Week Three Preview

All of our guys’ teams are in action this weekend and we have a faceoff in Columbus.  It’s MLS Rivalry Week and (almost) all the games feature two squads that are regional rivals, i.e. Los Angeles-Chivas USA, DC-New York, Toronto-Montreal, Houston-Dallas, Colorado-Real Salt Lake, Sporting Kansas City-Chicago, Seattle-Portland… and Philadelphia-New England.  (Vancouver is idle.)  If you get the NBC SportsNetwork, you can watch a brand new show called “MLS Breakaway” that’ll start at 530pm.  It’s supposed to be a studio show in which the hosts run through all the day’s action, including some live looks at games that will be going on at that moment.  I’ll have my DVR rolling on it for sure.

Also, we have some news regarding one of our boys.  As was learned this past Wednesday, via the wonderful world of Twitter, it had escaped the attentions of this blog that rookie goalkeeper Brad Stuver (Twinsburg/Twinsburg) was released by Montreal at the conclusion of the preseason.  That’s not the good news.  Stuver, who had signed as a MLS Pool Goalkeeper, found out that on Wednesday, he will be hosted by the Columbus Crew this season.  There’ll be more written on what that will mean for him in upcoming posts.

And now, in order of gametimes, here are this weekend’s previews:

DC UNITED  @ New York Red Bulls, Saturday, 16 March, 1230pm (NBC)

Here is the match preview from dcunited.com for this season’s first Atlantic Cup match.  Here’s another preview from mlssoccer.com  DC United won last year, breaking the Red Bulls’ two-year winning streak.  Overall, DC has won eight of 11 Cups, and there’s still a bitter taste in boths teams’ mouths after last season’s Eastern Conference Final second leg at Red Bull Arena.  Could be some in-game fireworks going off in this one.

MONTREAL IMPACT  v Toronto FC, Saturday, 16 March, 4pm

Here is the match preview from impactmontreal.com/en for the Canadian derby.  Here’s another preview from mlssoccer.com  The two teams, both of them playing MUCH-improved soccer compared to last season, hope to set a new record for attendance at an MLS game in Canada, as they’ll move the match to Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

COLUMBUS CREW  v  SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES, Saturday, 16 March, 530pm  (Fox Sports Ohi

Here is what to look for at tomorrow’s match from thecrew.com, along with the full match preview.  In the latest episode of the Black & Gold Breakdown, Ben Speas talks about how fired up for the opener he is (and other guys talk about other stuff, too).

PORTLAND TIMBERS  @ Seattle Sounders, Saturday, 16 March, 8pm (NBC Sports Network)  

Here is the match preview from portlandtimbers.com and here’s the preview from mlssoccer.com  Even though it’s the third match for both teams in this young season, there’s a lot at stake.  Neither team will want to start out the 2013 Cascadia Cup series with zero points, nor will they want to fail to come away with a full three points that would keep them near the top of the Western Conference.  Should be a festive atmosphere up in the Emerald City.  Roger Bennett of espnfc.com wrote a column last week questioning whether soccer fans in our country can truly call themselves “soccer fans” if they don’t support MLS.  Darlington Nagbe weighed in on the topic and you can check out the video here.

LOS ANGELES GALAXY  v Chivas USA, Sunday, 17 March, 5pm

Here is the match preview from lagalaxy.com for the first SuperClásico of the 2013 season.