SB Nation - San Jose Earthquakes

You Can Play video features seven Bay Area pro teams

Cyd Zeigler — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:32:38 -0000

In a first, the men's professional sports teams in the San Francisco Bay Area have teamed up with Comcast SportsNet Bay Area to produce a You Can Play video that speaks not for a team or a school but an entire city (see video below). The video features the voices of some of the most prominent athletes in the area:

San Francisco Giants’ Barry Zito, two-time World Series champion and 2002 American League Cy Young Award winner
Oakland Athletics’ Coco Crisp, 2007 World Series champion and 12-year MLB veteran
Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson, 2012 NBA All-Rookie First Team guard
San Jose Sharks’ Joe Thornton, six-time All-Star and 2006 Hart Memorial Trophy winner
San Francisco 49ers’ Vernon Davis, 2009 Pro Bowl tight end and seven-year NFL veteran
Oakland Raiders’ Marcel Reece, 2012 Pro Bowl fullback
San Jose Earthquakes’ Chris Wondolowski, two-time MLS Cup champion and 2012 MLS MVP

"I think what this shows is that speaking up on this issue is no longer particularly rare," You Can Play founder Patrick Burke told Outsports. "It's important for young LGBT athletes and fans to see their role models speak up and defend their right to play, and the impact of messages like this are tremendous. But looking at the big picture, what it shows is that pro athletes are increasingly willing to speak up on this issue, regardless of sport, age, race, gender, religion, talent level, whatever. It's no longer pulling teeth and then holding a press conference when an athlete is willing to do it. The public perception of athletes has caught up to where they actually are- most guys are just fine with a gay teammate, as long as he does his job."

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area has done various features on LGBT sports in the past, including a documentary about Glenn Burke and an hour-long special last year in which they interviewed various sports professionals about LGBT issues.

"We are pleased to partner with You Can Play, a pioneering advocate for LGBT outreach and equality in sports," Ted Griggs, president of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, said. "We support their overriding message that every athlete should be a good teammate and welcome others regardless of their sexual orientation. I am thrilled that Comcast SportsNet Bay Area is the first regional sports network in the nation to produce a series of public service announcements with local professional athletes supporting the LGBT community in sports."

Hopefully we'll see local TV networks in other cities take up the idea and produce similar videos elsewhere. But it shouldn't be a big surprise that it would be the Bay Area to produce the first video of its kind; The Giants were the first pro team to create an It Gets Better video.

"We're grateful to all seven players for their participation, and to CSN Bay Area for filming and producing the spot," Burke said. "We absolutely hope to replicate this in other cities."

Colorado Rapids vs. San Jose Earthquakes - Player Ratings

UZ — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:00:09 -0000

Nick is out for the week, so I'll be taking over the player ratings for the Quakes game. As you would expect, most of the numbers are fairly high after a good overall performance -- with 10 men! -- marred by only three real mistakes all game.

DEFENSE

Clint Irwin - 4.5
Nothing much he could have done on the first goal, but may have mistimed his run out on the second. Not a horrid performance overall from Clint, though.

Drew Moor - 6
Though both goals were caused by defensive errors, neither were on Moor's turf. He was his usual steady self for most of the match, though perhaps he should have known better than to play a bit higher up the pitch than Marvell Wynne was.

Marvell Wynne - 3.5
The whole 'Wynne is often not great at center back' thing has been beaten to death already, but I think Saturday was one of his worse ones. Should have had a say in both goals, letting a guy get by him and failing to do his usual catching up.

Chris Klute - 4
Chris was also present for the first goal but didn't make much effort to stop Steven Lenhart, and he wasn't quite as sharp going up the wing as we're used to from him. It makes sense that he was swapped for Wallace with 30 to go.

MIDFIELD

Hendry Thomas - 6
Another steady performance in the back from Thomas. When you don't hear his name called much during the game, that usually means he's doing an efficient job. (Of course, we did hear his name that one time but that's another story.)

Nathan Sturgis - 7 (MotM)
How many Man of the Match performances can this guy possibly have this year? A great goal and great work in the middle of the field to hold and distribute by Sturgis once again.

