Saturday, April 28 – (4:00 p.m.) – Chicago Fire at Tampa Bay Mutiny (ESPN) Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular season series: Chicago leads 5-1-2 (Chicago leads 15-7 in aggregate goals) Leading scorers: Chicago: M Dema Kovalenko and D Carlos Bocanegra (each w/ 1g, 1a = 3pts); Tampa Bay: M Steve Ralston (3g, 1a = 7pts) Did you know? The Mutiny have never defeated the Fire in regulation time. Key players out: Chicago: M Sergi Daniv (ankle scope-L), M Peter Nowak (hamstring strain-L), F Hristo Stoitchkov (medial ankle sprain-L); Tampa Bay: F Mamadou Diallo (red card suspension), D Steve Trittschuh (broken fibula-L), D Chad McCarty (broken ankle-L) Notes: Strengthened by the return of U.S. national team regulars Josh Wolff and Chris Armas, the Fire travel to Tampa looking to shake off a disturbing late-game collapse that resulted in a 3-2 overtime loss to Dallas last Saturday … Losing Mamadou Diallo to a red card suspension will weaken a Mutiny side already reeling from injuries to defenders Chad McCarty and Steve Trittschuh … This early battle for pole position in the Central Division will likely be decided in the midfield, where Carlos Valderrama, Joe Addo and Steve Ralston will square off against Armas, Dema Kovalenko and DaMarcus Beasley … Controlling the tempo of the match will be of prime importance for Tampa, which relied on sharp goaltending from Scott Garlick in their last outing, a surprising 3-1 win against the MetroStars … Despite a glut of absences early in the season due to injury and national team duty, the Fire looks to be building its depth while staying on top this season … This bodes well for a squad that has yet to see the contributions of Hristo Stoitchkov and Peter Nowak. KEY MATCHUP: Chicago M Chris Armas vs. Tampa Bay M Carlos Valderrama: Armas returns from national team duty to face Valderrama, the league’s top assist-man. With Diallo absent, Valderrama’s deft touch and uncanny vision will be put to the test, as he attempts to create chances for first-year players Ali Curtis and Gus Kartes. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Noel Kenny; Assistant Referees: Robert Fereday (SAR), Richard Eddy (JAR) Saturday, April 28 – (4:00 p.m.) – Los Angeles Galaxy at Colorado Rapids (Telemundo) Season series: Los Angeles leads 1-0-0 (Los Angeles leads 1-0 in aggregate goals); All-time regular season series: Los Angeles leads 14-7-0 (Los Angeles leads 38-21 in aggregate goals) Leading scorers: Los Angeles: D Greg Vanney (1g, 1a = 3pts); Colorado: M John Spencer (1g, 1a = 3 pts) Did you know? The Galaxy is now an all-time league best 75-10-2 (.874) when tallying the first goal. Key players out: Los Angeles: none; Colorado: D Robin Fraser (abdominal strain), M/F Wes Hart (achilles strain-L) Notes: The Rapids will look to even the score at home, after falling to the Galaxy 1-0 Saturday night at the Rose Bowl … Colorado will hope for the return of attacker John Spencer, whose work rate in the offensive third makes the Rapids a much more difficult team to defend … The Galaxy meanwhile will look to fine tune an offense that has yet to fire on all cylinders this season … After getting his first professional start in last weekend’s win over the Rapids, Galaxy rookie forward and Littleton, Colorado native Brian Mullan will enjoy a homecoming … Colorado D Robin Fraser, who played the first five MLS seasons with the Galaxy will again miss the battle against his former team while he continues to recover from an abdominal strain. KEY MATCHUP: Los Angeles F Cobi Jones vs. Colorado D Stephen Herdsman: The active play of Jones kept Herdsman occupied all over the field in last Saturday’s match, creating space for the Galaxy’s other attackers. Unless Herdsman can better contain the U.S. national team regular, Los Angeles may again exploit spaces in the Rapids’ back line. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Rich Grady; Assistant Referees: Glenn Prechac (SAR), Emiliano Monje (JAR) Saturday, April 28 – (7:00 p.m.) – Dallas at MetroStars (KSTR, MSG) Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular season series: Series tied 6-6-0 (Dallas leads 22-17 in aggregate goals) Leading scorers: Dallas: F Bobby Rhine (2g, 1a = 5pts); MetroStars: F Clint Mathis (1g, 1a = 3pts) Did you know? In the last regular season meeting between these two teams on August 26, MetroStars F Clint Mathis netted a league record five goals to key a wild 6-4 win for Octavio Zambrano’s squad. Key players out: Dallas: none; MetroStars: M Pedro Alvarez (red card suspension), D Daniel Hernandez (fractured knee cap-R), F Martin Klinger (strained hamstring-L), D Mark Semioli (2nd degree hamstring strain-R), M Billy Walsh (foot stress fracture-R) Notes: Dallas travels to the Meadowlands looking to build off their stirring come-from-behind upset of the Fire on Saturday … Third year forward Bobby Rhine has put together a surprising run for Dallas, netting five points in the team’s last two outings … The ejection of Pedro Alvarez in the 28th minute proved too costly for the