• San Jose Earthquakes host suddenly buoyant LA Galaxy
• Toronto FC face New York Red Bulls
• Sporting KC face Chicago Fire in Guardian live game
So are Los Angeles Galaxy back? Three straight wins in a row, over the course of a week, and suddenly the Galaxy look dangerous again. They also have players back from international duty (and one who won't be leaving...) and their woes at the back are beginning to look less severe, with the first two shutouts of the season coming in that sequence of three wins. But are they contenders again? Saturday night should tell us some more about that as the Galaxy travel to first-placed San Jose Earthquakes, for one of the more heated fixtures on the MLS schedule.
Of course both sides have recently beaten the previous frontrunners Real Salt Lake at the formerly indomitable Rio Tinto stadium. Salt Lake may actually be glad to get on the road and try to test Andy Gruenebaum in the Columbus Crew goal - the keeper's been in impressive form this year - he's needed to be, as the Crew have not exactly been prolific up front.
One side who've been very prolific up front recently is Toronto FC. They've raced into three consecutive multi-goal leads in their last three games, and on Wednesday night remembered the other part of the equation - to defend to the end of the game. Their 3-0 win in Montreal sets them up nicely for a home game against New York Red Bulls, who scored 3 goals of their own in defeating conference rivals DC United in a hugely entertaining game last Sunday. The vanquished sides meet each other on Saturday as Montreal travel to Washington to face DC.
We mentioned the Galaxy's revival, but the Union are experiencing a bounce of their own following John Hackworth's interim appointment as coach. Philadelphia travel to BBVA Compass stadium on Saturday, with Houston Dynamo looking to reassert some defensive solidity at home after Toronto and Montreal put a total of seven goals past them. Philadelphia, of course, put 4 unanswered goals past Sporting KC last week, in one of the more remarkable results to occur in this year's Eastern Conference. We'll be following Sporting KC's attempt to return to form against Chicago Fire in tonight's live game at 8pm - with the Fire in some good form of their own, that one could be lively. Let's hope so.
Always lively (and colorful) are the clashes between the Timbers and the Sounders. The Timbers got the upper hand at home last weekend, but both sides are away for this round of games, so no big tifos this week. The Timbers travel to a Colorado Rapids side who still haven't quite made the cultural transition Oscar Pareja's style demands. Meanwhile, Seattle Sounders, fresh from making the Open Cup semi-finals with their 20th consecutive win in that competition, travel to New England who showed a lot of resilience in their comeback against Toronto last week.
Also showing great resilience - our regular cast of fan reps, bloggers, podcasters and beat writers, who've stuck with us through numerous hassling emails from me, demanding their take on the teams they comment on. Said takes, on the recent and forthcoming games, are below...
Agree? Disagree? Have your say in the comments section. And join me for Sporting Kansas City vs Chicago Fire - live! tonight. We'll be back with our usual 5 things we learned on Monday morning.
All game times stated below are ET.
Some comments were submitted prior to Wednesday night's game
Sporting Kansas City vs Chicago Fire, Fri 8pm (NBCSN)
Guardian live game
Andy Edwards, Editor, Talkin' Touches, Sporting Kansas City:
Sporting Kansas City gave the worst performance of the MLS season last week when they got embarrassed 4-0 away to Philadelphia. But, that's all in the rear view mirror and in the past. Or, so Peter Vermes hopes. The defense showed its first signs of missing Matt Besler, who will be back for the mid-week Open Cup game, thus the league game on Friday as well. That's the one positive for this week.
Unfortunately, Sporting catch the Fire in the midst of a solid run of form, so there's the big negative. Kei Kamara will certainly look to atone for his mistake last month that cost KC a point at Chicago, but he'll have to out in a better shift than anyone for Sporting did against KC. I would expect Sporting to shore things up in the back this week, playing to a 1-0 victory or 1-1 draw on Friday night.
