Another weekend of Major League Soccer action is upon us; Jason Davis looks ahead.
Dallas has selection issues vs. Kansas City
FC Dallas spent its Wednesday night in Los Angeles, booking a place in the U.S. Open Cup final following a last-gasp win against the Galaxy. It took Oscar Pareja's team 120 minutes and change to get the job done, with a team largely made up of starters. Pareja made a choice coming off a full week rest and it worked out in the end, but it might impact events back in Texas when the Western Conference leaders host Sporting Kansas City.
Amid that, Dallas remains in the process of adjusting to life without Fabian Castillo. So far, none of the winger's transfer saga has negatively affected the team, but removing Castillo's influence isn't just about his particular talents -- it also means depth at his position has dropped by one player. That means the central question for Pareja in the showdown between Dallas and a physical SKC side is deciding which players to rest. There are key figures, including Argentine playmaker Mauro Diaz, who don't have the best record for fitness over the course of a full season.
Despite their standing as the first-place team in the West, Dallas can't afford to punt on a game against a team that will undoubtedly be around to edge them for a top playoff seed if they slip up. There's also the matter of the club's unbeaten home record this season. If nothing else, keeping a zero in the loss column is a matter of pride and a symbol of the club's push for league dominance.
Rapids surprise star against Galaxy's proven ones
The Galaxy played a mostly reserve lineup vs. Dallas. Bruce Arena's decision to prioritize the league over a knockout tournament comes as no surprise, and after an intense match, the choice looks like a wise one. The Galaxy had just battled to a comeback draw against the Red Bulls on Sunday in a game that was as emotionally draining as it was physically taxing.
The star of the show these days for the Rapids isn't Jermaine Jones, Tim Howard, or even leading scorer Kevin Doyle. It's Marlon Hairston, a 22-year old winger who spent most of last season on loan in the USL. Hairston has injected energy and intent into the Colorado lineup in recent weeks, scoring three goals in the last four matches. With another goal he'll tie Doyle for the team lead in scoring, despite playing less than half the minutes of the Irish DP.
To beat the Galaxy on the road, Colorado will not just need another good performance from Hairston, but from the defensive corps as well. Jones remains doubtful because of a quad injury, putting the pressure squarely on players like Sam Cronin, Alex Sjoberg and Bobby Burling. The key to the Rapids' season so far has been role players filling in where needed, and they'll need to be at their absolute best against the attacking weapons of the Galaxy, who rarely lose at home.
Sounders playoff hopes go through Salt Lake
It remains to be seen if a turnaround and a spot in the playoffs is possible for the Seattle Sounders but, if it is, last week might have been the launching point. Clint Dempsey's hat trick against Orlando City, aided by Jordan Morris's excellent performance, was the glimmer of hope the club needed to believe a reversal of their fortunes is in the cards. Moving on from the departure of Sigi Schmid is bound to leave a few scars, but there's no doubting that the team has enough talent in it to string together good results and at least make the rest of the season interesting.
The test of the turnaround this week is Real Salt Lake, a club that on paper is better than the Sounders. The two teams are separated by 13 points in the standing -- Seattle does have two games in hand -- and RSL have scored 11 more goals than their Western Conference rivals. Defensively, however, the Sounders are actually much better; Jeff Cassar's team is tied for second-last in the West in goals allowed with 34. With the Seattle attack suddenly clicking, RSL will need to play above their usual level.
Most eyes will again be on the Sounders' newest addition, Nicolas Lodeiro. The Uruguayan looks to be exactly what Seattle was missing this year, a playmaking attacker with the vision and skill to pick out Morris and Dempsey. Lodeiro was excellent against Orlando and expectations will be high as he makes his second appearance at CenturyLink Field.