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MLS Looks to Break CONCACAF Champions League Jinx in Mexico - this Week in MLS

March 17, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


Three spots in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals hang in the balance for Major League Soccer teams this week, and all three spots will be decided in Mexico. Here's the lineup of games:

On Tuesday night, the LA Galaxy travel just south of the border to take on Club Tijuana (10 p.m. ET). The Galaxy hold a 1-0 lead in the two-game aggregate series, having taken care of the home leg last week. Newly-acquired Brazilian forward Samuel provided the Galaxy with the game's only goal.

On Wednesday night (8 p.m. ET), the San Jose Earthquakes and Deportivo Toluca meet at the Estadio Nemesio Diez (aka La Bombonera) with the teams tied 1-1 on aggregate. The Quakes got a stoppage time equalizer from Alan Gordon last Wednesday at Buck Shaw Stadium.

Also on Wednesday night, Sporting Kansas City will try to make a 1-0 lead stand up against Cruz Azul at Estadio Azul in Mexico City (10 p.m. ET). The defending MLS Cup champions made right back Kevin Ellis' 17th minute goal stand up as Eric Kronberg recorded the shutout.

Getting results on Mexican soil has not been easy for MLS clubs through the years. The last MLS team to win a game in Mexico was Seattle Sounders FC, who won a CCL group stage game at CF Monterrey in 2011. All-time in Mexico, MLS teams are 3-28-5. In the CCL (and what used to be known as the Champions Cup), MLS teams are 2-26-5 and have been outscored 89-29. An MLS team has never won a knockout stage match in Mexico, having gone 0-7-2 since 2009.

Week 3 National Broadcasts

Saturday, March 22

Montreal Impact vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 4:00 p.m. ET (UDN, RDS)

Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy, 4:00 p.m. ET (NBCSN)

Toronto FC vs. D.C. United, 4:30 p.m. ET (TSN)

Sunday, March 23

Chicago Fire vs. New York Red Bulls, 3:00 p.m. ET (UniMas)

Quotables

"What it does is, it keeps the people who've got their (starting) shirt on their toes. You can't take anything for granted. You have to go out and keep performing, and not just in games but in the training. You have to train the way you play, and if you slack off a little bit, there's guys there on the subs bench and in the stands that are waiting to take your jersey. It's great. It's healthy for the guys and I'm sure the boss will love it, even though it will give him headaches throughout the season."

Whitecaps FC forward Kenny Miller on competition to be named to the starting 11 on match day.

"When you think about it like that, it took a lot for us to get here. When you put in all that work - it's been two years, basically - you don't want to blow your one opportunity. That's why we're so excited for it. We want to win it."

Sporting KC midfielder Graham Zusi on the importance of match against Cruz Azul in CONCACAF Champions League

"Now, it has all come together and I'm finally reaping the rewards of all that hard work I've put in. When you're faced with a serious injury, you realize how fragile your professional playing career is. I was just excited to be back on the pitch in front of a great crowd."

Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei on returning to play after injuries limited his chances the last two years.

"What I'm more concerned with is playing intelligent soccer. The thing I've been throwing at these guys all preseason is, 'I need you to be thinking at all times. There's no game plan on white paper with black ink saying this is how we're going to do it. Soccer games are nothing but gray. And if you're able to think along those terms and make decisions in moments that are high-pressure, those transition moments that are so critical, we'll be better for it."

Colorado Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni on implementing a new philosophy this season.

"From a confidence standpoint, I think it's huge for us. It's one thing having all these names here. The first win is always the hardest. To get this win in a tough environment against a very good team is huge morale booster. Gets the team tighter together for next week."

Toronto FC forward Dwayne De Rosario on the importance of their win Saturday.