Dan Martin, Section 8, Chicago:
The Fire showed backbone against Columbus, both in the way they pounced on early opportunities and in how they bent but did not break once Gonzalo Segares had been sent off with an hour left to play. Shawn Johnson had a huge night in goal and the rest of the defensive corps did very well to kill off the game, aided by the return of Arne Friedrich and the late work of Rafael Robayo, both in substitute roles. Once again Dominic Oduro was the center of controversy when a very likely penalty call went unmade in the second half, but Oduro managed to get on the board early with his 5th goal of the season which has to be positive for his confidence levels. All things considered the win was a big moment for the Fire this season with 3 points against a conference opponent and revenge for the 2-1 loss at Columbus in May. Looking back a year ago, mired in a record-setting string of ties and some disappointing losses, I don't think the Fire would have been able to hang on to win a game like this one.
Going into the Friday night match at KC the Fire squad is shadowed by a few lingering questions. First and foremost is the status of creative midfielder Sebastian Grazzini. Grazzini's contract expires at the end of this month and the Fire hold the option on whether the player remains with the club. Grazzini has expressed his desire to stay and Frank Klopas has said he would like the same, yet a series of strange events have made the situation cloudy for those that follow the club -- Grazzini's outburst after being subbed out of the game against New York, his absence from practice earlier this week, and apparent confusion on his part over what exactly his contract says. New signing Alex will apparently be in the 18 for Friday's game, further adding to the intrigue surrounding Grazzini, as the two players occupy the same position on the field.
The absence of Segares due to Saturday's red card will disrupt the continuity of the Fire's back line. It will be interesting to see whether left-sided rookie Hunter Jumper gets the call or whether usual right back Dan Gargan will cover Segares' spot (and, in that case, who moves to the right), and exactly how the central pairing will work out given the likely return of Friedrich. My guess would be Austin Berry and Friedrich in the center, Jalil Anibaba shifting right and Gargan on the left. I would expect the midfield and forwards to be very much the same as last week, though with the potential for Chris Rolfe to make his first start since returning to the club. No matter how the squad lines up on the night, this is a team that is showing signs of moving itself to a new level and is in a good place to earn a result on the road.
Toronto FC vs New York Red Bulls, Sat 7pm
Duncan Fletcher, Waking the Red, Toronto:
Well, life under Paul Mariner is certainly entertaining. 15 goals now in 4 games. Last week Toronto got an early goal with Danny Koevermans knocking home an Ashtone Morgan cross. The two combined again late in the first half, this time Koevermans just couldn't connect with the cross but distracted the defence enough to leave Ryan Johnson an empty net. 2 goals up at half time for the second straight game. For the second straight game they blew it, withdrawing more and more into a really really panicky shell and letting New England score twice, the equaliser in the last minute of injury time. On Wednesday, they once again got themselves a lead in Montreal, Torsten Frings with his first goal for TFC, massively assisted by a terrible Donovan Ricketts. Once again defensive midfielder Julian de Guzman was taken off, which is when it all really fell apart in the previous 2 games. This time, they bent under the pressure, but held on and increased their lead, Ryan Johnson and Danny Koevermans making it 3, and they held on fairly comfortably to the clean sheet. Too soon to be reading too much into anything, but a 3-0 win in Montreal feels pretty damn good, and if the defensive focus and competence can continue, well the attack is working pretty damn well so we could become a dangerous team. There it is. Hope, sneaking back in and slyly winking in our general direction.
