RSL only unbeaten team left, Sounders back home

Earthquakes, Chivas USA look for points, Impact visit Philly

Seven rounds gone and Real Salt Lake remains the sole undefeated side, just three points out of the Western Conference summit along with Seattle as FC Dallas enjoys the top overall record early on in the campaign.

Colorado, Vancouver and L.A. Galaxy aren't far off but a negative streak could complicate matters.

In the East, the familiarity of a tightening top-half sets in as Kansas City, Columbus and New York all sit in comfortable settings for now but Toronto, D.C. United, New England and Philadelphia give chase and have the capacities to do so.

Here are some games to look out for:

Colorado at Seattle, 4pm Sat. -- April has been kind to the Sounders as they accumulated seven points this month, all on the road (Portland, Dallas & Chivas USA). Now they come home for a three-match homestand in front of one of the best crowds in the world. But the Rapids also possess the visitors mystique as they took six points at Vancouver and Toronto and have also produced a backline that's produced three shutouts so far.

Philadelphia at Montreal, 4pm Sat. -- Montreal sits in the cellar of the East and need points fast to calm supporters and not let the season slip out of their hands. Panic? Not yet. They now move back home to intimate Saputo Stadium where fans are right on top of the action, compared with the massive Olympic stadium. Philly knows about intensity from the crowd as Union games are packed with rabid fans, as a team in Philly should be. This will be the first match that the two opposing forwards--Jack McInerney and Andrew Wenger--play each other since the sides swapped them in a trade last month.

Chivas USA at San Jose, 10:30pm Sat. -- Injuries plague the Goonies' firepower as Chris Wondolowski is isolated up top with target man Alan Gordon being questionable and Steven Lenhart out for another week or so. Other depth players are out through suspension and injuries as well, making it difficult for the Earthquakes to get their first win. And along comes the Goats, whose striker Erick Torres has more goals than San Jose altogether this year. 

Other matches:

Dallas at D.C. United -- Won't be huge, but Ben Olsen's side can make a statement if it takes three points against a talented Dallas team.

New York at Columbus -- Although the Crew is winless this month, their three wins in March has helped settle nerves, just as Michael Parkhurst has settled down the backline.

Kansas City at New England -- The Revs face a sturdy test when they host the attack-minded defending champions. New England have not allowed a goal at home this year. And they've welcome back Shalrie Joseph.

Vancouver at Salt Lake -- Veteran goalkeeper has a chance to equal the league's shutout record at 112, currently held by the now-retired Kevin Hartman.

Portland at Houston -- The Dynamo got spanked in Red Bull Arena this week; the Timbers are winless. Will be a nervy start to the match.

-Tio Pelotas

@TioPelotas74

Rimando, Vancouver put in class performances

Philly, Chivas USA among sides to spring surprises

Real Salt Lake's Nick Rimando was pure class, the New York Red Bulls were not and Chivas USA's offseason novela didn't affect them on the pitch in MLS' opening weekend.

Rimando reminded folks why he can't be discounted in his side's 0-1 win over the L.A. Galaxy as he stopped Robbie Keane's injury-time kick from the spot although the Irishman didn't do himself any favors with a hesitant swing coupled with a kick that wasn't his usual-potent self. The Utah side will again be a consistent force this campaign as they yet again return with the core of a team that has been a success for several seasons, albeit without their managerial weapon in Jason Kreis, who took off for New York City FC.

In Vancouver, the New York Red Bulls were confident and talking everything about defending their Supporters Shield trophy but were dealt a dose of reality of how difficult that process will be as the Whitecaps--enjoying a newfound chemistry with several new signings and a new manager in Welshman Carl Robinson--tore apart the Red Bulls in a 4-1 walloping, thanks to two goals by Scottish striker Kenny Miller and one by its new designated player in Pedro Morales, the stylish Chilean that should make Vancouver fans quickly forget about last year's 20-goal Brazilian marksman Camilo.

Chivas USA, the red-headed stepchild of the league for years and which was sold to the league recently, have added pieces to its puzzle that could get the lameduck franchise a playoff ticket for the first time since 2009. (We assume lameduck since the Chivas USA experiment brought forward by Chivas Guadalajara mastermind Jorge Vergara appears to be shortlived as the league hopes to obtain an ownership group that keeps the team in L.A. under a new umbrella name.) Its 3-2 win over Chicago Fire was a grinding decision that the side would have lost in past seasons. A 14-player turnover that includes former Mexican international Adolfo 'Bofo' Bautista and Mauro Rosales along with returning players in Carlos Bocanegra and the smooth Dan Kennedy in net can bring a surprise element to the league before what is expected to be a full-on rebranding (we hope!).

In other matches, DC United's own makeover looked out of sync as they fell 0-3 to Columbus Crew with Federico Higuain (Gonzalo's older brother) netting two and Costa Rican Jairo Arrieta opening up sequences. FC Dallas opened up its campaign with a 3-2 decision over Montreal Impact, Houston Dynamo blanked New England Revolution 4-0 and Portland Timbers needed a final-play goal by Argentine Gaston Fernandez to equalize its match at home against a much-improved Philadelphia Union that should give the East favorites a run for their money. The first match of the season saw Seattle Sounders also tie with a last-minute play at home with defending champions Sporting Kansas City.

-Tio Pelotas

@TioPelotas74

MLS table tightens as playoffs near

Supporters Shield leader Red Bulls clinch; Sounders, RSL, KC close

                                         (Courtesy of Rob Tringali)

Can't get any better than this.

There were some beauties scored in Vancouver-Portland's draw, a last-minute equalizer in Harrison, N.J. and downright beatings in Los Angeles and Denver.

But Alvaro Saborio could arguably be the hero of the weekend as his Real Salt Lake Side--down to 10 men for much of the match--pulled off a draw at home against FC Dallas that kept its hunt for the Supporters Shield alive with two rounds left. The quiet Costa Rican fought off the Texan club's defenders on his own to work for his 11th goal of the campaign.

The result kept Salt Lake atop of the West, one point above Seattle Sounders and two ahead of Portland Timbers. For Seattle, a 5-1 romp at the hands of Colorado Rapids represents their worst-ever loss in their short-lived MLS history. A goal by Colorado within 15 seconds and two within 10 minutes didn't help matters. Four goals in the first half pretty much sealed it.

The L.A. Galaxy demolished a hapless Chivas U.S.A. 5-0 with braces from--who else?--Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane, as both L.A. and Colorado try to lock in their respective playoff tickets, the last two.

In the East, Sporting Kansas City, 1-0 winners in Columbus, did their best to keep up with leaders New York Red Bulls. It wasn't anything spectacular in Ohio but three points is three points, good enough to have them two points behind the Red Bulls and four ahead of Houston Dynamo, where K.C. will visit Wednesday. Should be a fun one in Texas.

And yes, we already saw what Camilo accomplished in an earlier post with that cracker of a goal for Vancouver Whitecaps against Portland but we can't forget what Darlington Nagbe did for the Timbers to open up the match.

@TioPelotas74

The MLS review is coming - this should keep you entertained

Just watch, then tell me the MLS has no quality.

It's not perfect, but what league it? If there was just some more consistency, as who doesn't want to see goals like this every week?
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