As we're in the midst of the international break, the MLS schedule is light this weekend as there are only four games on tap. Here's what you can expect from them.
San Jose Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas
Saturday, June 8 (3:30 pm ET | Univision, Twitter, MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
Matias Almeyda's rebuild is well and truly underway in the South Bay, where the Earthquakes enter the weekend with a chance to leap above the playoff line for the first time since they won their opening match of 2018.
Chris Wondolowski and Matias Almeyda | USA Today Sports Images
Chris Wondolowski has turned back the clock over the last three matches, scoring the Quakes' last seven goals. He also had a potential late matchwinner disallowed (correctly) for an offside decision at D.C. United's Audi Field last Saturday.
Meanwhile, FC Dallas head west having finally snapped a six-game slide with a 2-1 victory over the Sounders, in which no Dallas player found his name on the scoresheet. Instead, it was own goals five minutes apart by Xavier Arreaga and Brad Smith that staked Luchi Gonzalez's squad to their first victory since beating Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on April 20.
Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls
Saturday, June 8 (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in the US, MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
It's both a rivalry clash and a meeting of two legit East contenders at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday. While RBNY tend to look across the Hudson at NYCFC or south at D.C. United as their chief antagonists, they're squarely in the crosshairs of their cross-Jersey counterparts the Union, who like to beat up on Red Bull-themed vehicles and whose fans are staging a pre-match bonfire to welcome this weekend's visitors.
Philly are 4-1-2 since the start of May and want to enter the Gold Cup break on a high note; however they haven't beaten RBNY in league play in more than two years. The Red Bulls, meanwhile, are riding a 4-0-1 unbeaten streak and have looked a lot more like their traditional selves in recent weeks as they've steadily climbed the table following a weak start to 2019.
Colorado Rapids vs. Minnesota United
Saturday, June 8 (9 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in the US, MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
What to make of Minnesota? The Loons posted some impressive wins early in the season that left observers confident that they should be taken seriously in 2019. Yet they've been stubbornly streaky, as personified by the slumping Darwin Quintero, and are now losers of two straight as they make a visit to Mile High country that looks a lot more tricky than it might've a few short weeks ago.
That's because interim coach Conor Casey has turned the Rapids around in a big way, shifting their tactics towards a more reactive model that's helped them reel off a four-game unbeaten streak starting with their very first win of the season on May 19. Colorado may feel confident of pulling off another feat against the Loons, who are missing key contributors Rasmus Schuller, Romain Metanire, Jan Gregus and Kevin Molino to international duty.