As for this Saturday, well New York will be a very tough test. Jeremy Hall, who's been at right back over the last few games, may have to miss the next game if the boot in the face and ball in the face combo he suffered in Montreal have any lingering effects, but aside from that, I'd expect an unchanged lineup despite the heavy recent schedule. The midfield of Frings, de Guzman, Eric Avila and Terry Dunfield, have looked very good in their new 4-4-2 home, Koevermans (remember sad, frustrated Koevermans?) is on fire up front, and with a little more defensive composure, we could be looking at three straight wins under Paul Mariner. Let's not get ahead of ourselves though - that defensive composure, the ability to see out a game, is very much still a question, with Mariner openly talking about the need to bring in a 'boss man' at the back now the transfer window is open. If Thierry Henry is back in the lineup, he, Kenny Cooper, Joel Lindpere et al could easily have a field day to kill off the small but growing feel good factor. New York have had a lot of big wins over TFC, with 2 5-0's and a 4-1 in the last 5 games, if TFC revert back to the defence of the first few games under Mariner, we could well see a repeat of that. For now though, hope's back in town, I think we'll at least make it a 4 game unbeaten streak.
Ian Thompson, Editor, The Soccer Observer:
Hans Backe heralded the first 55 minutes of New York's 3-2 win over D.C. United as "the most complete we have ever played" during his tenure. That result propelled the Red Bulls into a tie for top spot in the East despite a number of unconvincing displays. Things could be changing. Joel Lindpere's intelligent movement and playmaking has resurfaced, greater competition within the squad has lifted the level of Jan Gunnar Solli and Mehdi Ballouchy, and Heath Pearce seems to carry the requisite quality and clout in central defense to stimulate Rafael Marquez.
Injuries and suspensions have forced Backe to juggle his line-up more than usual. Ballouchy's unavailability will prompt more shuffling in Toronto. Dane Richards should start on the right following his one-game ban, with Solli possibly switching to the left as he did in last month's 1-0 win against Houston. Thierry Henry's return allows Backe to drop Lindpere into central midfield in front of Dax McCarty.
Toronto won't allow New York to build out of defense like D.C. did Sunday. The Reds' midfield looked narrow at times during last week's 2-2 tie with New England, which should allow Richards the space to attack, and punish, Toronto's teetering defense.
DC United vs Montreal FC, Sat 7.30pm
Kim Kolb, Screaming Eagles:
DC United scored its quickest goal, 31 seconds from the kickoff, last week. An aspect of a such an early goal, though, is that New York had 89:29 to stage a comeback. And they pretty much controlled the game for a long stretch afterwards, netting two (highlight reel) goals from an old friend, Brandon Barklage. Barklage played for United starting from 2009 to 2011 and always showed hustle and determination. He tore an ACL in an US Open Cup game in his rookie season, recovered for his second season, where he tore his other ACL against AC Milan, and then struggled to find his way back into the lineup last year. It's good to see Barklage get on the score sheet and get some recognition, though it's painful that he did it against United. United devolved into something we've seen in spots, where defenders win the ball and then send a long, hopeful ball to the forwards, thus bypassing the midfield, and ensuring that the opposition retains possession. After giving up another goal, Ben Olsen began using his substitutes, bringing on Branko Boscovic (last week's hero), and Andy Najar. Boscovic provided the solution again, giving United possession as well as purpose in the attack. Players began to find space, and United could string passes together, including a splendid through ball from Santos to Pontius for his second goal of the game. United's attack continued, and though it 'felt' like a goal was coming, time ran out before United could find it.
This week brings Montreal back to town. It's getting to the point where Boscovic as a substitute is the solution for Boscovic not starting. It's hard to understand why United hasn't started him now that he's bringing an obvious impact to the game. But bringing Boscovic on means shuffling other players and sitting someone else. And United must bring a disciplined 90 minute game against a team that seems to be finding their way as a new club.
Sofiane Benzaza, Mount Royal Soccer, Montreal:
Before the Toronto game (of which the least said the better), Stade Saputo seemed to be the Montreal Impact's fortress, with 8 goals scored in the first two games at The Stade. The latest win saw the Impact score 4 goals in a 4-2 win over the Houston Dynamo, a game that saw Brian Ching come back to Montreal for the first time since the Expansion Draft debacle. The first half saw both teams trades goals making it 2-2 at the half with some momentum for Houston as they scored at the end of the half. Back from the locker room, Montreal continued to press, led by Felipe Martins who took over the reins of the playmaking tasks for the team, backed by a very strong midfield. It was a fun game to watch for the fans and a display of discipline and focus in the second half for the Montreal Impact (who won 4-2).
