Game of the week: New York vs. Columbus

On Saturday night the New York Red Bulls will host Columbus Crew SC (7pm ET, MLS Live), a game that will provide the Red Bulls with an opportunity to seize control of the East. New York currently sits atop of the Eastern Conference with 48 points, while New England and Columbus are each on 47 points; the Red Bulls have played 29 games, however, while the other two have played 31, so a victory would put quite a bit of distance between them and the competition.

The Red Bulls are coming off a terrible performance in a 5-2 loss to Orlando. In that game, the team was exposed on the counterattack and Orlando had a field day picking apart New York’s defense on the flanks—fullback Conor Lade especially.

As tough as Orlando was, Columbus will be much more difficult to defend on the flanks and on counterattacks: Ethan Finlay and Justin Meram are very good wingers, and Federico Higuain will endeavor to link the offense together. On top of it all New York will have to contain MLS leading scorer Kei Kamara without starting central defender Matt Miazga, who  is away with the United States U-23 team.

Galaxy head to Emerald City

After breaking out of its slump in style last week with a 3-2 win over FC Dallas, the Galaxy is now leading the Western Conference and the Supporters’ Shield race with 50 points. There is no room for error, though, as the Galaxy has played 31 games to Vancouver’s 30 (48 points) and FC Dallas’s 29 (47 points).

On Sunday night Bruce Arena’s squad will travel north to take on the Sounders (9:30pm ET, FS1), and a win in hostile Seattle is imperative for L.A. if it hopes to maintain its lead. A loss, on the other hand, would likely end in the Galaxy being surpassed by several other clubs.

The Sounders cannot catch the Galaxy with a win but could move within a point. Seattle has not lost in five league games, but it was lethargic last week in a 1-1 draw against Sporting Kansas City and likely will be without key central defender Chad Marshall, who suffered a neck injury during practice Wednesday.

The Battle of Texas

For FC Dallas to have a shot at the league’s best record, a win over Houston on Sunday (5pm ET, ESPN 2) is crucial. While FC Dallas will have the advantage of playing at home, it will be facing an opponent that is both playing well and desperate to keep its playoff hopes alive.

Houston, after all, is currently in eighth place in the Western Conference, three points behind Portland for the last playoff spot. It’s on the rise, too, after winning its last two games against Colorado and Sporting Kansas City.

Oscar Pareja’s team is young and, true to form, has shown moments of brilliance this season as well as moments of mediocrity. His team looked lost and nervous in the opening minutes against the Galaxy, quickly falling behind 2-0. By the time it settled into the match, it was too late.

That can’t happen again Sunday if the team hopes to succeed.

Slumping Whitecaps Need a Win

Last month it looked as if Vancouver was going to run away with the Supporters’ Shield. But since then Carl Robinson’s team has played poorly, getting bounced from the Champions League by Seattle and losing three of four in league play—including its last two a home.

If it still wants to keep that once-sure goal in sight—or even just to build its confidence back up for the playoffs—the Whitecaps need to win on the road against San Jose (10:30pm ET, MLS Live).

For that to happen, however, it will likely have to get a win on the road over postseason-hunting San Jose. The good news for Vancouver? The Earthquakes will not have a full-strength team for the game, as starters Marc Pelosi and Fatai Alashe both are away with the United States U-23 team.