Dillon Powers - 5
Not much good and not much bad from Dillon, who I think may be getting played a bit too high up the pitch for his best game. Martin Rivero's return should solve that, though it may push Dillon all the way out of the lineup regularly with Sturgis still on the rise.

FORWARD

Atiba Harris - 1
An absolutely silly challenge for Atiba to have made. The fact that the team seemed to play better with him off the field only added insult to the injury.

Edson Buddle - 6.5
A rather uninspiring first half immediately shifted into a beastly second when Martin Rivero came on. The Rivero-Buddle connection was fabulous and Buddle was very close to finding or creating a goal several times.

Deshorn Brown - 5
A rather run-of-the-mill performance from Brown, who uncharacteristically failed to get all that many chances for himself in this one, but did well when he had the ball at his feet.

SUBS

Martin Rivero - 7
Had he played the entire match, I have no doubts he would have been MotM. Rivero's 45 minutes were very good, and he only got better when Jaime Castrillon came on later.

Jaime Castrillon - 6.5
Another great and late addition, Castrillon nearly found the goal more times than some of the starters in that game did despite his limited time. It's very good to see him back.

Anthony Wallace - 6
As I said in The Daily Wave yesterday, I quite enjoyed the performance that Wally put on display for everyone on Saturday. Perhaps it's time to give Chris Klute a rest for the first time in a while.

USA vs. Honduras 2013 Preview: Brazil Likely With A Victory in Salt Lake

Corey E. Major — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:00:08 -0000

The United States Men's National Team is set to take on Honduras tonight for the 2nd time in the World Cup Qualifying hexagonal stage. Last time the two sides met, Honduras had the last laugh as enigmatic New England Revolution striker Jerry Bengtson netted the game-winner to see the U.S. start off the hex on entirely the wrong foot.

Since that game, however, the stars and stripes have put together three wins and a draw against Mexico. Most recently, the U.S. have strung together two particularly impressive wins against Jamaica and Panama, which have helped them to the top of the Hexagonal standings with 10 points in total--2 points clear of Mexico and Costa Rica.

Jurgen Klinsmann is expected to make some slight changes to his side that took the field against Panama last week. Most notably, Graham Zusi is expected re-take his spot on the right side of the midfield, most likely sending Eddie Johnson back down to the bench. In central midfield, Jermaine Jones has been cleared to play after sustaining a concussion again Jamaica. He will likely step in and partner with Michael Bradley, despite Geoff Cameron putting together a nice showing in that spot last week in Seattle. Klinsmann also called Kyle Beckerman into camp this past week as insurance, but he will not likely feature in the starting XI if Jones is good to go.

At left-back, Damarcus Beasley will be unavailable due to card accumulation. Most seem to anticipate Tijuana defender Edgar Castillo to slot into the backline in Beasley's spot, however Klinsmann could choose to slide Fabian Johnson back into defense and put someone like Eddie Johnson, Sacha Kljestan, or Brad Davis at left-mid. I believe the former scenario is more likely.

For Honduras, they will be fielding a side absolutely demolished by injuries and absences. As SB Nation's Stars And Stripes FC points out, the Catrachos could be without Victor Bernardez, Maynor Figueroa, Luis Garrido, Oscar Boniek Garcia, Emilio Izaguirre, and of course the disgruntled Jerry Bengtson. The full 3-points are there for the taking tonight for the United States if they can keep their momentum going. With a win, the U.S. will have all but punched their ticket to Brazil next summer.

Here's some other previews from around the internet for your lunchtime reading enjoyment:

ESPN FC - ‘United States Surge Clear'

MLSSoccer.com - USMNT vs. Honduras | World Cup Qualifying Match Preview

American Soccer Now -‘United States vs. Honduras: 10 Quick Predictions'

Stars And Stripes FC -‘Jermaine Jones expected to play'

The Shin Guardian - ‘Assault Lake City: TSG's Official USA vs. Honduras Preview'

Soccer By Ives - ‘USMNT vs. Honduras: A Look Ahead'

Marquee Matchups: Midweek Morsels

Alfredo Cuvi — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:00:05 -0000

The USMNT play tonight against an Honduras team that bested them earlier in San Pedro Sula, but after that, there is midweek MLS action.