The big news in Wednesday's game was Marco Di Vaio's first start for the Montreal Impact and it's exciting times for the player, the team and the fans. In a 4-2-3-1, Di Vaio will plug in nicely up front with quality players like Davy Arnaud, Justin Mapp, Felipe Martins, Patrice Bernier and Collen Warner to feed him the ball. This will be an interesting game to watch - to assess what type of player is Di Vaio at the age of 35 and maybe see a glimpse of what he might offer.
New England Revolution vs Seattle Sounders, Sat 7.30pm
Christopher Camille, Midnight Riders, author of NE tactics blog Soccer Theory:
The Revs have teetered back and forth all season. One moment they seem destined to plunge into another season of futility, the next they seem like a team on the brink of making a solid playoff push.
I'm not sure what the key to ending their inconsistency is, but it shouldn't take giving up two goals to TFC for them to decide to start playing soccer. The Revs put themselves into a big time hole against the self-proclaimed "Worst team in the World," and it took them every single second of the match to equalize through a Chris Tierney 94th minute header. Benny Feilhaber was key in every meaningful attack and Stephen McCarthy put together another solid game which will hopefully get all of the "haters" off of his back.
I expect the Revs to get the full allotment of points next week against the Sounders. The Revs have played well at home and Seattle has become accustomed to playing in the atmosphere-rich environments of the Pacific Northwest. Gillette Stadium is where atmosphere goes to die and there is really no way for Seattle to prepare for the funeral-like experience that the "Razor" provides. This is no slight on the great soccer-loving fans of the Revs but they really need to get out of Foxboro and start playing in a Soccer Specific Stadium in the city. I could go on and on, really...
Dave Clark, Sounder at Heart, Seattle:
Last week the Sounders were a mix of suck, awesome and average all at once. Between a draw at home to Eastern powerhouse Sporting KC, a horrid first half against the rivals to the South and then a B squad v B squad win in the Open Cup against league-leading San Jose Earthquakes, one can have reasons for optimism or despair. The good news is that Seattle is finding solutions to poor play in wide positions offensively. Both Eddie Johnson against Portland and Cordell Cato at San Jose took the ball in places where normal men don't score and converted. If not for lax defense in the first 25 minutes against the Timbers it would have been a great week, instead of the mixed bag.
In middle of a road trip that hits Portland, San Fransisco, Foxboro and Salt Lake, the Sounders will need to continue to use their depth to scrape out points. Against the New England Revolution they will even be more tested because they are without forward Fredy Montero, due to a Red Card in the Timbers game. For all the concentration on defensive issues lately (13 goals given up in last 7 MLS games) it is the offense that is inconsistent. Maybe some new discoveries from player usage in the Open Cup can unlock a goal on the road. There's a chance that Mauro Rosales plays in a third role in the last four games, as he's slotted in at forward in matches without Montero in the past.
As the Revs use a possession based attack with several dynamic midfielders, Seattle matches well. Every MLS team goes through ruts, it's how they react and how long their positive runs last that determines their spot on the table. Seattle is capable of going on a run - their 7-1-1 MLS (8-2-1 overall) start demonstrates that they can be great. It's time to see that again.
Columbus Crew vs Real Salt lake, Sat 8pm
Ben Hoelzel, Crew Union, Columbus Crew:
This year's Crew team isn't terrible, but they aren't very good either. If not for the stellar play of goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum, the Crew would undoubtedly find itself much further down the table. The offense continues to be flaccid, and Coach Warzycha seems to be running out of ideas as to who to deploy up top now that the Gaven experiment appears listless. The offensive ineptitude was never more apparent than in last weekend's 2-1 loss to Chicago. Finding themselves down two-nil just 25 minutes into the match, the Crew were gifted a man advantage in the 30th. However, even playing up a man for 60 minutes, the Crew never looked terribly threatening. Solid defense prone to the occasional lapse and no offensive prowess- story of the 2012 Crew thus far.
