The weekend night game begins with the New York Red Bulls trip to Pennsylvania to face the Philadelphia Union in what might be one of the most exciting games” of the week, while rejuvenated Minnesota United welcomes Sporting Kansas on Saturday night at the TCF Bank Stadium. Here's a full look at the four major fixtures that will be staged this weekend.
Columbus Crew SC vs New England Revolution
Putting last weekend's upset in Seattle behind them is a big task for the Revs. Jay Heaps' lads seemed close to stunning the Seattle Sounders and pick up the maximum points away before the Major League Soccer Cup reigning champions came from behind to settle for a 3-3 stalemate last week.
However, the good news for the Revolution is that their talisman, Juan Agudelo, is in top form and he continues to score vital goals for them. The American star has so far netted six goals and also had a pair of two goal performances this year. The Crew Sc got off to a bright start this term, but have slightly regressed and eventually dropped down to the fifth position in the Eastern Conference table, which is where many MLS followers expected Columbus Crew SC to hover this term.
Crew SC has a decent 3-1-1 mark at home and they have only conceded thirteen goals in nine matches. If they can firmly get hold of the Revs prolific forward Juan Agudelo, the Crew SC should cruise to the maximum points.
Philadelphia Union vs New York Red Bulls
On paper, it is a no brainer as to what the match outcome at the Talen Energy Stadium will be like on Saturday. Undoubtedly, the Red Bulls should convincingly walk over the under-performing Union side and scale for the summit in the Eastern Conference Standings. But don't forget that this is Major League Soccer where the unexpected happens often.
Give the Philadelphia Union some credit, they have slightly improved in some aspects of their game of late. They did notch three goals against the Impact before slamming on the self-destruct button and they put up a strong performance against LA Galaxy to pick up a point.
But the fifteen games winless run still hangs over the Philadelphia Union and they have to prove that they can actually play well in this encounter against a formidable Red Bulls team.
Houston Dynamo vs Orlando City
I have said this in the past with matches involving the Dynamo, but Saturday's encounter at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, promises to be an exciting game with high scoring attackers on both sides. Forward Cyle Larin leads the Lions into Houston off a 2-1 loss to Toronto on Wednesday night. If Cyle Larin is competent enough to trample on the Houston Dynamo center defense like he ought to do, Orlando City will perhaps put a few in the back of the post, which should be done considering how stiff their backline has been this season. Dynamo playmaker Erck Torres will be in full control of a task not many MLS clubs have been competent to achieve in 2017: wreaking havoc on the Lions' defense.
The Houston Dynamo have the skills and characters to do so with Alberth Elis, Erick Torres, Mauro Manotas and Romell Quioto, but it'll require a near perfect display like the ones we saw in March from the Houston Dynamo, to drastically penetrate the Lions backline.
Minnesota United vs Sporting Kansas
SKC lies at the summit of the Western Conference log with eighteen points after an emphatic 2-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls reserve team on Wednesday night. At the beginning of the season, Minnesota could not even come close to confront any MLS club reserve teams but of recent they have somewhat solidified their play. The focus for SKC will be the center-midfield, where Sanchez looks like the perfect replacement for Oriol Rosell the Kansans team has been searching for in the past few seasons.
Undoubtedly, Minnesota United is still a club in progress, as they're apparently taking baby steps each week to gradually become a better side in Major League Soccer.
The Loons manager, Adrian Heath, constantly keeps faith in his tutored men and they are up to 9th spot in the Western Conference standings above Colorado Rapids and LA Galaxy; two clubs they should be more concerned about at the moment than Minnesota United.