Let it be known that these are not your usual ho-hum midweek affairs. See the matchups below and prepare for excellent clashes.

Montreal Impact vs. Houston Dynamo // 7:00 p.m. CDT, Stade Saputo, MLS Live

This is exciting for many different reasons, not the least of which is that Montreal should be able to crush the Dynamo in their home turf. I say should, because we all know how soccer goes in this country.

The Impact are coming off a rare loss to the Columbus Crew, but that shouldn't dent anyone's impression of this team. The Impact are hot on the heels of FC Dallas for the Supporter's Shield, and look to be in a strong defensive position to maintain that charge. With Alessandro Nesta back from suspension, and Marco Schällibaum back on the sidelines, the Impact are back at full strength against a Dynamo squad that has struggled in the past month. Marco Di Vaio is also on a scoring tear, with five goals in his last five MLS appearances.

The Dynamo have a very tough task ahead of them travelling to Quebec. The strength of Montreal's home record speaks for itself: they have not lost a single game yet this season on their turf. While the Dynamo's road record has been quite poor, they have recovered just a bit and now boast two wins and three draws away from BBVA Compass Stadium. Will the Dynamo continue their improving road form to garner a result at Montreal? With Boniek Garcia missing and Brad Davis out on international duty, it seems a tall order for Houston.

If I had to put money on it, I'd wager Montreal win, though not by a hefty margin. Houston likes to disrupt the flow of play through incessant fouling, but Montreal is a team that can dish out fouls as well as they can take them.

Montreal win this one. Houston don't have what it takes to hang with the Impact.

Chicago Fire vs Colorado Rapids // 7:30 p.m. CDT, Toyota Park, MLS Live

The Colorado Rapids hit a bit of a speedbump last week with their loss to the woeful San Jose Earthquakes. Despite a decent effort, the team was just too lackluster against a middling San Jose and allowed themselves to lose to a side who is in disarray. It doesn't help that they seem to be incapable of coming back after trailing in a game. In all the five matches the Rapids have fallen behind in, they have lost. Ick. Not the prettiest of statistics when you're staring right at a fast and suddenly-dangerous Fire offense. Of course, that won't deter them from trying to take down the Fire away at Toyota Park.

The problem with that plan is that, unlike before, the Fire have steadied the ship amidst stormy waters. For now at least, the Fire have managed several good results, including knocking the Crew out of the US Open Cup last week. Frank Klopas was next in line for the hot seat (after Ben Olsen, obviously) but with three wins and three draws in their last seven games, perhaps things can yet be salvaged in Chicago. Newly acquired Mike Magree has been paying his trade back in spades. His addition to the Fire roster have made them a far more competent team on offense.

If Chicago score the first goal, Colorado will be in a lot of trouble.

LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers // 9:30 p.m. CDT, The Home Depot Center, MLS Live

LA needs to win this. Every Hoops fan should be pulling for the Galaxy in this one, because while they might eventually put it all together and start behaving like the defending champions, there's no guarantee that will happen. Portland is a clear and present danger to our SS hopes, and should be dispatched posthaste by the Galaxy.

The Timbers have been on a very good run. They defeated FC Dallas this past Saturday and while they weren't completely dominant, they looked a very good team. They are still without one or two of their internationals, but are still quite strong. Donovan Ricketts has backstopped Portland to several draws and wins, and their smothering possession game is still giving most teams they face trouble.

You could argue that possession doesn't score you goals, but every moment the opposing team doesn't have the ball is another moment they can't score. While the Timbers defense is nothing spectacular, but they take care not to lose possession foolishly, and that is a defense all on its own.

The Galaxy have had a nice break during which to recuperate since their loss at New England. It's possible the hammering they took against the Revs have compelled them to shore up all the areas that were lacking in that performance, but no one will know for sure until they take the field. Landon Donovan will surely be trying his best to impress Jurgen Klinsmann now that his spot on the USMNT roster is looking more and more perilous. Yes, he has the Gold Cup to try and make his mark, but his club form is no less important. If Donovan plays like the old Landon Donovan did, the Galaxy will be able to make a game of it.