This week, the Crew are home for the first time in a month and play a very good team in Salt Lake. On paper this should be an easy victory for more talented and better organized RSL team. However, RSL have been hit by the injury bug lately, have looked very shaky in the back (especially against set pieces), will be without their captain, Kyle Beckerman, and have lost two straight while allowing five goals against in the process. Being short staffed on the road, I expect that Coach Kreis will have a conservative game plan, and a conservative game plan seems to be the only type of plan the Crew have this year. This match has draw written all over it. I say Nil-nil or possibly a couple goals given both sides' propensity for defensive lapses, but I expect the teams to split the points.
Matt Montgomery, Under the Crossbar, Real Salt Lake:
When last Real Salt Lake took the pitch, they found themselves on the end of a thorough beating by table-topping San Jose Earthquakes. The problems were many and varied, and while "injuries" may be the first word on the tongues of some, the losses can perhaps be boiled down to a lack of sharpness both defensively and offensively - issues of mentality, ostensibly. The nature of the defeat was undoubtedly amplified by a midweek loss to a resurgent LA Galaxy — both at the formerly formidable Rio Tinto.
Facing a rather dull Columbus Crew side on Saturday should provide RSL a chance to force their way back into contention — both in the table and on a mental level. If indeed mentality is the problem at hand, a comfortable (but not overwhelming) win for the Claret and Cobalt could go far to correct the listing ship. The potential recoveries from injury of defenders Chris Schuler and Jamison Olave, too, could go some way to ensure three points are brought to the race for the Supporters Shield.
Houston Dynamo vs Philadelphia Union, Sat 8.30pm
Zach Woosley, Dynamo Theory, Houston:
Last week: Umm, not good. Not good at all. Kinnear took the blame for tired legs and the team being worn out after three games in a week and travel to Montreal. "In Dom We Trust" is the battle cry, he's never done us wrong, but it's hard not to be concerned. It's not the first time we've seen mental lapses from the defense and while no one is ready to panic, the upcoming match against the Union is a big deal. As for the loss to the Impact, it was ugly, disappointing and made all the worse by Moffat's bad decision on the tackle that got him sent off. Never give a referee an opportunity to make a decision like that.
This week: What I expect and what I want may be different. I want the Dynamo to come out and right the ship, dominate possession, look organized defensively and shut down a surging Union side. What I expect is a tough match as the Dynamo will be looking to rebound from a mostly bad week. The Union have a lot of confidence and considering how leaky Houston's defense has been, they'll probably be aggressive. It's an important match for Houston to quell some of the concerns and avoid sending the season in to a bit of tailspin.
Scott Kessler, Managing Editor, The Brotherly Game, Philadelphia:
An already fantastic week for the Philadelphia Union was capped off by progressing onward in the 2012 edition of the US Open Cup.
After a surprising 4-0 defeat of reigning Eastern Conference champions Sporting Kansas City, the Union faced off against the Harrisburg City Islanders in the quarterfinals of the USOC. Harrisburg, a USL-PRO affiliate of the Union, had defeated both the New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls to progress to the quarterfinals. Philadelphia jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first half, but the City Islanders stole two back early into the second half. Former Union midfielder Morgan Langley netted one of the two Harrisburg goals. The combined efforts of Antoine Hoppenot and Lionard Pajoy, plus a sublime lob shot by Gabriel Gomez, put away the City Islanders.
The Houston Dynamo are next on the Union's schedule and pose a challenge for Philadelphia, who have little time to rest until the end of August. If the Union manage to win their second straight MLS win, talk of a move toward a playoff push would develop among the fan base and the coaching staff. Since they were down and out at the beginning of the year, They have claimed a spot in the semifinals of the US Open Cup (remarkable given that the Union are only three years old and had previously been eliminated in the third round twice) and been an energized team in league play, which has brought a new outlook on the season for all those involved with the franchise.
