ONE TEAM FINISHED last year as the hottest in Major League Soccer. The other didn’t exist this time last year but grabbed more than its share of offseason headlines—and not all of them were good.

So yeah, Sunday's clash between the New England Revolution and New York City FC presents one of the more intriguing early season matchups and is American Soccer Now’s choice for the MLS Game of the Week (5pm ET, ESPN2).

THE BASICS

New York City (0-0-1) is playing its first-ever home game at a venue with more than a little history, Yankee Stadium. That alone is almost worth watching, especially after Yankees all-star Mark Teixeira and NYCFC coach Jason Kreis got into a media tussle this week about Yankee Stadium being used for MLS. (Condensed version: Teixeira thinks it sucks, Kreis says too damn bad.)

NYCFC is coming off a tie with expansion twin Orlando City, where the Bronx Bombers—do we call them that?—were outplayed most of the game but nearly secured three points before conceding an unlucky equalizer off a deflected Kaka free kick that cost them two points.

The Revs (0-1-0) entered the season as heavy favorites to win the Eastern Conference then went out to Seattle and got curb-stomped by the Sounders in Week One. Granted, Jay Heaps' team was without three of its top players, but it has to be said that the team looked nothing like a contender at either side of the field.

In terms of regional rivalries, it will be fascinating to see if one begins to take shape here. The Yankees hate the Red Sox, and vice versa. The Celtics and Knicks don't get along. And if you haven't noticed a little something extra when the Patriots play the Jets, well, you haven't been watching.

THE SUBPLOTS

When healthy, New England is as loaded in the front six as any team in MLS. But last week it played without midfield general Jermaine Jones, playmaker Lee Nguyen, and forward Charlie Davies, all of whom were nursing injuries. Jones is still out for this week while Nguyen and Davies are reportedly game-time decisions. On top of that, winger Teal Bunbury injured his shoulder against the Sounders and is doubtful.

All this puts added pressure on young attackers like Kelyn Rowe, Juan Agudelo, and Diego Fagundez, all of whom had skill to burn but are still lacking in the consistency department and did not seem cohesive last week.

Meanwhile, NYCFC's midfield contingent—including U.S. international Mix Diskerud and crafty veterans Ned Grabavoy and Mehdi Ballouchy—does not lack for creativity and skill. But for all their combined playmaking ability, City managed only one shot on goal against Orlando City.

Whichever group rises to the occasion Sunday will go a long way in deciding who takes the points.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

For NYCFC, all eyes should be on former Spain international David Villa to see if he can live up to his heralded pedigree, something he didn’t come close to doing against Orlando.

Villa has won a World Cup, a European championship, a UEFA Champions League crown, and myriad domestic honors in Spain, so he knows a thing or two about big games. But against Orlando he went long stretches of the game without touching the ball and when he did get it was rarely dangerous. If NYCFC is going to have success on Sunday, and throughout the season, that needs to change.

Also looking to bounce back from a poor Opening Day showing is Revolution defender Andrew Farrell, who begins this season at center back after spending his first two years at right back. To be polite, his debut game replacing A.J. Soares, who left for Europe this winter, did not go well, though Seattle’s attack will test even the most-experienced of defenders.

Farrell has all the attributes to be a good center back in MLS but there’s no way to accelerate the learning curve at his new positon and he’ll have to learn on the fly. If Villa is on his game, Farrell will again be tested. But Farrell also has the strength and athleticism to mark Villa out of the game.

WORTH NOTING: A DUKIE MATCHUP

Somewhere in Durham, N.C., there will likely be a very interested observer of the coaching matchup in this contest. That’s because both Heaps and Kreis played for John Rennie, the retired, longtime men’s coach at Duke.

Other than a recruiting visit when Heaps was in high school, the two did not overlap. Kreis played for the Blue Devils from 1991-1994 and Heaps from 1995-1998.

PREDICTION

Even if Nguyen and Davies don't play and even if Villa is still invisible, there's still too much attacking prowess from both teams and too many questions about the defense of each for this to be without fireworks.

The crowd at Yankee Stadium will be energized and vocal but New England's talent and experience together should enable them to prevail, let's say, 3-2.

Will you be watching this contest? Why or why not? Tell us in the Comments section below.

Brooke Tunstall is an American Soccer Now contributing editor and ASN 100 panelist. Follow him on Twitter.