Preseason is in full swing with nearly every MLS club in action this past week. Here we present a club-by-club recap of the week's scrimmage action.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
CHICAGO FIRE
In their first preseason match of 2011, the Fire drew Florida Gulf Coast University, 2-2, on Thursday. Playing three 30-minute intervals, midfielder Marco Pappa and defender Kwame Watson-Siriboe tallied for Chicago.
COLUMBUS CREW
The Crew signed all four of their 2011 MLS SuperDraft signings this week. One of those players, Justin Meram, tallied a brace in a 4-2 loss to the Houston Dynamo on Thursday in Arizona. It was their final preseason tuneup before facing RSL in the Champions League quarterfinals this coming Tuesday.
WATCH: Meram, Warzycha discuss defeat to Houston
The Crew also fell to the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, on Monday in a match that saw the return of goalkeeper William Hesmer.
[inlinenode:328856]D.C. UNITED
The big news in the Nation's Capital on Wednesday was the signing of US forward Charlie Davies on a one-year loan deal.
After spending 13 days in Florida, the team headed out to Oxnard, Calif., on Wednesday to continue its preseason preparations.
HOUSTON DYNAMO
One of the busier teams this past week, the Dynamo began their week in Arizona with a 3-1 defeat of Sporting Kansas City on Tuesday. Jason Garey and Andrew Hainault both scored for Houston, with a third coming via an OG by Sporting trialist Daneil Cyrus.
The goals continued as they romped over the Crew, 4-2, on Thursday via goals from Cruz, Eddie Robinson, Brian Ching and Garey. The chippy, three-period affair saw Lovel Palmer and JeVaughn Watson ejected for Houston, with Andres Mendoza seeing red for Columbus.
WATCH: Kinnear, Garey discuss win
The Dynamo wrapped up their week with a 0-0 tie against the Portland Timbers on Saturday, though the game was marred by an afternoon sandstorm.
WATCH: Houston vs. Portland recap
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
The Revs began their preseason preparations on a high note as rookie Ryan Kinne and captain Shalrie Joseph scored in a 2-0 win over the University of Central Florida on Friday night in Orlando, Fla.
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The Red Bulls wrapped up their Mexico trip with a 3-2 defeat at Primera División powerhouses Chivas de Guadalajara on Tuesday night. It was their first preseason defeat of 2011.
New York had paced a 2-0 first-half lead through Dane Richards and Juan Agudelo, but the Goats rallied in the closing 20 minutes to score three unanswered goals.
PHILADELPHIA UNION
The Union lost their first preseason match of 2011, falling to Orlando City SC, 1-0, on Saturday night in Florida. New signing Carlos Valdés was ejected early, forcing Philadelphia to play a man down for much of the match.
[inlinenode:328514]SPORTING KANSAS CITY
Perhaps the most significant news out of Sporting's camp was the injury to Teal Bunbury.
The second-year striker dislocated his elbow in a collision with Houston defender Andrew Hainault in a 3-1 loss to the Dynamo on Tuesday. Bunbury will likely miss 2-4 weeks. Chance Myers tallied KC's lone goal in the defeat.
WATCH: Houston vs. Kansas City recap
Later in the day, Sporting fell to the US U-18s, 1-0.
TORONTO FC
The Reds returned from their preseason camp in Turkey and began preparations for the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic in Florida. The tournament kicks off on Thursday.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
CHIVAS USA
The Goats finished off their week in Arizona with a 1-0 defeat of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Jesus Padilla tallied with a late breakaway goal. New signing Heath Pearce enjoyed his first action for Chivas after joining the club from FC Dallas on Tuesday.
WATCH: The Daily Extra recaps Chivas vs Vancouver
The Red and White began their Arizona visit with a 2-0 loss to Western Conference foes Real Salt Lake on Tuesday, with veteran Jimmy Conrad netting an OG.
WATCH: Fraser, Boyens discuss loss to RSL
COLORADO RAPIDS
Conor Casey bagged a brace in the Rapids' 4-2 defeat of the LA Galaxy on Wednesday in Arizona. Irish international Caleb Folan continued to impress on his trial by scoring Colorado's third, while another trialist, Steven Emory, wrapped up proceedings with his second goal this week.
WATCH: The Daily Extra breaks down Colorado vs. LA
On Tuesday, the Rapids used goals from Sanny Nyassi and Emory to ease past the Columbus Crew, 2-0. Later in the day, Colorado fielded a team of trialists that fell to the US U-18s, 1-0.
[inlinenode:328816]FC DALLAS
Just days after a disappointing 4-0 loss to their Texas rivals Houston Dynamo, Dallas romped past Houston Baptist, 4-1, on Tuesday. Milton Rodriguez tallied twice, with newcomer Ricardo Villar and Bruno Guarda completing the scoring.
The team wrapped up the week with a solid 3-1 defeat of head coach Schellas Hyndman's previous employer, SMU. Rookie forward Ruben Luna had a goal and an assist while Milton Rodriguez scored his third goal in two games. Zach Loyd added a third.
LA GALAXY
Landon Donovan and Adam Cristman each scored to turn back a 2-0 deficit to the Rapids in Arizona on Wednesday, but Colorado were able to respond with two unanswered goals to win 4-2. Donovan's first tally of the preseason came from the PK spot after he was fouled by Kosuke Kimura.
WATCH: The Daily Extra breaks down Colorado vs. LA
The Galaxy also played a number of casual scrimmages against the US U-18s, and their Sunday afternoon fixture against the Vancouver Whitecaps was canceled.
[inlinenode:329106]PORTLAND TIMBERS
The Timbers braved a sand storm during a scrimmage against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday to wrap up a week of training in Arizona. Kenny Cooper made playing debut in Portland colors in the 0-0 tie.
WATCH: Portland vs. Houston recap
REAL SALT LAKE
In their final tuneup before heading to Columbus to face the Crew in Champions League action, RSL eased past Chivas USA, 2-0, in Arizona on Tuesday.
After benefiting from Jimmy Conrad's own goal in the 62nd minute, Will Johnson turned in a loose ball to double the score in the 70th.
WATCH: Will Johnson discusses win, plus highlights
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
The Quakes ended the week in London, where they are training at partner club Tottenham Hotspur's facilities.
On Tuesday they romped past nearby university side Cal, 4-0, with 2010 Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski opening the scoring. An unnamed trialist then bagged a brace before another trialist completed the rout.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS
The Sounders left their training facility in Tukwila, Wash., for Bradenton, Fla., on Friday where they started the second leg of the preseason.
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
The Whitecaps arrived at the Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz., midweek to prepare for a trio of weekend scrimmages.
After stumbling to a late goal in a 1-0 defeat to Chivas on Friday, Vancouver battled to a 2-2 tie with the US U-18s on Saturday. Long Tan scored the game's first goal before his team fell behind midway through the second half. Brazilian trialist Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo buried the equalizer in the 72nd minute.
