Saturday, May 4
Tampa Bay at MetroStars
Location: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (EST)
Television: MSG; WTMV-32 Tampa
Satellite: Satcom C4, Tr. 6
Injuries: MetroStars — G Tony Meola (mild shoulder separation) is probable, M Ted Gillen (torn hamstring) and M Nidal Baba (strained groin) are out. Tampa Bay — D Tayt Ianni (sprained knee) and M Peter Hattrup (torn ACL and MCL) are out.
Preview: A midfield duel between Tampa’s Carlos Valderrama and the newest MetroStar, Italian Roberto Donadoni… Will the erstwhile Milan star’s arrival jump-start a dormant MetroStars offense that has managed just one goal in three games?… The combination of Donadoni and U.S. midfielder Tab Ramos (who played well in his MLS debut last week, but had a potential game-tying penalty saved by Columbus’ Bo Oshoniyi) could be something special… MetroStars keeper Tony Meola’s shoulder should be well enough for him to start… Tampa is looking to rebound from its 2-1 home loss to Dallas.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS:
MetroStars — Meola, Caricola, Harty, Knowles, Donadoni, Joseph, Kydes, Vermes, Ramos, Savarrese, Hernandez.
Tampa Bay — Dougherty, Diffley, Pittman, Kooiman, Yallop, Vasquez, Ralston, Wise, Valderrama, Viera, Lassiter.
Prediction: The MetroStars finally break into the win column with a 2-1 victory before 50,000 (weather permitting).
San Jose at New England
Location: Foxboro Stadium
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (EST)
Television: KICU-36 San Jose, WABU-68 Boston
Injuries: New England — D Iain Fraser (groin surgery) is out, F Giuseppe Galderisi (sprained knee) is probable; San Jose — D Rafael Amaya (strained knee ligament) and M Paul Holocher (torn ACL) are out.
Preview: The loss of Paul Holocher means the Clash, already struggling in midfield, will have more trouble creating opportunities for gifted striker Eric Wynalda, who hasn’t scored since his gamewinner in the opener… Look for Jamaican Altimont “Freddy” Butler to start in Holocher’s place… Troy Dayak should be back in defense, allowing Nigerian Ben Iroha to move forward… The Revolution look to make it two wins in a row before the home fans at Foxboro Stadium… Keeper Aiden Heaney, called up from the USISL 2 games ago for suspended Jim St. Andre, started again last week and made 3 shootout saves to preserve the victory… Heaney leads MLS with a 0.50 goals against average… Expect New England’s Brazilian midfielder Welton to cause San Jose problems with his speedy runs.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS:
New England — Heaney, Ibsen, Lalas, Burns, Weiszmann, Aunger, DeBrito, Woodring, Galderisi, Ukrop, Welton.
San Jose — Liner, Emenalo, Martin, Dayak, Doyle, Bravo, Iroha, Butler, Rodas, Mella, Wynalda.
Prediction: The Revolution rides again: 1-0.
Sunday, May 5
Kansas City at Colorado
Location: Mile High Stadium
Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. (EST)
Television: K.C. American Cablevision (WIZ TV)
Satellite: none.
Injuries: Colorado — D Brian Bates (strained hamstring), D Scott Cannon (bone spur removal), and M Felipe Rodriguez (sprained knee) are out; Kansas City — none reported before Thursday’s game with Columbus.
Preview: The Rapids will be looking to avenge their season-opening 3-0 loss at Arrowhead stadium, when they didn’t have Marcelo Balboa… Roy Wegerle will not start, but may see more substantial time than his previous seven-
minute stint… Mike Sorber and Mo Johnston both made dramatically successful Kansas City debuts in the 6-4 win over Columbus on Thursday, as Johnston found the net twice, and Sorber’s 35-yard blast turned out to be the gamewinner… Preki’s two goals and two assists in the victory is the top MLS individual performance of the season so far… Defender Samuel Ekeme will be back for the Wiz after a one-game red card suspension… Kansas City may have trouble playing in the Denver altitude on just two days’ rest.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS:
Colorado — Hudock, Butterworth, Edwards, Trittschuh, Hamlett, Kmosko, Balboa, Henderson, Benedetti, Harbor, Bartlett.
Kansas City — Harrington, Reasoner, Okafor, Bowers, Ekeme, Sorber, Chung, Preki, Wright, Takawira, Johnston.
Prediction: Rapids roll 3-1.
Columbus at Dallas
Location: Cotton Bowl
Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. (EST)
Television: none
Satellite: none
Injuries: Columbus — M Doctor Khumalo (groin), and F Adrian Paz (knee) are probable; Dallas — G Jon Walker (torn rotator cuff) and D Tom Soehn (torn ACL) are out.
Preview: How will the Crew play with just two full days of rest after its disheartening defeat at Kansas City?… Columbus continues to find the net, but Dallas is 2-0 at the Cotton Bowl, allowing no goals in those games… The Burn will look to rebound from Wednesday’s 3-1 loss in Washington…Colombian midfielder Leonel Alvarez has been booked in each of his four games with Dallas…As many as 40,000 fans are expected.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS:
Columbus — Oshoniyi, Clark, Watson, Michallik, Yeagley, Khumalo, Battelle, Bliss, Thompson, McBride, Paz.
Dallas — Dodd, Sonora, Santel, Pollard, Lozzano, Alvarez, Kreis, Rodriguez, Farrer, Eck, Kerr.
Prediction: Columbus gets Burned 2-0.
Washington at Los Angeles
Location: Rose Bowl
Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. (EST)
Television: Univision
Satellite: Spacenet 3, Tr. 5
Injuries: G Jeff Causey (lower back), D Jeff Agoos (sprained ankle), D Erik Imler (strained hamstring), D Mario Gori (strained groin), M Kris Keldermann (bruised ribs), M John Harkes (ankle), M Brian Kamler (strained groin) are probable. Los Angeles — M Andrew Shue (strained hamstring) is day-to-day.
Preview: The Galaxy edged United 2-1 in D.C. two weeks ago, and a large crowd is expected for the Cinco de Mayo rematch… Los Angeles midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos will look to continue the form that won him MLS Player of the Month honors for April… Olympic Team members Eddie Pope and Clint Peay are major reasons for United’s recently improved play, and will be crucial in stopping Galaxy striker Eduardo Hurtado and the dangerous Cobi Jones… Bolivian Marco Etcheverry hit a booming free-kick goal in United’s 3-1 win over Dallas on Wednesday, and appears to be finding a comfort zone with midfield mate John Harkes.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS:
D.C. United — Causey, Imler, Pope, Peay, Agoos, Gori, Harkes, Williams, Etcheverry, Diaz Arce, Rammel.
Los Angeles — Campos, Calichman, Fraser, Motajo, Cienfuegos, Armas, Semioli, Noamouz, Jones, Vasquez, Hurtado.
Prediction: Galaxy wins a classic 3-2.