MLS Weekend Preview: Expansion teams take encouraging first steps during opening month
Life as an expansion team always yields to one inevitable truth: No amount of foresight and planning can dictate how those first few matches will unfold.
Orlando City and New York City FC spent much of last year trying to prepare accordingly for the big debut. They stitched together rosters and waited to see how everything would take shape in the early stages of the season.
All of the hard work paid off during the first month of the season. There is no need to start planning for MLS Cup at the Citrus Bowl or Yankee Stadium quite yet, but the two expansion sides set themselves up for a reasonably successful season with their first steps.
Most of the hard work in Orlando started at the back. Adrian Heath cobbled together a resolute shape capable of warding off the opposition. The firm defensive core allowed the side to survive a dearth of production up front and wade through the potential pitfalls created by a lack of goals.
The tangible benefits emerged from the tattered squad fielded in Montréal last weekend. Heath took just 15 players to Olympic Stadium as injuries and international callups ravaged his options. The patchwork squad fell behind by two goals inside the opening half-hour, but Kaka inspired the visitors to the two-goal response required to procure a point.
New York City FC displayed some of that same resolve at Colorado recently, but Jason Kreis’ side followed a different path toward its own assured start. Kreis constructed his midfield around Mix Diskerud, relied on David Villa (omitted last weekend with a groin complaint) to supply the final touch in front of goal and trusted his players to figure out a way to operate in possession more often than not.
Diskerud’s heavy workload over the opening four weeks established a foundation for a team filled with savvy operators capable of providing options around him. His lack of influence in the 1-0 defeat to Sporting Kansas City last weekend indicated the fragility of those endeavors, but his presence in the side supplies NYCFC with a critical building block for the future.
NYCFC’s defeat at Yankee Stadium underscored the perilous road ahead for these expansion sides. These bright starts bolstered the confidence within the ranks, but they also provided considerable information for the opposition to use moving forward.
At this point, both teams must understand that their good early work serves only as a starting point. There is now a philosophy in place. It is now up to both teams to build upon the nascent framework to create an enduring structure capable of underpinning a playoff push for the duration of this campaign.
Orlando City -- D.C. United, Friday, 7:00p.m. ET (UniMas)
United responded to a dismal performance at Red Bull Arena a fortnight ago to secure all three points last weekend. Ben Olsen’s side functions best when it can grind out results and trouble the opposition. Those qualities should serve them well in this game, but there is some concern about how to track Kaka with that consistent 4-4-2 shape. Olsen must adjust wisely to ensure the former FIFA World Player of the Year does not tip the scales in this affair.
Chicago Fire -- Toronto FC, Saturday, 3:00p.m. ET (Sportsnet 360)
Harry Shipp stands out as one of the few silver linings in the otherwise dour start to the season in Bridgeview. His continued impact on matches -- whether from a wider position or through the middle -- leaves Frank Yallop with a quandary to solve with David Accam and Shaun Maloney ready to return to the squad after international duty. The bigger problem for the Fire at this stage: Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley are back from their travels, too.
Colorado Rapids -- New England Revolution, Saturday, 7:00p.m. ET
Will the Rapids finally score this week? Will someone finally score against the Rapids this week? At this point, there is a need for a breakthrough at one end or the other. New England ended its own drought in the 2-1 home victory over San Jose, but the Revs aren’t exactly in top gear yet, either. This game offers both teams a chance to locate firmer ground, if they can muster a way to take the chances presented.
Vancouver Whitecaps -- LA Galaxy, Saturday, 10:00p.m. ET (TSN1, TSN5)
Keep careful watch on the tempo of this game. Vancouver wants to play this match as quickly as possible to use its advantage in the wide areas. If the Whitecaps can find gaps to exploit on the counter, then they should relish this affair. The MLS Cup holders understand how to manage the cadence of these sorts of games, though. If the Galaxy can dictate terms in possession and limit the opportunities afforded on the break, then the visitors should find a way to construct supply lines to Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes and secure some form of a result.
Seattle Sounders -- Houston Dynamo, Saturday, 10:00p.m. ET
The expected march toward the Supporters’ Shield is off to a rather halting start in Seattle. Instead of following up the impressive opening day showing against New England with performances of a similar standard, Sounders FC is merely scraping by at the moment. The injuries to key figures Osvaldo Alonso (groin), Clint Dempsey (hamstring), Obafemi Martins (quadriceps) and Chad Marshall (undisclosed) have not helped the cause much, but they do not excuse failing to muster a single shot on goal against 10-man FC Dallas last weekend. Expect some improvement against a Dynamo side capable of complicating the recovery process.
Portland Timbers -- FC Dallas, Saturday, 10:30p.m. ET
The moment of reckoning is rapidly approaching at Providence Park. Portland enters this weekend at the bottom of the Western Conference. The performances this season have not hit the desired standards, though the continued absence of Diego Valeri offers a mitigating factor. It is down to the Timbers to find a way to produce their best display of the season and secure all three points against a FCD side more than capable of exacerbating the current concerns.
San Jose Earthquakes -- Real Salt Lake, Sunday, 5:00p.m. ET (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
Earthquakes boss Dominic Kinnear lamented his side’s slow start at Gillette Stadium last weekend. The best sign from that game: San Jose’s continued pluckiness in difficult circumstances. Those qualities could come into play against a RSL side yet to hit top gear so far in 2015. The absence of Sebastian Jaime through injury allows Jeff Cassar some latitude to alter the calculus a bit. Will he dare to throw matchwinner Jordan Allen into the fray from the outset?
Sporting Kansas City -- Philadelphia Union, Sunday, 7:00p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, TSN2)
It took the better part of a month, but Sporting started to look a bit like Sporting in the 1-0 victory at New York City FC last Saturday. Peter Vermes’ side choked off the game well and leaned on a well-executed set piece to collect maximum points. Those principles serve as the bedrock for the pursuit of another victory here. Philadelphia knows how win at Sporting Park, but this side – particularly given its dreadful display last weekend – isn’t likely to repeat the feat this weekend.
