Rivalries and the Supporters' Shield chase highlight the weekend's MLS action.
It is the start of a week full of rivalry matches in Major League Soccer that starts with a pair of MLS originals and ends with a decades-old regional clash in the Northwest.
However, there are other matches this weekend with Supporters’ Shield implications, as well, and here is a look at some of the highlight games of the weekend.
New England Revolution @ New York Red Bulls (Saturday; 4 pm PT; MLS Live)
The Supporters’ Shield leaders are on a five-game unbeaten streak after New York posted a 1-1 draw with Sounders FC last week at CenturyLink Field. On Saturday, they face the Revs at Red Bull Arena, where New York has gone a perfect 4-0-0 against New England since it was opened in 2010. Meanwhile New England is battling for a playoff spot and sits just one point out of the No. 5 spot in the East. Saer Sene is catching fire at the right time for New England, with two goals and three assists in the last four matches.
FC Dallas @ Real Salt Lake (Saturday; 6 pm PT; MLS Live)
Salt Lake holds the top spot in the West by virtue of its 54 goals, bettering the 39 goals by Seattle to win the second tie-breaker. Seattle and Salt Lake are even on points and just one point behind New York. RSL will look to bounce back from a devastating loss to DC United in the US Open Cup final on Tuesday, while Dallas has lost three straight matches to fall to eighth in the West, trailing the fifth spot by five points, so a loss would all but seal its fate as playoff outsiders. The two teams split games in Texas earlier this year and this is the only meeting at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Chivas USA @ LA Galaxy (Sunday; 2 pm PT; UniMas)
These teams are mismatched in the standings, but this is the SuperClasico, so Chivas should be primed for a good match. LA has won nine of the last 11 matches between the two clubs and has gone 1-0-1 this year. The Galaxy is winless in its last four matches after a 1-0 loss to the Timbers on Sunday, dropping to fourth in the West and just one point ahead of the San Jose Earthquakes, who are two spots back and out of the playoff picture in sixth.
Portland Timbers @ Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Sunday; 5 pm PT; Root Sports, locally – MLS Live, nationally)
It’s the start of a week-long Cascadia Cup extravaganza in Vancouver that will walk its way down the coast for a mid-week bout between the Whitecaps FC and Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field on Wednesday and conclude with Seattle meeting Portland at JELD-WEN Field on October 13. The Timbers are in third in the Cascadia Cup standings at 0-1-3 (3 points), but have never lost to Vancouver in seven MLS matches. Vancouver (1-1-2, 5 points) is second behind Seattle (2-1-1, 7 points) in the Cascadia Cup race. In the Western Conference standings, the Timbers have climbed to third with 49 points and sit four points ahead of the fourth and fifth place teams, giving them some breathing room as they push for their first ever playoff berth. Vancouver, meanwhile, is fighting for a postseason spot in seventh with 41 points, four points below the playoff line.
