With Copa America Centenario coming to a close and the MLS regular season not yet at the halfway point, Saturday's crucial slate of Eastern Conference contests might have slipped under your radar. Here's a breakdown of the near-simultaneous starts:
D.C. United vs. New England Revolution
RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
7pm ET | MLS LIVE
The Revs were stuck in neutral to start the season, generating a league-leading seven ties through 10 games - Orlando City (8) has since passed them - before finally finding fifth gear with three wins in their last four MLS matches. It's no coincidence that coincides with the surprise addition of striker Kei Kamara. With D.C. defender Steve Birnbaum still on Copa duty for the US national team, expect Kamara to take advantage in the air on Saturday in the nation's capital.
As for United, they've been muddling through a 2-3-2 stretch, just enough to keep them around the Red Line in this year's East. A victory puts D.C. firmly in the playoff pack, while a home loss likely would leave them wondering where they'll pick up the dropped points, since they're already 3-4-1 at RFK. Though D.C. put up a 3-spot on New England back in April, they've been shut out twice in a row and four times in their last six. #FreeLucho
Columbus Crew SC vs. New York Red Bulls
MAPFRE Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
7:30pm ET | MLS LIVE
The last time these two teams touched the same field, we all witnessed Columbus advancing to MLS Cup 2015 at the Red Bulls' expense. The squads now return to MAPFRE Stadium, where that RBNY backslide began – just 9 seconds in to the opening leg – to leave a sour tinge on a surprise Supporters' Shield run. Though New York opened 2016 on a 1-6-0 slide, they've stampeded through a 6-2-1 stretch that has rushed them up to second in the East (22 points). Sacha Kljestan is the league's only double-digit assist man, and could threaten Carlos Valderrama's status as the only MLSer to top 20 in a single season.
Columbus, now beyond the spot of all that juicy penalty drama, have settled in with Ola Kamara up top, though they've been unable to produce wins, just 1-2-4 in their last seven. Crew SC have spent all season leaving points on the board, a lonely two-win streak in mid-April preceded by an opening 0-3-2 stretch. Yet in the flattened-out East, a victory puts them right back in the pack. Another loss, and we're quickly approaching time to break out the calculators.
Orlando City SC vs. Toronto FC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
7:30pm ET | MLS LIVE
Kaká is back.
After a week of full training, that's how Orlando City says they're approaching Saturday's match against Toronto FC. After an emotional week in The City Beautiful, the Lions host a team they're chasing from below the Red Line, and a fourth straight draw -- all 2-2(!) -- just won't be enough.
Toronto broke out of a mini-funk (0-2-2) with a win against the LA Galaxy last week, and Sebastian Giovinco should continue to do Sebastian Giovinco things against Orlando's leaky defense. A year ago, all three matches ended with TFC victories (with an 11-1 goal differential), and another would allow the Reds to solidify their position as a conference leader, rather than another squad stuck in the East's middling muck.
