The MLS schedule has been a relatively light one for the Sounders to start the 2013 season as another bye week is here.
It’s another quiet weekend for the Sounders, as they have their third bye-week of the year already. However, they are the only team off this week as Major League Soccer has a full slate of games, highlighted by a clash between the Montreal Impact and Chicago Fire Saturday afternoon on NBC Sports.
Chicago @ Montreal (Saturday, 1 pm PT, NBC Sports)
The league’s three Canadian teams will all be pulling double-duty after playing in the Canadian Championships on Wednesday. Montreal has cooled significantly since their hot start that saw them win their first four matches, losing to Sporting Kansas City and drawing the Columbus Crew in their last two league matches. Add to that the fatigue of double-duty this week and a Chicago side that may be seeing the beginnings of a good run and this game has all the makings of a trap game for the Impact. The Fire have won two of their last three matches, with the loss in the middle coming in Houston, where the Dynamo now have an MLS-record unbeaten streak.
New York @ Toronto (Saturday, 11 am PT, MLS Live)
New York has been hot and cold the last four matches, winning handily against the New England Revolution and DC United, while getting beaten by Sporting Kansas City and the Fire. Which Red Bulls team shows up may not matter, though, as Toronto FC has four straight draws and have managed to both play their way into draws and play their way out of wins at different points. New York’s Thierry Henry has goals in three of his last five matches, while Toronto’s Robert Earnshaw has yet to go consecutive weeks without scoring. After Earnshaw missed the scoreboard last week, will he continue that productive trend and get back on the board this week?
Dallas @ Vancouver (Saturday, 3 pm PT, Univision Deportes)
In a rematch of last week’s meeting at FC Dallas Stadium, the Whitecaps FC will look for their first win since a March 9 win over the Columbus Crew. Vancouver has gone 0-3-2 in that stretch while FC Dallas has gone the exact opposite direction at 5-0-1 in their last six matches, including a 2-0 win over the Whitecaps FC last week. Blas Perez has three goals in his last four matches for Dallas.
Portland @ Kansas City (Saturday, 5:30 pm PT, Root Sports)
Sporting KC will look to maintain their spot atop the Eastern Conference when they host the Timbers at Sporting Park. The Timbers are unbeaten in their last five at 2-0-3, but that streak will be put to the test by Kansas City, who are 2-0-1 at home this year and looking to get back in rhythm after a 2-0 loss to the Galaxy snapped a 546-minute shutout streak.
LA @ Salt Lake (Saturday, 6 pm PT, MLS Live)
Two of the Western Conference powers square off at Rio Tinto Stadium as Landon Donovan tries to show US National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann that he is back in form and deserving of a roster spot for World Cup qualifying matches after he scored last week against Kansas City. RSL has made their stadium tough to win at, though, going 2-0-1 there so far this year.
San Jose @ Chivas USA (Saturday, 7:30 pm PT, MLS Live)
After starting off the season strong, Chivas has faltered in the last two matches, dropping consecutive 1-0 defeats to the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake. San Jose, meanwhile, is 0-2-2 in their last four matches, with reigning MLS MVP Chris Wondolowski scoring just once in that stretch.
DC @ Columbus (Saturday, 4:30 pm PT, MLS Live)
DC United is 0-4-1 in their last five matches, including a 2-1 loss to the Crew on March 23. They have allowed eight goals in their last four matches and have allowed two or more goals in four matches this season. Columbus, on the other hand, suffered a 1-0 loss to Chicago last week and will be looking to get back on track at home, where they will be playing at Crew Stadium for just the third time this year.
Philadelphia @ New England (Saturday, 4:30 pm PT, MLS Live)
The Union, Seattle’s next opponent when they travel to PPL Park on May 4, topped New England 1-0 on March 16 at home and will be looking to repeat that result on the road on Saturday. The Revolution have scored just one goal in their last five matches. As Saer Sene’s fitness improves and he is able to pair with Jerry Bengtson, that output should definitely improve.
Colorado @ Houston (Sunday, 2 pm PT, UniMas)
The Dynamo broke the league’s all-time home unbeaten streak with their 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire two weeks ago and will look to extend that streak to 36 games on Sunday against the Rapids. Meanwhile, Colorado had their three-match unbeaten streak spoiled by the Sounders last week and will look to get back on track against the Dynamo.