A successful trip down to Texas would be a big boost to a squad that is still moving forward in its rehabilitation from the atmosphere that former head coach Peter Nowak had instilled in Philadelphia. Now, under interim head coach John Hackworth, the Union look set to not only possibly play in the USOC finals, but also to turn around their regular season, despite sitting with a meager 11 points from 13 games played.
Colorado Rapids vs Portland Timbers, Sat 9pm
Richard Bamber, COO, Bulldog Supporters Group, Colorado Rapids:
In the last game, away to Vancouver, the Rapids hit the post, the crossbar, dominated the midfield, and basically did everything but score. In the end we fell to an opportunist strike by Sebastien Le Toux. Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon even accepted his team were lucky, while picking up the man of the match award postgame. The poor run of luck continued last Wednesday night - as the Rapids were undone by a last minute San Jose penalty to lose the match 2-1. Describing the Rapids fans as furious with the decision would not be an understatement.
We're getting Cummings and Casey back from injury soon. There are a lot of players on the roster now, not on a lot of money (Riveiro's only on $80k), but pushing us right up against the salary cap. When players come back we might see some waivers. We're coming off a bye week, so hoping the team used the ten day break to regroup and that they find their form against Portland at home on June 30th.
Michael Pearson, Timbers Army, Portland:
Seattle Sounders. Cascadia Cup points on the line. Bragging rights for the next 3 months. The Timbers came into the weekend playing quite uneven to say the least, but rewarded the Rose City faithful with a satisfying victory over arch-rival Seattle. They passed well, they overlapped, they defended, and most importantly, played with the passion, drive, and urgency that the team has lacked all too often this season. Even after they gave up a golazo, Timbers still looked confident as time wound down. With Steven Smith re-inserted into the lineup after his marriage, Timbers finally had someone capable of a useful cross from the outside. Smith should have had two assists on the evening and was my Man of the Match, both for his work going forward and for shutting down Mauro Rosales and Fredy Montero, no easy task.
Pessimists will say the team lacked possession and was plodding at best going forward in the second half, hallmarks of the 2012 tough-luck Timbers. They'll point to the non-exist Seattle marking in the box as a reason for the sudden scoring output. And while all those are true, it also discounts the suddenly much stronger defense, which has quietly conceded just 4 goals in the last 8 games, and how arguably the team's 3rd and 4th CBs pretty comprehensively shut down a good offensive team in Seattle. Boyd, despite being starved for service, still looks confident and is more than capable of finishing his chances. Steven Smith is looking increasingly comfortable at left-back in just his fifth game with the team. There are some rays of hope shining through this team.
After basking in that warm afterglow that can only come from beating your rival, Timbers turn their attention to the Mile High City and the Rapids. Timbers start a brutal stretch that includes 6 games in 23 days and frankly need to start accumulating points to try and climb back into the playoff chase. Although they have lost the last 3 matches at the Dick, the Rapids are still a dangerous team. Still in the early stages of switching to a 4-3-3 formation, Colorado shares a lot of similarities to the Timbers. Talented, but inconsistent. Capable of giving up the late goal. Anemic going forward at times. Frustrating. The Timbers are on better form, but at altitude and against a team that has pushed them around last season, it will be interesting to see which team comes out. The take-no-crap squad we saw last week, or a team that has turned a meek cheek to physical play. Likely whoever is the aggressor and plays with the most confidence could well be leaving with 3 points and clawing their way back up the standings. Look to the outside midfielders (Alhassan, Songo'o, Zizzo, Wallace) for a gauge relatively early on how the team will fare. Games that those guys are invisible seem to inevitably turn to losses, while when they clicking in the midfield we seem to walk out with a win.
