Week 18 Preview

Before the previews, an announcement – if you’re in Cleveland and tired of watching the MLS action  on your computer or all alone in front of your TV, why not head on down to Parnell’s Pub at Playhouse Square [1415 Euclid Ave. – 216/862-8953] to catch a match with other soccer fans?  The Cleveland-area Columbus Crew supporters are having a watch party there for Saturday night’s match and the fun starts at 8pm (or earlier, depending on you).  It’d also be a great place to go and watch the USMNT in its upcoming Gold Cup matches, or even the EPL matches starting in August.  You may be familiar with the Charles Stewart Parnell on Lee Road, next to the Cedar-Lee Theatre.  Well, this place is that place’s little brother – same owners, same feel, same perfectly-poured Guinness.

And now, as always, here are the weekend’s previews in chronological order:

SATURDAY

DC UNITED  v  Vancouver Whitecaps, 7pm

Don’t look now, but someone is picking up some momentum.  DC is rolling in the U.S. Open Cup and got its first win in months last weekend.  They’ll look to win back-to-back league contests for the first time this season when the Caps come a-callin’.  Here is the dcunited.com Tale of the Tape for this one, along with the match preview from mlssoccer.com.

MONTREAL IMPACT  v  Colorado Rapids, 7pm

It’s been more than a week since their last match, and the Impact should be right and ready to take on the Rapids in the friendly confines of Stade Saputo, where the home side is undefeated this season.  Click here for the Match Preview from impactmontreal.com and click here if you want to see the preview from mlssoccer.com.

Sporting Kansas City  v  COLUMBUS CREW, 8pm

Two weeks ago, the Crew ripped visiting Montreal 2-0.  Last Saturday, the Crew fell 2-1 at home to Chicago.  In what’s been an up-and-down season for the Black and Gold, Sporting KC Park isn’t a great place to visit when you want to get back up on top of your game.  But that’s exactly the challenge ahead of Columbus.  Here is thecrew.com’s Match Preview, and also the preview version posted on mlssoccer.com.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES  v  LOS ANGELES GALAXY, 1030pm  

Chivas USA fans like to tout their rivalry with the Galaxy as the SuperClásico, and the side that comes out on top of that series can call itself the best team in the City of Angels, but there is some palpable enmity between these two teams and their fans.  The CaliClásico is not one for the squeamish and this one will certainly be worth staying up late for… or at least worth setting the DVR if you can’t stay up that late.  Here’s the mlssoccer.com preview.  The Five for Friday from sjearthquakes.com and the lagalaxy.com’s Match Preview will set you up with everything you need to know for this one – a match so big that San Jose is hosting it at Stanford Stadium and they’re expecting more than 45,000 fans.

PORTLAND TIMBERS – idle this weekend

PHOTO CREDIT – Parnell’s/Parnell’s Facebook page; Morrow/Victor Decolongon; Getty Sports Images