Being at home, on real grass, also helps the Galaxy's case just a tiny bit.

By the way, have you seen the Galaxy's horrifying third kit? It's a monstrosity worthy of scorn and derision. As I mentioned on twitter, it looks as if a Tostitos bag threw up on climacool.

Yuck.

Around MLS: Shock Results

Alfredo Cuvi — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:00:06 -0000

It seems that Dallas always gets a lucky break or two in the results around the league when they drop points. This week again has a team that stumbled and helped Dallas out a bit.

The Montreal Impact lost to the Columbus Crew 2-0, a scoreline that is convincing and reassuring to Crew fans. The most incredible part? According to MLSsoccer.com, this is the first time in thirty (30!) matches that the Columbus Crew has defeated someone above them in the standings. That's staggering to think about.

That's a pretty shocking number, and it should give pause to those wanting to believe in a Columbus renaissance. It's a stepping stone regardless. Columbus can take this victory against one of the best teams in the league and use it to fuel their campaign from here on out.

Montreal played without the headbutt-happy Alessandro Nesta and Champion Bottle Thrower Marco Schällibaum. While Schällibaum's absence doesn't necessarily lead directly to a loss, it's easy to see why Nesta's absence would be more acutely felt. Both of the Crew's goals came before the 25th minute, and the calming influence of a veteran defender makes the early-goings of games much easier to withstand, especially away.

Columbus got a bit of good news in the form of Chad Marshall coming back from injury. His return will help not only in defense, but on set pieces where his massive frame creates trouble around any opponents' box. Of course, it's almost a zero-sum benefit for the Crew, who have lost Eddie Gaven for the season just recently.

Thank you, Columbus, for helping out our Supporter's Shield ambitions.

Canada has declared a three day period of celebration after TFC finally won a game. The Reds downed the absolutely abysmal D.C. United 2-1 in the MLS Basement Bowl (don't remember where I heard this) and now hold the dubious honor of not being quite as bad as Chivas or DC United.

TFC still has that positive outlook for the future. It's hard to aim criticism at them on the week of one of their only wins of the season.

DC management has voiced their faith in manager Ben Olsen, and it's easy to dismiss those statements as PR hooey. The thing is, DC ownership has gone above and beyond the standard lines, and have repeatedly backed Olsen publicly despite continued disappointing performances. It's possible the management knows that their terrible personnel decisions tie Olsen's hands rather a lot. Given their complete ineptitude in the transfer market, it's not difficult to see why Olsen doesn't get as much blame as he could.

This is a team that last year started Maicon Santos and Blake Brettschneider. I think that speaks for itself.

DC isn't afraid to admit mistakes though, and they must be given some credit for that (whether they learn from them is debatable). They have released their latest ineffective signing, Raphael Augusto, from the club. What sack of meat will they sign next to clutter up their roster?

The San Jose Earthquakes have benefitted from the usual dead-cat-bounce that bad teams seem every year, beating the Rapids 2-1. It was the rare Quakes win that helps FCD in small ways in the standings, and for that we should all be grateful.

They can go back to losing now, until we need them next.

The Vancouver Whitecaps knocked gunned down the New England Revolution 4-3. This game was a goalstorm, and New England's well documented defense was in tatters by the end of it. In another odd switch, New England continued their goalscoring exploits. This time it wasn't enough to help them out, but if they can continue putting the ball in the back of the net, the Revs will feel good about their playoff chances going forward.

People won't stop talking about Darlington Nagbe's goal, but have they seen Kenny Miller's strikes? Both of his goals against the Revs were feats of pure skill, much like Nagbe's. The Caps keep slowly making progress from their poor form, and Martin Rennie seems to have relinquished his spot on the hotseat after a few morale-boosting victories.

With the Caps taking Chivas on at BC Place next week, it's shaping up to be a very good three week period in British Columbia.

