MLS Game of the Week
FC Dallas and Philadelphia Will Square Off in the Snow
Every Friday American Soccer Now spotlights the most compelling match of the weekend and provides you with a clear-eyed, public relations-free preview of the contest.
IS FC DALLAS FOR REAL? Has the Philadelphia Union finally taken the next steps to fulfill its vast promise?
It’s still way too early in the Major League Soccer season for trends to emerge or many conclusions to be drawn, but the form of Dallas and Philadelphia through two games rank among the most intriguing early-season developments.
Dallas has won its first two games and will put that form on display tonight when it travels to Philadelphia to face the still-unbeaten (but also still winless) Union. And that’s why tonight’s Union-FCD match (7pm ET, UniMas) is American Soccer Now’s choice for MLS game of the week.
Meanwhile, Rais M’Bolhi is showing that there may be a method to the Union’s goalkeeper-collecting madness. When the Union acquired the Algerian international last summer after a strong World Cup, it raised questions, especially considering incumbent Zac MacMath was having a solid season and the club had used the top pick in the 2014 MLS draft on Jamaican Andre Blake.
But MacMath was banished to Colorado this winter and M’Bolhi has beaten out Blake to justify his signing.
Both appear to be better for having had to face a stiff test to earn first-team status—something MLS officials should consider when setting salary caps and roster sizes in the future.
THE BASICS
The North Texans come to Philadelphia having gotten by San Jose 1-0 and beating Kansas City 3-1, both in the comfy confines of Toyota Field. The Union could easily be 2-0-0 as well, having dominated Colorado in a scoreless draw in the season opener then coming away with just a point in a wild 3-3 draw at Real Salt Lake after the home team was gifted a late—and highly controversial penalty kick—that left the Union fuming. Weather should be a factor. Snow is expected early in the day before turning to rain while the temperature hovers in the 30s. It may impact the size of the crowd but it will also be little fun for most of the players, especially Dallas, which is not used to the harsh Northeast winter and has a team with several players from temperate Latin America.THE SUBPLOTS
Both teams came into the season with questions in goal. Last year Chris Seitz, a former Union regular, started exactly half of Dallas’ games with the since-departed Peruvian international Raul Fernandez. But when Dallas acquired former all-star Dan Kennedy in the Chivas USA yard sale, especially considering Kennedy earns significantly more, it appeared Seitz might be pegged for a back-up role. But the former youth national team star had a strong preseason and so far this season Seitz has been strong, stopping five of the six shots on goal he’s faced and generally commanding his area with authority.
Meanwhile, Rais M’Bolhi is showing that there may be a method to the Union’s goalkeeper-collecting madness. When the Union acquired the Algerian international last summer after a strong World Cup, it raised questions, especially considering incumbent Zac MacMath was having a solid season and the club had used the top pick in the 2014 MLS draft on Jamaican Andre Blake.
But MacMath was banished to Colorado this winter and M’Bolhi has beaten out Blake to justify his signing.
Both appear to be better for having had to face a stiff test to earn first-team status—something MLS officials should consider when setting salary caps and roster sizes in the future.