Sweet Tweets

"@wingert17 - March 15 - Chris Wingert, Real Salt Lake

was that Defoe's first touch in MLS?? Nice finish... TFC up 1-0 #MLSonNBCSN #SEAvTOR

@Ajacobson005 - March 15 - Andrew Jacobson, FC Dallas

No better feeling than looking up in KC and seein our fans cheering us on! Thanks to everyone who made the trip. You gave us that last push!

@Tim_Cahill - March 16 - Tim Cahill, New York Red Bulls

Massive improvement from last week and we dominated todays game @NewYorkRedBulls Great to see all the fans for the home opener. #RBNY

@NickRimando - March 16 - Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake

Back to SLC with 4 PTS in hand after 2 hard fought games. We learn from the past & move on 2 #TheRiot this Sat 4 our home opener against LA.

@SebastienLeToux - March 16 - Sebastien Le Toux, Philadelphia Union

And big thanks to @Leo_Fernandes22 for his beautiful first career MLS assist All the credit to him on the goal yesterday #TeamWork

Week 3 Game Previews

Saturday, March 22

New England Revolution vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 2 p.m.

"¢ Whitecaps FC striker Kekuta Manneh saved a late point for his team Sunday with the equalizer at Chivas USA in a 1-1 draw. Manneh has scored five goals in his last five MLS games, dating back to the end of the 2013 season.

"¢ The Revolution have opened the 2014 season without a goal or a point, the second time in three seasons they've started the year with shutout defeats (last in 2012, when they lost 1-0 at San Jose and 3-0 at Kansas City in the first two matches of the year.

"¢ The Revolution have won both meetings all-time between the two teams at Gillette Stadium, including a 4-1 win in their last Foxborough encounter in 2012.

Montreal Impact vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 4 p.m.

"¢ The Impact make their 2014 home debut at Olympic Stadium after suffering back-to-back defeats on the road to open the season, falling 1-0 at Houston over the weekend.

"¢ Sounders FC hit the road for the first time in 2014, suffering their first defeat of the season last weekend in a 2-1 loss to Toronto FC.

"¢ After setting up the game-winner vs. Sporting KC the week before, Sounders FC striker Clint Dempsey netted his first MLS goal of 2014 in the loss to Toronto FC.

"¢ The Impact have won both all-time meetings between the teams, a 4-1 win in Montréal in 2012, and a 1-0 win in Seattle to open the season a year ago.

Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy, 4 p.m.

"¢ The teams are meeting for the second time in three weeks. Joao Plata scored in the 80th minute and Nick Rimando saved a dramatic late penalty kick to give RSL a 1-0 win at StubHub Center.

"¢ It's the home opener for Real, who took a win and a draw from their season-opening road swing after being pulled back into a late 3-3 draw at San Jose over the weekend.

"¢ The Galaxy will return to league play with the visit to RSL after completing their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series against Mexico's Club Tijuana. The Galaxy took a 1-0 home win in last week's first leg in Carson.

"¢ The Galaxy had won two meetings in a row at Rio Tinto Stadium, before Real took a 3-1 win in their second home meeting in league play last year. RSL also won the second leg of their Western Conference Semifinal Series, 2-0 at home, on their way to MLS Cup 2013.

Toronto FC vs. D.C. United, 4:30 p.m.

"¢ Jermain Defoe made a big splash in his MLS debut, scoring twice in a seven-minute span in the first half to lead Toronto FC to a 2-1 win at Seattle last weekend.

"¢ Toronto FC won their first game of the season for the first time since 2009, when they won at Kansas City. It was just the second time in club history TFC has not opened the season with a loss.

"¢ D.C. United return to action after a week off, after opening the season with a 3-0 loss to the Columbus Crew at RFK Stadium.

"¢ D.C. United had a four-game winning streak at BMO Field, stretching over three seasons, snapped last year when TFC won 4-1 on Sept. 28. It was Toronto's first home win vs. United since 2009.

Columbus Crew vs. Philadelphia Union, 6 p.m.

"¢ The Crew return to action after a weekend off, having opened their 2014 season with a dominant 3-0 win at D.C. United on March 8.