Food for Thought:

With Montreal losing to Columbus, are Portland the biggest threat to our SS campaign? Or is it someone else?
How do you feel about a week that includes a win and a loss to Houston and Portland?
Are you watching the Confederations Cup? What are your thoughts on that competition?

Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas Player Ratings

Geoff Gibson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:01:10 -0000

The Portland Timbers earned what might have been their best 3 points of the season so far. On the cusp of slipping even further away from the league leaders and having to battle for one of the bottom playoff positions, they managed to raise themselves back up to where both Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas are sitting as well as provide ample distance between the rapidly rising Seattle Sounders and ever present LA Galaxy. A loss by the Colorado Rapids to the San Jose Earthquakes didn't hurt either.

So how well did everybody do in the match? Let's find out:

Starting XI

Donovan Ricketts - 9

Ryan: He read plays perfectly, came out on a couple of corners to punch the ball clear and looked like a general directing his troops. When Portland needed him to make a stop he came up with the save and all of that meant Portland captured the three points.

Michael Harrington - 6

Ryan: I thought this was a solid game for Harrington. He defended the speedy wings well and helped unlock FC Dallas' defense with timely runs. His crosses have improved and they looked dangerous.

Pa Modou Kah - 6

Geoff: Solid night for Kah. Despite FC Dallas being able to get off almost 20 shot total, 7 being on target, Kah seemed to be able to close down his targets when things got crucial. While we always expect more from our centerbacks, Kah did an admirable job against a very strong team. Still a little too much long balling, however.

Futty Danso - 7

Stacey: It was both disappointing and concerning to see Futty go off in the second half, not only because we have had enough center back injuries for one season, but also because Futty was having a solid day on the back line and looked dangerous on set pieces too.

Jack Jewsbury - 5

Geoff: Unlike Harrington, Jewsbury seemed to struggle with his position often than not. Ferreira, in particular, seemed to identify Jewsbury's position specifically as one of the weak links.

Will Johnson - 7

Geoff: Solid night for Will Johnson. Aside from a particularly bad series of events which almost allowed Dallas to score, the captain was pretty much on his game throughout. He almost earned himself another tally on his stat sheet with an impressive shot on target.

Diego Valeri - 7

Ryan: He was maestro. His passing helped unlock a solid defense and his two efforts on frame forced Fernandez to make SOTW candidate saves.

Diego Chara - 6

Geoff: As with Will Johnson, Chara also had a solid night. However, he really needs to work on his finishing. I know he doesn't find himself in these positions often, but twice he had great opportunities to score and he just wasn't able to convert.

Kalif Alhassan - 7

Stacey: Alhassan mostly resisted the urge to get too fancy with his game and the Timbers' attack was better for it. Already credited with the assist on Nagbe's goal, he almost got a second with his beautiful ball to Valeri in the 68th minute. Plus, he took a powerful shot on goal! Of course, he also curled it high and wide at least once. Baby steps.

Darlington Nagbe - 9

Stacey: Nagbe was playing with some fire in his game on Saturday, finding holes in Dallas' defense and keeping the attack flowing. Amazingly, his goal was the only shot he took all game, hugely surprising given how active he was.

Frederic Piquionne - 5

Ryan: At times he just looked a step slow but he was still a force in the air and won quite a few of the long balls. I would love to see him open his goal scoring account but I will take the assists he has been dishing as a bonus.

Subs

Andrew Jean-Baptiste - 8

Geoff: I would hazard that this was one of AJB's best games played yet. He was confident, cool and generally able to keep Dallas' chances as minimized as possible. One particular save by the youngster was probably the difference maker in the match.

Ryan Johnson - 5

Geoff: Ryan Johnson ran and ran... and ran. Not much else was done by the striker, unfortunately. I think RJ can be a really strong striker against certain teams, but with Dallas' backline he just wasn't as effective.

Ben Zemanski - N/A

Geoff: Zemanski only got a few minutes on the field and, as such, couldn't be properly rated.

What did you think about the Timbers' performance against Dallas? How would you rank them?

