Chivas USA will quickly learn where it stands on and off the field when the expansion club hosts defending champion D.C. United in the 2005 MLS opener. After a series of embarrassing defeats early in preseason, Chivas USA showed progress recently with a 1-0 win over its parent club's archrival, Club America. The noon kickoff, dictated national television, presents a challenge to draw fans.
TV: Saturday, Chivas USA-D.C. United, ABC (live), 3 pm ET/noon PT.
Landon Donovan makes his debut with the Los Angeles Galaxy when it travels to Columbus. Donovan will be part of a new-look Galaxy that also includes playmaker Guillermo Ramirez, whom Donovan faced Wednesday night in the USA-Guatemala World Cup qualifier.
TV: Saturday, Columbus-Los Angeles, FOX SOCCER CHANNEL, HDNET (live), 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm ET, FOX SPORTS EN ESPANOL (delay), 8 pm ET/5 pm PT.
Clint Mathis also makes his return to MLS after a short stint in the German Bundesliga when he debuts with Real Salt Lake in its opener at the MetroStars. The game with a homecoming for Mathis, who spent four seasons at the MetroStars, and Eddie Pope, traded by MetroStars to RSL in the offseason.
TV: Saturday, MetroStars-Real Salt Lake, KSL-TV 5 (Salt Lake City, live), MSG (New York, live), 7 pm ET, 5 pm MT.