"¢ Federico HiguaÃ-n netted a pair of goals for the Crew in the season opener, while Jairo Arrieta added the third. HiguaÃ-n has scored eight goals in his last eight MLS games, dating back to the end of last season; it was his fifth career two-goal game in three MLS seasons.

"¢ Union continued their undefeated start to 2014 with a 1-0 win against New England in their home opener over the weekend, as Sebastien Le Toux scored for the first time in MLS play since last July 3.

"¢ The Crew have never lost at home to Union. They had won the first three meetings between the teams all-time in Columbus, before the clubs played to a 1-1 draw last April 6.

Colorado Rapids vs. Portland Timbers, 6 p.m.

"¢ The Rapids opened their 2014 campaign with a road point in Pablo Mastroeni's head coaching debut, a Vicente Sánchez penalty kick securing a 1-1 draw at the New York Red Bulls.

"¢ The Timbers hit the road for the first time in 2014 following back-to-back 1-1 draw with Philadelphia and Chicago; newcomer Gaston Fernández has scored both of Portland's goals.

"¢ The Rapids have never lost at home to Portland. They had won the first three home matchups all-time with the Timbers, before the teams played to a 2-2 draw last April 30 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

"¢ The Rapids haven't scored a goal in Portland on their last three visits, since a 1-0 win in 2011 in their first-ever game in the Rose City. The Timbers have won the last three home games in the series.

FC Dallas vs. Chivas USA, 8:30 p.m.

"¢ FC Dallas maintained their undefeated start to 2014 over the weekend, gaining a 1-1 draw at Sporting Kansas City.

"¢ Chivas USA maintained their undefeated start to 2014 over the weekend, holding out for a 1-1 home draw with Vancouver Whitecaps FC despite playing most of the match a man down.

"¢ Chivas USA's Erick Torres scored for a second consecutive match in the Vancouver draw. He has scored nine goals in 17 MLS games since coming to the league at midseason a year ago.

"¢ Chivas USA haven't won in Frisco since 2009, when they defeated FC Dallas 2-0. Since then, FCD is 2-0-3 at home vs. Chivas, with three consecutive draws, including last year's scoreless result on July 4.

Sporting Kansas City vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 8:30 p.m.

"¢ The Earthquakes staged yet another dramatic comeback in their season-opening 3-3 draw with Real Salt Lake, scoring the equalizer five minutes into stoppage time. Last year, the Quakes scored three times in stoppage time to gain a win or draw; they've scored 15 goals to snatch a result since 2012.

"¢ Sporting Kansas City have opened defense of their MLS Cup crown with a loss and a draw, getting their first goal of the season in a late header by Aurelien Collin in a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas in their home debut last weekend.

"¢ The last time a road team won in the series came all the way back in 2004, when San Jose won at Arrowhead Stadium. Last year, the Quakes won 1-0 on Aug. 18 at Buck Shaw Stadium.

"¢ Kansas City has not won in San Jose since Aug. 16, 2000. The Quakes have won nine of the 14 meetings since in northern California, with five draws. Sporting have a seven-game home winning streak alive vs. the Quakes.

Sunday, March 23

Chicago Fire vs. New York Red Bulls, 3 p.m.

"¢ The Fire make their 2014 home debut looking for a first victory of the season, having opened the campaign with a loss and a draw in a season-opening road swing at Chivas USA and Portland.

"¢ The Red Bulls are looking for their first win in 2014, gaining a 1-1 draw with Colorado over the weekend after opening the season with a loss at Vancouver.

"¢ The teams split their season series a year ago, each winning at home. When the Fire won 2-0 at Red Bull Arena in the final meeting between the teams in 2012, it was their first away win in the series since the 2009 season.

"¢ The Red Bulls have never won at Toyota Park. Their last away win against Chicago came May 14, 2005, a 3-0 win at Soldier Field.

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