MLS Weekend Preview: USA hopefuls aim to impress before Mexico match
United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann made his intentions clear ahead of the friendly with Mexico next week. He said he plans to rely primarily on MLS-based players to form the framework of his squad to face El Tri in San Antonio on Wednesday.
The decision to select American- and Mexican-based players for the encounter at the Alamodome (live, Wednesday, 8:00p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports Go) is prompted by the calendar at its core, but it provides a chance for MLS players to impress Klinsmann nevertheless.
Klinsmann is in the midst of forming his plans for the CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer. There are some patterns in place and some stalwarts already on the radar, but this sort of match -- outside of the FIFA date against a Mexico side poised to experiment with several fringe players -- supplies a chance to monitor hopefuls looking to force their way into the reckoning.
This particular opportunity places considerable emphasis on the performances in MLS play this weekend. The short buildup to this friendly leaves little room for preparation on the ground. The circumstances benefit players already in the frame, but they also present a chance for players to state their claims with a good performance at the weekend.
By this point in the calendar, the players know whether they feature in the preliminary squad and whether they appear in line for a spot in the final group. It is now down to them to ensure they make the most of the chance afforded and move themselves into the best possible position with a good display this weekend.
FC Dallas -- Colorado Rapids, Friday, 7:00p.m. ET (UniMas)
At some point, the Rapids desperately need a break. They haven’t scored this season despite producing enough chances to do so. They haven’t won because they haven’t scored. Is this the game where the Rapids figure out a way to break their duck and snap an 18-game winless streak stretching all the way back to last year? Perhaps not. Colorado is traditionally terrible in Texas (6-22-4 all-time), while FCD is primed for a response after a poor display at Portland last weekend.
New England Revolution -- Columbus Crew SC, Saturday, 3:00p.m. ET
Columbus veered away from its usual possession-oriented course in Vancouver on Wednesday. Instead of cherishing the ball, Crew SC allowed the Whitecaps -- a team far, far more dangerous on the break -- to operate often in possession. The tactics worked well enough to produce a point at B.C. Place. The question now for Crew SC coach Gregg Berhalter as he compensates for the absence of Wil Trapp (concussion-like symptoms) and welcomes back rested regulars: Does a similar tack make sense against a Revolution side more comfortable on the counter? The potential wild card presented by a possible Jermaine Jones appearance at some stage enters the calculus in those deliberations, too.
Philadelphia Union -- New York City FC, Saturday, 4:00p.m. ET
All of the attention will fall firmly on debuting Philadelphia goalkeeper John McCarthy. Union boss Jim Curtin named McCarthy as the starter for this weekend after Raïs M’Bolhi’s debacle in Kansas City last weekend. McCarthy boasts some professional experience -- he claimed USL Pro goalkeeper of the year honors in Rochester last year -- as he prepares for his first test. The key for McCarthy and the Union: a solid, reliable start to allow the new number one a chance to get his feet under him against a NYCFC side capable of presenting some problems going forward.
D.C. United -- New York Red Bulls, Saturday, 7:00p.m. ET
Many of the similarities between the two sides seeped away when Mike Petke exited during the close season. United still leans on graft and skill to snatch results, but the Red Bulls pride themselves on functioning more reliably in possession now. The trust in that midfield three poses a numerical problem for United to solve. Ben Olsen’s side relies on one of the wingers to tuck inside to help the central midfield two, but it often struggles when asked to confront such tactics. The onus is on the home side to find a way to tip the balance of the game away from that battle and toward more favorable territory.
Sporting Kansas City -- Real Salt Lake, Saturday, 8:30p.m. ET
Expect this meeting between the 2013 MLS Cup combatants to underscore the changes in both camps since that time. Sporting remains a side in search of its identity in midfield, while RSL strives to operate the revamped 4-3-3 setup as seamlessly as it did in the familiar diamond shape. The basic thrust -- Sporting pushing high more often than not, RSL seeking opportunities to alternate between possession and supply to the front three -- still underpins the dynamic between the teams, though.
Houston Dynamo -- Montréal Impact, Saturday, 8:30p.m. ET (TVA Sports)
This affair presents the Dynamo with a chance to take advantage of a potentially distracted opponent. Houston boss Owen Coyle needs to devise more diverse routes to goal after a predictable attack against 10-man Seattle failed to yield the desired end product last weekend. There are openings to exploit against an Impact team grappling with the emotional and the physical fallout from the trip to Costa Rica in midweek. It is just a matter of taking advantage of them to draw a 259-minute scoreless streak to a close.
San Jose Earthquakes -- Vancouver Whitecaps, Saturday, 10:30p.m. ET (TSN2)
The performance in midweek did not meet the Whitecaps’ current standards, but the Western Conference leaders managed to procure a point in a match where they held too much of the ball for their own liking. It should offer useful preparation for a game against an Earthquakes outfit still searching for the correct balance in midfield and still striving to transform from a direct side into a team more reliant on other avenues to create goalscoring opportunities.
Portland Timbers -- Orlando City, Sunday, 5:00p.m. ET (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, TSN2)
Timbers coach Caleb Porter can take heart from the improved display against FC Dallas last weekend. Portland is a team more willing to play directly from back to front in the absence of creative fulcrum Diego Valeri. Those principles might prove useful against an Orlando City side with a good shape and a willingness to keep the ball, but they cannot divert the attention away from restricting the spaces afforded to Kaka at all times.
LA Galaxy -- Seattle Sounders, Sunday, 7:00p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes)
This rematch of the Western Conference final arrives at a time when both teams are still feeling their way through the early stages of the season. Seattle welcomed a host of stars back for the 1-0 victory over Houston last Saturday, but Sounders FC must cope without Gonzalo Pineda against the Galaxy after his second-half dismissal against the Dynamo. Central midfield is a point of emphasis for the visitors after some uneven displays in that department in the absence of Marcelo Sarvas. His departure during the close season stripped away some of the familiarity as the Galaxy transition to the front foot. It is an issue Bruce Arena and his players plan to address in order to construct more reliable supply lines to the frustrated Robbie Keane and end a 267-minute scoreless streak.
