dallas is in third place in the West and is within reach of RSL, but the Texas side's two-point lead on the Galaxy is thin (and L.A. has three games in hand). Still, Dallas are in a strong position and the team has a winnable game on Saturday against San Jose. Head coach Oscar Pareja may not have the star power but he is the leader of a very well-run team right now and one MLS fans should be following closely.

Here is the full slate of games—all times Eastern.

Friday

Philadelphia at Houston (9 p.m.; NBCSN)

Saturday

Seattle at Real Salt Lake (2:30 p.m.; NBCSN)
Chicago at Montreal (6:30 p.m.; MLS Live)
Portland at New England (7:30 p.m.; MLS Live)
Los Angeles at Columbus (7:30 p.m.; MLS Live)
Toronto at Sporting Kansas City (8:30 p.m.; MLS Live)
Vancouver at Chivas USA (10:30 p.m.; MLS Live)
Dallas at San Jose (10:30 p.m.; MLS Live)

Sunday

Colorado at D.C. United (8 p.m.; UDN)

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