San Jose Earthquakes vs Los Angeles Galaxy, Sat 10pm (ESP2, ESPND, RDS2)
"Nerdy Gales", Center Line Soccer, San Jose:
Last week's prediction for the San Jose Earthquakes versus Real Salt Lake game, by Center Line Soccer's Lisa Erickson, was spot on: "It won't be easy, but I suspect the Quakes will win it 2-1 in another dramatic late finish" – exactly as the game turned out. When the Earthquakes crossed the Rockies into Utah, RSL were still smarting from Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Western Conference rivals LA Galaxy, and surely looking for a change in fortune. Saturday's Earthquakes versus RSL game saw both teams with chances on goal, and RSL applying increasing offensive pressure into the second half. Heroic goal line clearances from San Jose defenders Justin Morrow and Jason Hernandez kept the game scoreless until the 75th minute, when Quakes super-sub Alan (Flash) Gordon headed in a floating cross from skipper Ramiro Corrales. The tenuous 1-0 lead lasted just four minutes until Javier Morales placed a perfect free kick over the wall and into the top corner of the near post for the equalizer. Still, Quakes fans refused to panic, and true to this season's form, the team rallied late – a tad earlier than usual in the 84th minute – when Gordon flicked the ball directly onto Chris Wondolowski's boot, from where it was deftly turned into the net for his thirteenth goal of the season. Wondo is now leading the race for the Golden Boot, two goals ahead of New York's Kenny Cooper.
This weekend ESPN will broadcast the latest installment of the "Flash Gordon" adventure series in which he and the Golden Boot contest the second of three meetings this season between the San Jose heroes and the villains of the Galaxy – a rivalry known as the 'California Clasico'. The Quakes will host LA at nearby Stanford University stadium with a sellout crowd of 50,000 and fireworks on (and off) the field. Can the Earthquakes keep the #GooniesNeverSayDie Twitter hash tag alive with their late game heroics? Flash Gordon, our Savior of the Goonieverse, has already conquered the Galaxy (his former club) with an 89th minute winner at the HDC in May. I'm sure that memory hasn't faded for LA, and they are planning revenge on the heels of three consecutive wins against Western Conference rivals, the last of which was a clean sheet in Vancouver. Given LA's recent turnaround in form, a victory for the Quakes will be tough to earn. Despite Tuesday's defeat by the Seattle Sounders in the US Open Cup, going in to Stanford the squad will undoubtedly be energized by the support of a record number of home fans. The fervent atmosphere against the Quakes fiercest rival will provide a home field advantage to recapture the Goonie magic. I predict it will be a fast paced and high scoring game, with the Quakes winning 4-2. They may even score in the first half.
Josie Becker, Editor, LAG Confidential, Los Angeles:
The Galaxy had as good a week as a team can have last week, with nine points in seven days. The offense is starting to click, as they scored seven goals over that span. And the defense is improving, as they only gave up two goals and they were on the road. The difference appears to be a commitment to the ground attack, and better prevention of the counter. Against Real Salt Lake midweek, the Galaxy were able to bunker in for ten minutes against a highly potent offense and keep all three points. Against San Jose before the break this was more of an issue.
Landon Donovan has been the spark on offense, playing to the top of his ability. Robbie Keane came back and was fully involved in the offense. The team is starting to play for each other. The trends this season suggest the Galaxy are due for another dip, however the way they looked last week was the way they were expected to look going into the year. San Jose had to use stars Chris Wondolowki, Steven Lenhart and bench genie Alan Gordon in their US Open Cup match against Seattle Sounders on Tuesday, so it'll be interesting to see if they're a bit more dinged than usual. A win over San Jose would propel the Galaxy from resurgent to arrived. Which is exactly were they were supposed to be.
Agree? Disagree? Have your say below and give us your predictions for this weekend's games. And don't forget to join us for minute by minute coverage of Sporting Kansas City vs Chicago Fire at 8pm tonight. Read More
انسخ الكود التالى و ضعه فى موقعك او مدونتك.