Colorado Rapids vs. San Jose Earthquakes - Man Of The Match Vote

UZ — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:00:04 -0000

We can't rave enough about how good the Rapids looked despite being down a man yesterday. There were plenty of great performances all around, but who was the Man of the Match? Vote below on who you think it was, I had these two candidates in mind:

Nathan Sturgis - Not only did Sturgis score a goal, but was once again superb while partnering up with Hendry Thomas. Oscar Pareja may have some selection headaches when all of his players are 100%, because breaking up that duo to get both Dillon Powers and Martin Rivero on the field may be ill-advised with how well they're playing. (Indeed, Hendry would probably be on this list, but he isn't the one with the goal on the stat sheet.)

Brian Mullan - Though I would rather have seen Marvell Wynne out on the wing and perhaps German Mera in the middle, I certainly can't fault Mullan for the performance he put on out there. He was very good at swiping away possession on the right side, made great runs forward and put in a great cross for the only goal of the game. It's just a shame that that came at the expense of Wynne giving up two softies in the middle.

So, who was your MoM? One of those guys? Someone else? Indeed, I had a few other names in mind who didn't make it only because I feel they didn't play great first halves but dominated in the second half. (Edson Buddle and Chris Klute come to mind.)

Poll

Man of the Match?

San Jose Earthquakes 2 Colorado Rapids 1 - A Spirited Loss

UZ — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:09:08 -0000

It seems like it goes against all logic, but the Rapids played some of their best soccer of the season on Saturday against the San Jose Earthquakes despite being down both a goal and a man early. It was an incredibly spirited display, but it didn't prove to be enough in the end as two defensive mishaps were enough to give the Quakes a 2-1 win at DSGP.

If anything is to blame for the loss, it's Colorado going into the game with a complete lack of sharpness. They didn't seem themselves early on in the game -- Chris Bianchi astutely said they were 'sleepwalking' through it -- and though they were accruing chances for themselves, they were also being lazy with their possession and marking in the back. Even though the Quakes aren't the Quakes of last year, they're still a team that can make you pay for that with quick counter-attacking play.

Steven Lenhart ended up doing the damage to the lazy defense. A long ball lifted to him was untouched by any Rapids, even though Marvell Wynne and Chris Klute were both in the vicinity. Both should have done better, with Klute getting a very nice chance to stick a foot in or close Lenhart down instead of letting him shoot from 24 yards out. Instead, he first flinched at the move Lenhart made and then jumped, and he may have even deflected the ball on its way to the top corner.

Atiba Harris finished off the sleepwalking in the 18th minute with an incredibly clumsy challenge on Alan Gordon, which immediately saw him red-carded. I agree with the call by the referee: the tackle was both incredibly late and completely uncaring for where the ball was despite being two-footed. A mind-bogglingly bad decision from a veteran like Harris, though it didn't seem to be a bad one in the end for the team.

The moment Harris got sent off, the team appeared to snap awake and immediately began to take charge. Only a rather mediocre first half by Edson Buddle and some decent work by Jon Busch kept the Rapids from getting that goal back.

It appeared the Colorado's chances were snuffed early in the second when the Quakes saw Sam Cronin sneak unmarked again through Marvell Wynne -- he's almost never great in the middle, but why is it Wynne always reserves his worst games at center back for the Quakes? -- and chipped over a slightly indecisive Clint Irwin in the 52nd minute.

Suddenly being down two goals didn't stop the Rapids, but only seemed to drive them harder. Attack after attack was launched by the Rapids through Martin Rivero in the center and a rejuvenated Edson Buddle, and they came incredibly close a number of times. Eventually, it paid off when Nathan Sturgis found himself open enough to smash a header home in the 67th minute off a great Brian Mullan cross.

For their part, San Jose weren't interested in playing a soccer game after that. They dove, they time-wasted, they started scuffles -- even interim head coach Mark Watson reportedly kicked a ball at Hendry Thomas after a fairly innocuous tackle. (Goes to show that you can lead the Quakes to water, but Yallop's spirit isn't going away. I think I lost the metaphor somewhere in there.) Colorado continued to press and came oh-so-close with a ton of juicy opportunities. Jaime Castrillon came on and nearly worked his magic with a stinging header in the 70th minute. Edson Buddle's oustretched leg only barely missed the equalizer in the 85th.

