WVHooligan - Soccer Blog

A weekend full of mostly conference battles, a couple interconference games to notice. Week 12 is the typical spread that we are use to with five on Saturday and one lone game on Sunday. The biggest thing we can note is a bunch of rivalry games this weekend across the board.

I will try to keep this a bit shorter than normal, as I am currently working on a couple other things that I am hoping to get out today if time permits me to (plus there’s the Holland/France game going on that I really want to watch!).

So let’s get down to it:

Colorado Rapids – at – Toronto FC: Lots and lots and lots of callups here for this game. Both coaches will have to get creative with their lineups to make up for all the players missing. Judging by the list from the game preview, I honestly don’t know who has the edge in this one:

NTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: COL: Bouna Coundoul (Senegal; v Liberia, June 15); Pablo Mastroeni (USA; v Barbados, June 15); Ugo Ihemelu (Canada; v St. Vincent & Grenadines, June 15) … TOR: Jim Brennan, Greg Sutton (Canada; v St. Vincent & Grenadines, June 15) ; Amado Guevara (Honduras; v. Puerto Rico, June 14); Maurice Edu (USA; v Barbados, June 15); Tyrone Marshall (Jamaica; v Bahamas, June 15)

Judge for yourself. I have to say though I like Toronto’s chances being at home for this one, even without all the players who were called up. I’m also curious to see how the fans in Toronto react to Don Garber’s issue on streamers at the games.

I’m going with the home side in this one. Colorado’s inconsistent play hurts them more than helps them here. Though if Christian Gomez gets any sort of space to work with it could be a long day for the home side. I’m looking for Jeff Cunningham to net his 100th career goal in this one.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 2, Colorado 1

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New York Red Bulls – at – DC United: The old Atlantic Cup rivals clash. One of the better rivalries in this league really. Highly underrated in my book. Not too many callups to mention for either team but a couple United players are suspended for this one after last week’s crazy card fest in Chicago with the Fire.

Let’s face it, this one could be kind of ugly. I’m not entirely thrilled with either defense but if I had to pick a side right now it would be DC. They’re starting to pick things up nicely here based on the last couple of weeks and their road win in Chicago last weekend was a big one. Not only for their place in the standings but in terms of confidence.

Luciano Emilio is back in my opinion and he is the difference in this one. New York is still too banged up and they honestly don’t have the offense to hang with DC for 90 minutes right now.

WVH Prediction: DC 3, NY 1

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Columbus Crew – at – Kansas City Wizards: KC finally returns home after two months of road pain. The club needs a win and they host a club that needs a goal more than anything right now. Columbus is goalless and winless in their last four. The Wizards also need a win as they haven’t won in almost two months of play.

Columbus has sort of an injury issue right now to go along with their scoring issue. Those things don’t add up well for the Crew.

I like KC back at home here, the home crowd should be a positive boost for this club. Claudio Lopez should be able find the back of the net to get the Wizards back on track here this season.

WVH Prediction: KC 1, Columbus 0

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LA Galaxy – at – San Jose Earthquakes: Nothing like the second edition of the California Clasíco this season. Both clubs are playing pretty well as of late. San Jose will rely on the fact that the Galaxy are still without leading scorer Landon Donovan.

The key factor though in this game is David Beckham and who scores off of his crosses. While I think San Jose has the defense to handle LA and their attack, I just wonder if their offense is going to be able to keep up with the Galaxy’s. We didn’t see it in LA and I wonder really if the home field advantage will help the Quakes or not.

I’m going with the visitors by a slim margin though. San Jose has impressed me lately but they need to find more consistent shooting on offense to beat a club like LA. Even with the win last week I wasn’t thrilled with their offense, but I will say they did make the most out of their few chances against the Crew. LA is going to be a good test for that consistent offense I think.

WVH Prediction: LA 2, San Jose 1

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Real Salt Lake – at – Chivas USA: One of the better home sides takes on the worst road side. Yeah, listen, RSL wants to be in the mix but still hasn’t shown us they deserve to be in the mix here. Even last weekend at home against the Wizards they didn’t show us enough.

If they want to then this is the perfect place and time to do so. They’ve never won in LA against Chivas and also have yet to win on the road this season. You can’t go almost half of the year without a road win and expect to be in the mix for the playoffs.

I like Chivas at home for those reasons against RSL. Chivas had an easy time earlier in the year against RSL and I see that trend continuing with the likes of Jorge Flores and Jesse Marsch.

WVH Prediction: Chivas 2, RSL 0

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Chicago Fire – at – FC Dallas: Ah, a game I will be at (hopefully some live coverage too on Sunday!). The ol’ Brimstone Cup between the Fire and Hoops. Dallas has practically owned this series in recent years. I think this season it will change though with the coaching situation in Dallas right now. Plus Dallas has yet to play Blano since he’s been in MLS.

Blanco should be the difference maker in this one as Dallas has no been a consistent club at home this season. Chicago is also the only undefeated club on the road this year. I look for that to continue on Sunday, that is unless Kenny Cooper has anything to say about not being called up in the US national team camp this week. That could play a factor in this one.

Chicago steals one in Dallas for a change, their first win (I think) at Pizza Hut Park too.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 2, Dallas 1

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