MLS Review: San Jose earns point at RSL

Posted Jun 26, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Jun 26, 2010 at 10:47 AM

After a two-week break, Major League Soccer resumed on Friday night as San Jose traveled to Utah to face Real Salt Lake.

SAN JOSE 0, REAL SALT LAKE 0: RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando earned his side a point, making eight saves to earn his third straight shutout, but his side could, and maybe should, have allowed the goalkeeper to take his 100th victory in MLS with Fabien Espindola missing a golden opportunity to give his side all three points.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

D.C. UNITED (3-8-1) AT COLUMBUS (6-2-3): After a terrible start to the season, D.C. United started to turn its form around just before the break, going 2-0-1 in its final three games. That form continued through the break as it defeated AC Milan and El Salvador’s national team, leaving it undefeated in its last six matched.

While top of the Eastern Conference, Columbus was moving in the other direction as the break approached, and will be trying to snap a three-game winless streak. The Crew are fully healthy against, with Frankie Hejduk and Danny O’Rourke available to return to the line-up.

LOS ANGELES (10-1-2) AT TORONTO (5-4-2): The Galaxy dropped their final game before the break, their only loss of the season, to Real Salt Lake but should field a similar side to the team that took the field for that contest. Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle are still on World Cup duty, while Mike Magee is unavailable after sports hernia surgery.

Toronto earned a 0-0 draw against the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center earlier this season, and are undefeated at BMO Field this season going 4-0-1 in MLS. They could be slightly under-strength tonight, though, as forwards Chad Barrett and O’Brien White and midfielders Julian de Guzman and Joseph Nane are all questionable due to injury. 

COLORADO (6-3-2) AT HOUSTON (5-7-1): The Dynamo were struggling to find consistency for most of the first half of the season, but entered the break on a three-game losing streak, conceding nine goals in those three games. As a result, the side has tried to focus on tightening up defensively over the break, something that will be necessary with Connor Casey and Omar Cummings coming to Robertson Stadium.

The Rapids crept up the standings with a good string of form right before the break, going undefeated in their last four outings. That was partially built on the back of good defensive performances, the Rapids have conceded the second-fewest goals in the league (9), allowing the side to grind out three straight 1-0 wins before a 2-2 tie against Chicago in its last outing.

NEW YORK (7-5-0) AT KANSAS CITY (3-5-3): The Wizards snapped an eight-game winless streak with a 2-0 victory against Philadelphia in their final game before the break, and according to the team that has re-energized practice over the two-week World Cup break.

“It was the win, man,” midfielder Davy Arnaud told the Kansas City Star. “We didn’t say it before, but everybody knew how huge that game was. That win was big because we’re back in it.”

Now they have a chance to get back into playoff contention as the Red Bulls come to town. New York won its last two games entering the break, including a 1-0 victory against Chivas USA on June 5, and are tied with Columbus with 21 points at the top of the Eastern Conference.

DALLAS (3-2-6) AT CHIVAS USA (3-8-1): Dallas will have a chance to pick up all three points against a Chivas USA side that will be without two key players for tonight’s contest at the Home Depot Center. Jonathan Bornstein will return to the side after the World Cup, but Sacha Kljestan is gone for good after being sold to Belgian side Anderlecht during the World Cup break.

Dallas earned a 2-0 victory against San Jose in its final outing before the break, and Coach Shellas Hyndman is hoping that his attack will have gotten on track as a result. Dallas has scored only 13 goals in 11 games this season, and will need to improve that rate to get back into playoff contention.