MLS previews: Seattle hope to stop the rot, and the Gold Cup is finally here

Gold Cup-aggedon has arrived

Well, it’s finally here: the kinda-sorta important-ish international competition that may now be more famous around the world for one if its erstwhile organizers than anything that has ever happened on the field of play. Nevertheless, some fans of Major League Soccer will be thrilled when the Concacaf Gold Cup kicks off this Tuesday, helping to fill in the gap left by Copa America and the Women’s World Cup. Others, however, particularly fans of those MLS clubs who have already been ravaged by injuries and the demands of US Open Cup matches and international friendlies, may secretly pray that a few national teams make an early exit.

Not every club will feel the pinch, of course, particularly clubs like the Chicago Fire and the Colorado Rapids, who will only lose a player apiece, as they need everyone on deck if they are to climb back into the running in their respective conferences. But for FC Dallas, Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake, it’s a much different story. Each club will see five players go, including vital stars like Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore, Tesho Akindele and Blas Pérez, Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando.

This all comes with the territory, of course, but expect some interesting roster-juggling for the next while.

Seattle hope to stem the bleeding against DC

While they are still solidly in the lead both in the Eastern Conference and in the Supporters’ Shield race (though will several more games played than their competitors), there remain nagging questions over the durability of DC United’s form. The club were largely dominated in a 0-0 draw against Toronto FC last weekend at a rainy BMO Field, though in fairness Ben Olsen’s team did manage to find a free header or two, threatening to steal a victory against the run of play. United however couldn’t manage a win against a 10-man Philadelphia Union this week either, dropping out of the US Open Cup with a 2-1 defeat.

Of course, DC rested several starters for that match, and one could chalk up a goalless draw against a revitalized Toronto FC at BMO as something of a win. This weekend they will face a struggling Seattle Sounders, a team which have lost their last four matches in all competitions, including three in MLS.

Though they were no doubt hurt in part by the absence of Clint Dempsey, serving a three-game suspension after the American striker ripped up the ref’s notebook in a USOC loss, some of their defending against Portland in their 4-1 loss last weekend – particularly by the centre-halves Brad Davis and Chad Marshall – was timid to a fault. Seattle will hope home advantage can prevent a record-tying fourth straight league loss.

Portland and San Jose in mid-table tussle

So the Portland Timbers have overcome their now annual first-third season jitters and won five of their last six matches (though, yes, one of them was a 5-0 drubbing against the LA Galaxy). This team is legit, in third place in the Western Conference and only four off points off top spot. Moreover, they are simply fun to watch, particularly at home in Providence Park. Their 4-1 victory over their admittedly-weakened Cascadia rivals Seattle last weekend was a glorious romp, one which produced Darlington Nagbe’s first goal of the season and a daring Fanendo Adi brace. Though Timbers’ fans may rue a missed chance this past midweek with a 2-0 loss in the US Open Cup to Real Salt Lake, this should be a team on the rise.

And yet because this is MLS, their opponents this weekend, the San Jose Earthquakes, are a mere three points behind them in the table and just below the playoff line. Unlike the Timbers, however, San Jose’s form comes down mostly to the scoring prowess of one man, Chris Wondolowksi, who will be away with the US men’s national team on Gold Cup duty (the only other player to have scored more than once, Sanna Nyassi, is on a suspension). Wondo has scored nine of the club’s 19 goals, including a crucial equalizer against the LA Galaxy in last week’s 3-1 victory (they lost 1-0 to them midweek in US Open Cup play).

If Earthquakes coach Dom Kinnear will have to prove his team are more than a one-show, the Quakes could incredibly join the Timbers in the upper third of the table.

Los Angeles hosts Toronto FC to celebrate the Fourth of July

LA are hosting Toronto FC at StubHub on Saturday, and have already drawn up a poster appropriate for the Fourth of July weekend. The image of a resplendent Bruce Arena riding a bald eagle is, of course, slightly ironic, considering how Toronto’s fortunes have heavily relied of late on two American players, one of whom – the often soft-spoken Michael Bradley – is now the US national team captain. Meanwhile, most of LA’s recent surge has come through the return of Irishman Robbie Keane and the scoring consistency of Brazil’s Juninho, two players who will no doubt welcome the addition of Englishman Steven Gerrard to the side next week.

Ideally, this game should be a barn-burner, though it will be diminished by a few key absences for the visitors, including Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Jonathan Osorio. Nevertheless, an in-form Sebastian Giovinco may have enough to trouble LA for a goal or two. In the end, however, Toronto FC should be happy with a draw.

Real Salt Lake hopes to keep good times going against Orlando

Hurt by injury through much of the season and now set to yet again lose the heart of their team to the Gold Cup, Real Salt Lake is nevertheless very much in contention for a post-season spot. Moreover, they have a small reason to celebrate after a 2-0 US Open Cup victory at Rio Tinto against a difficult Portland Timbers side, with goals provided again from Sebastian Jaime and Olmes Garcia.

They’ll face Orlando City SC, fresh off their own dos-a-cero against the Columbus Crew. Orlando fans have had a lot to celebrate lately, not least rumours of an impending Chicharito signing (though he’ll be nursing an injury for a while if he does join). And while Cyle Larin will be away with Canada for Gold Cup duty, the team emerged relatively unscathed by international call ups this month. Orlando, with three wins in their last five matches led in part by Kaka, have every reason to push for a result in Utah.