(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images for New York Red Bulls)
Eight games this week. Eight.
There are only 15 teams in MLS.
And three of these teams (TFC, Columbus, and Chivas), have the weekend off. Chivas, three games behind many teams in the west, obviously needed this break, seeing as they were on a two-month vacation that ended three weeks ago. The obvious thing to do is to keep them further back in the schedule, cramming more games into them at the end of the season. This is some brilliant scheduling, MLS.
Apparently the BCS computer does some work in its offseason.
But, to its credit, the schedule does have some appetizing matchups, and this week’s marquee matchup features the Colorado Rapids (30 Pts/20 GP) flowing into Toyota Park to face the Chicago Fire (35 Pts/21 GP). Both teams are currently stuck in the persistent logjam for playoff contention in their respective conferences.
The Fire can keep pace with Columbus and separate themselves from the hungry pack with a win, while the Rapids can keep up with the top tier with a win on the road in Chicago.
What makes this matchup even more interesting is that both teams don’t do well in their given position this match. Hosts Chicago have done amazingly on the road (6-2-4, 22 pts) but not so amazing at home (3-2-4, 13 pts). Conversely, Colorado use their altitude to their advantage (6-2-3, 21 pts at home), but succeed little without it (2-4-3, nine pts on the road).
Still, this game will be scintillating because Colorado have hit a run of fine form lately, thumping positional rivals Chivas USA 4-0 at home. They have found rising international stars Kosuke Kimura and Mehdi Ballouchy to complement the attacking firepower of Colin Clark and Conor “I can only be a great player in MLS” Casey (It’s not bitter if it’s true).
Chicago, still without Captain America Brian McBride, will come into this match tired from a comfortable win over the Galaxy (more on that below). But, regardless of the Fire-Galaxy result tonight, the Fire has proven resilient and fit during busy weekends earlier this season, and I see no reason why this won’t continue on Sunday.
Result: Fire 2-2 Rapids. That is, unless the Rapids’ great form continues into this week, which, seeing a chance for revenge against a tired opponent, it will.
As you may notice, there is no guest prognosticator for this week, as I was so surprised at a Wednesday fixture that I forgot to send out the word to the MLS community. But the first to respond with corresponding predictions below before the Galaxy-Fire fixture tonight will be counted as the guest prognosticator’s scores for this week. Feel free to add your own humorous jabs at the fixtures this week, as well.
As for the rest of Week 23’s fixtures:
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