The team received a reception as they exited the field, and it was completely deserved despite the loss. We can only hope that we keep seeing that sort of fight as the month finishes off.

Sturgis summed it up the best while speaking to the media after the game. "We just have to take the mentality that we finished that game and bring it into the start of the next game. If we do that we’ll be fine. We’ll get something out of our next couple road games if play like we did in the second half."

We'll see when the Rapids head to Chicago.

MLS Gamethread: Week 16

Eric Flatness — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 20:00:03 -0000

I think we are far enough along in the season that we can now start projecting what results are best for the Sounders. Sure, the general rule of thumb is still "tie" but as the weeks go on, a more clear picture will continue to form.

Saturday

2:00pm
Portland Timbers-FC Dallas (ESPN2) (Game of the Week)
Two of the three teams above Seattle in the west face off, both short-handed with WCQ absences. However, the Timbers have a decided advantage in this matchup. They have the home field, they have the national attention, and they may be able to survive the Dallas attack while Blas Perez is away. The Timbers haven't lost in a long time, and they'll be extra motivated to get a psychological advantage on their upcoming US Open Cup opponents. This match could get chippy in a hurry.
Prediction: Portland
Ideal: Draw
Result:

4:00pm
DC United-Toronto FC
Single digits. These two clubs are still on single digits. One has eight points on the year, the other has SIX. If there were ever a good argument for promotion and relegation, that would be it. Yet even with such a system in place, the teams would not be put out ot their misery until the end of the season. They still have a long way to go, and this season isn't likely to end positively.
Prediction: District of Columbia
Ideal: District of Columbia
Result:

4:30pm
Columbus Crew-Montreal Impact (Univision Dep.)
It's raining goals! Hallelujah it's raining goals! Marco Di Vaio is on freaking fire, along with the rest of the Montreal Impact team currently leading the league in points per game. A three-three tie isn't completely out of the question in this one, but Columbus' recent form has me looking at a Montreal win.
Prediction: Montreal
Ideal: Columbus
Result:

6:00pm
Colorado Rapids-San Jose Earthquakes (Stream of the Week)
Two basement-dwellers make up the "Stream of the Week" this week, which in context just seems like a budget opportunity. The Rapids are in fine form without a loss in more than a month It might be worth watching as long as it doesn't feature the broadcast crew of the Earthquakes.
Prediction: Rapids
Ideal: Draw
Result:

7:00pm
Vancouver Whitecaps-New England Revolution
The Revolution have suddenly become a handful for opposing clubs. Vancouver is not as bad as their loss last week would suggest, however, and the Revs are flying across the country into perhaps the fourth most intimidating atmosphere in Major League Soccer. I still expect the Whitecaps to make the playoffs, but if that is in their plans, they need to start winning now, against a club that hasn't lost in five.
Prediction: Draw
Ideal: Revolution
Result:

Colorado Rapids vs San Jose Earthquakes - Game Preview

Richard Terry — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 14:00:04 -0000

The Colorado Rapids will look to extend their league unbeaten run to seven games as they welcome the San Jose Earthquakes to Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday evening. It will be the start of a new era for San Jose as Mark Watson will take over the coaching duties after the club parted ways with Frank Yallop.

Colorado (5-4-5) should be well rested, having not played a match on the weekend. The United States national team had a pair of world cup qualifiers and the majority of MLS clubs did not feature over the past week in terms of league play. Defender Shane O'Neill is with the United States U-20 national team and recently scored a goal against Portugal in the final tune-up match before the U-20 World Cup.

San Jose (3-6-6) have struggled in 2013 and the club parted ways with Frank Yallop for the second time in their history. Despite winning the Supporter's Shield trophy last year, the Canadian coach has struggled to get the best out of his team as the club are second from bottom in the Western Conference standings.

The Rapids could receive a boost as Jaime Castrillon is healthy and could feature in the game day squad. Chilean midfielder Kevin Harbottle recently scored a hat-trick in a reserve game and could also available for selection. With a win, the Rapids would get back into playoff contention in the West, with the top five teams from each conference earning a playoff berth.