MetroStars, who would ultimately concede three late goals in a loss to Tampa Bay … However, the return of Clint Mathis should spark the Metros’ attack, which created multiple chances against the Mutiny only to see poor finishing waste the effort … Since he joined MLS, Mathis has 14 goals and five assists against the Burn (including regular season and playoff matches) … A full-strength Dallas squad will look to take advantage of the team’s depth, while exploiting the absence of MetroStars D Daniel Hernandez and Alvarez in the middle of the field. KEY MATCHUP: Dallas M Jorge Rodriguez vs. MetroStars F Clint Mathis: From his withdrawn midfield position, Rodriguez should see plenty of Mathis, who creates his chances by dropping back and carrying the ball into space. If the Salvadoran is unable to corral the slashing head-on runs of Mathis, rookie defender Ryan Suarez could be at the U.S. national teamer’s mercy. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Terry Vaughn; Assistant Referees: Craig Lowry (SAR), Nathan Clement (JAR) Saturday, April 28 – (7:30 p.m.) – New England at Miami (FOX New England) Season series: Miami leads 1-0-0 (Miami leads 1-0 in aggregate goals); All-time regular season series: New England leads 7-4-2 (Series tied 17-17 in aggregate goals) Leading scorers: New England: M Leonel Alvarez (1g, 0a = 2pts); Miami: F Alex Pineda Chacon (4g, 0a = 8pts) Did you know? New England last started a season 0-3 in 1998. Key players out: New England: M Yari Allnut (foot surgery-R), M Ted Chronopoulos (knee surgery-R); Miami: none Notes: In their Week Two meeting, New England and Miami combined to earn 12 cautions, setting a new single-game MLS record for yellow cards … This rematch could feature much of the same as a desperate Revolution enter Week Three as the only team in MLS with three losses … Failure to find the scoring touch has haunted the Revolution, which ranks last in the league in scoring with only two goals in three matches … In addition, the team’s two most dangerous returning players, Wolde Harris and William Sunsing have yet to score a goal … Meanwhile, the Fusion have seen seven different players garner points in helping the team shoot out of the gate to a 3-1 start … Honduran Alex Pineda Chacon has found the net in each of his three appearances, although he did not play in Miami’s 1-0 win over New England at Foxboro … The Fusion will also receive a boost from the return of Carlos Llamosa, who missed the team’s last two games due to suspension (@ K.C.) and U.S. national team camp (vs. S.J.). KEY MATCHUP: New England D Rusty Pierce vs. Miami M Preki: Pierce was absent from for the first encounter between these two teams, a match which saw Preki victimize the Revolution repeatedly on the left wing. Facing the rejuvenated national team veteran will be a tough test for Pierce in only his second start of the season. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Tim Weyland; Assistant Referees: Greg Barkey (SAR), Chip Reed (JAR) Saturday, April 28 – (8:30 p.m.) – San Jose at Kansas City (FOX Bay Area) Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular season series: Kansas City leads 10-9-1 (Kansas City leads 31-25 in aggregate goals) Leading scorers: San Jose: F Dwayne DeRosario and M Ian Russell (1g, 1a = 3pts); Kansas City: F Chris Brown (3g, 1a = 7pts) Did you know? Although Kansas City built its reputation on defense in 2000, five Wizards are currently among the league’s top eight scorers. Key players out: San Jose: D Jimmy Conrad (fractured foot-R), M Harut Karapetyan (ankle surgery-L); Kansas City: D Peter Vermes (abdominal strain-R), F Roy Lassiter (hamstring strain-R) Notes: Kansas City will look to make it three straight wins, while San Jose looks to snap a two-game skid that followed the team’s shocking season-opening win against the Galaxy … The Earthquakes will welcome back the services of defender Jeff Agoos and attacker Landon Donovan, who both missed the team’s 2-1 loss to Miami on Saturday while with the U.S. national team … The Wizards have scored five goals in their last two matches without the services of Roy Lassiter, the league’s all-time leading scorer, who strained a hamstring in last Wednesday’s win over Miami … Sturdy efforts from midfielders Matt McKeon, Kerry Zavagnin and Francisco Gomez have helped the Wizards lessen the pressure on a defense that still awaits the return of veteran central defender Peter Vermes … San Jose midfielder Dario Brose could make his first appearance of the season, adding some presence and a new attacking option to the Earthquakes midfield. KEY MATCHUP: San Jose F Ronald Cerritos vs. Kansas City D Nick Garcia: Scoring chances for Cerritos usually start in the middle of the attack, meaning that he’ll encounter Garcia. With speedsters Landon Donovan or Dwayne DeRosario potentially creating havoc down the flanks, Garcia must be cautious of getting drawn out of position. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Roger Sill; Assistant Referees: Scott Weyland (SAR), Steven Taylor (JAR)