With 12 matches and 22 teams, this week offers a slew of storylines.
Let's get right into it -- here are the top stories we'll be watching around MLS in Week 11:
Toronto FC vs. Minnesota United FC
Saturday, 3:00 pm ET | CTV in Canada, MLS LIVE in the US
There’ll be no rest for the weary in Toronto, who will follow up Wednesday’s nightcap in Ohio with an afternoon affair back at BMO on Saturday against Minnesota United FC. Under normal circumstances, Toronto would be heavy home favorites against the Loons.
These, of course, aren’t quite normal circumstances. TFC will be playing their fifth match in two weeks, while Minnesota have won two of their last three and are coming off of an impressive 2-0 victory against SKC on Sunday. If there were ever a time for Minnesota – who are 0-3-2 on the road this year – to steal a road point, it’s Saturday.
Colorado Rapids vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Saturday, 4:00 pm ET | Facebook.com, UniMas in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada
Last year’s second-place finish in the Supporters’ Shield race and run to the Western Conference Championship series feels like ancient history for Colorado. They've lost five matches in a row and sit in last in the league with a putrid 1-6-1 record. Their defense hasn’t been bad, but their attack has given them zero margin for error.
The Rapids have been shut out in three straight matches, and have only scored five goals all season. They’ll face a stiff test in San Jose, who have recorded two straight shutout wins and have only conceded 10 times all season, tied for fourth-fewest in the league.
Montreal Impact vs. Columbus Crew SC
Saturday, 5:00 pm ET | TVA Sports in Canada, MLS LIVE in the US
After hosting Toronto on Wednesday, Columbus’ all-Canada week will continue in Quebec on Saturday, when they’ll take on the Montreal Impact at Stade Saputo. It’s been an up-and-down year for the Bleu-Blanc-Noir, who haven’t really been able to find a groove yet.
They’ll have a chance to change that on Saturday, as they’re coming off of a positive, 1-0 away win at D.C. last weekend. They'll also likely have new acquisition Blerim Dzemaili – a potential season-changer in the attack – available after he arrived from Italy earlier this week. Dzemaili will dominate the discussion in Montreal, but it’ll be interesting to see how Gregg Berhalter rotates his Crew SC squad as they wrap up a three-game week.
D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union
Saturday, 7:00 pm ET | MLS LIVE
Nine months and 15 matches since their last regular season win, Philadelphia finally, mercifully, cathartically got in the win column on Saturday, with C.J. Sapong bagging a hat trick to lead the Union to a 3-0 home victory against the New York Red Bulls. The win lifted a huge weight off the shoulders for Philly, who are now just five points out of a playoff spot.
Now, the big question: Can they follow up their first win of 2017 with a road result at a D.C. team that’s gotten off to a somewhat erratic start? United are in the middle of the pack in the East, but backed up their surprising 3-1 win at Atlanta with a drab 1-0 home loss to Montreal last week. Ben Olsen’s still searching for consistency, and he could use a solid result on Saturday with a tough stretch of opponents looming.
Orlando City SC vs. Sporting Kansas City
Saturday, 7:00 pm ET | MLS LIVE
It was a rough week for Orlando, who entered Week 10 with the Supporters’ Shield lead and closed the round with a pair of defeats – including a 4-0 thrashing at Houston – to take some of the shine off their solid start. Sporting KC also played a couple of games, handling the Red Bulls at home on Wednesday before slipping up in a 2-0 loss at Minnesota on Sunday.
Both sides will have a full week to lick their wounds and prep for Saturday’s match, with Orlando looking to improve to 6-0-0 at Orlando City Stadium and SKC’s stingy defense aiming to lock down the Lions, who have scored just 11 times this year.
New England Revolution vs. Real Salt Lake
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE
A pair of teams sliding in the wrong direction will square off at Gillette on Saturday, with New England looking to end their five-game winless run against RSL, who are limping into the weekend on a three-game losing streak. Salt Lake have struggled mightily in their skid, getting outscored 9-1 in their three losses – two of which, including last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to FC Dallas – came at home.
Things haven’t been much better in New England, who blew a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 at Seattle a couple of weeks ago before losing 2-0 at Columbus last week. Juan Agudelo has been solid for the Revs, but they need to find answers in the back – they’ve conceded seven goals in their last three – if they want to make a charge.
Chicago Fire vs. Seattle Sounders
Saturday, 9:00 pm ET | ESPN2 in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada
Not many would’ve had this match circled on their calendar before the season started. Funny how adding a world legend changes things. After going 0-2-1 on a three-game road trip, Bastian Schweinsteiger and the Fire will return home to host the Seattle Sounders on Saturday.
While they went winless on the trip, Chicago did manage a draw in their final game, getting a point from the Galaxy in a 2-2 draw at LA on Saturday. Nemanja Nikolic and David Accam keyed that result with a pair of early goals, and they’ll look to keep things rolling on Saturday against the Sounders, who fell 1-0 at home to a shorthanded Toronto team on Saturday.
That loss dropped Seattle to 2-3-4 on the year, putting them in eighth in the West. It’s far too early to seriously fret, but the Sounders aren’t exactly hoping for the same start they had last year. A result on Saturday would help ease any lingering concerns.
Portland Timbers vs. Atlanta United FC
Sunday, 4:00 pm ET | ESPN in the US, TSN2 in Canada
After starting the season by looking like one of the best expansion teams in MLS history, Atlanta have fallen back to earth a bit over the past month, losing their last two and three of their last four to slip to seventh in the East. The Five Stripes are coming off back-to-back 3-1 losses, including a defeat at New York City FC on Sunday.
The Timbers suffered an even worse loss their last time out, falling 3-0 at San Jose on Saturday. Portland didn’t have Diego Valeri due to injury in that match, and they’ll hope the Argentine playmaker will be able to return against Atlanta and their high-priced attackers for what should be an exciting, up-and-down match at Providence Park.
New York Red Bulls vs. LA Galaxy
Sunday, 6:00 pm ET | FS1 in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada
The Galaxy’s 2-2 home draw against Chicago on Saturday wasn’t an ideal result, but it may have proven a turning point. The Galaxy recovered from an early 2-0 deficit, a quick hook for Jelle Van Damme, and a first-half injury to Jermaine Jones to come back and tie the Fire. That prompted head coach Curt Onalfo to declare that LA “became a team” on Saturday night.
We’ll see how long that lasts. Playing at New York is always a tough test, especially as they face a talented Red Bulls team that will be motivated and hungry at home after losing a pair of road games last week.
FC Dallas vs. New York City FC
Sunday, 8:00 pm ET | FS1 in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada
Nearly a quarter of the way through their season, FC Dallas are still unbeaten. Oscar Pareja’s group had a relatively easy time of it last week, cruising to a 3-0 victory at Real Salt Lake last Saturday to improve to 5-0-3. NYCFC had a similarly simple week, getting goals from David Villa, Rodney Wallace and Maxi Moralez to beat Atlanta 3-1 and record their third win in four matches.
The reigning MVP’s matchup against FCD center backs Walker Zimmerman and Matt Hedges will be fascinating on Sunday, and the battle on the flanks between FCD’s dangerous wingers and NYCFC’s flank players should be plenty interesting, too. This will be a great early benchmark for two of the league’s most talented teams.
