Around MLS: Week 4 Open Match Thread

Well, after all the dirty pool in week 3 (you can't grab the balls in that game either), MLS is back again and looking to redeem itself. This weekend features one excellent matchup as the Portland Timbers take on the Vancouver Whitecaps, giving us the first Cascadia Cup derby of the year, but there are plenty of other matches going on around the league as well.

Saturday

New England Revolution vs. San Jose Earthquakes

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 12:00 pm pacific at Gillett Stadium in Foxboro, MA

Match Rating: 3/5

Three games in and New England are still without a goal, but remain surprisingly watchable. Jermaine Jones is still not back, but maybe the Revs can start to put something together in their second home match of the year. San Jose, or really just Innocent Emeghara and Matias Perez Garcia, are also surprisingly watchable for a team that recently galled themselves the Goonies and reveled in the striker pairing known as the "Bash Brothers".

Montreal Impact vs. Orlando City SC

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 1:00 pm pacific at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, QC, Canada

Match Rating: 2/5

Despite some excellent showings from Kaka so far, Orlando have looked every bit the expansion team that they are in the early going of this season. Montreal, meanwhile, have surprised nobody by remaining not good. Along with the Revolution and the Rapids, the Impact are one of only three teams that have yet to score a goal. Heading up to Montreal is usually not a circumstance in which teams shine in MLS, particularly playing in the Olympic Stadium. Hopes for this one: Kaka survives.

New York City FC vs. Sporting Kansas City

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 4:00 pm pacific at Yankee Stadium in New York, NY

Match Rating: 3/5

Looking at these two teams, this could be an exciting match between two teams that could be actually quite good. Looking harder at these two teams, this could be a frustrating match as NYC try and fail to break down a packed in SKC looking for a draw on the road.

D.C. United vs. LA Galaxy

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 4:00 pm pacific at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

Match Rating: 4/5

It remains to be seen if United can recapture that Eastern Conference winning magic from last season with Ben Olson's salty crew of veterans and cast-aways, and this match should put them to the test as the Galaxy come to town, bringing their usual counter-attacking style to bear on D.C.

Columbus Crew vs. New York Red Bulls

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 4:30 pm pacific at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, OH

Match Rating: 4/5

Two creative, competitive teams from the East square off in a chance to see which is a pretender and which is the real thing. The Crew are one of those teams that are constantly referred to as under-rated, but have not won anything since they started flying under the radar, while the Red Bulls don't have Thierry Henry and will need to win games against good teams to convince people that the loss of Henry is not the end of the franchise as a competitive side in MLS.

Houston Dynamo vs. Colorado Rapids

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 5:30 pm pacific at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, TX

Match Rating: 1/5

Owen Coyle's bunker and punt side take on the goalless Rapids.

FC Dallas vs. Seattle Sounders

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 5:30 pm pacific at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX

Match Rating: 5/5

Two of the most exciting attacking groups in the league, even without Clint Dempsey, and Seattle playing with a defense that has yet to show itself well this year? This could be good.

Sunday

Chicago Fire vs. Philadelphia Union

Watch it on: ESPN2

Kickoff: 2:00 pm pacific at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL

Match Rating: 1/5

Will the Fire get it together this week? Will the Union? This match is pretty much the opposite of Saturday's match between the Crew and Red Bulls; rather than two good teams striving to show who is better, this is two bad teams striving not to show that they are worse. I almost want to rate it higher because it is such potential to be terrible.

Real Salt Lake vs. Toronto FC

Watch it on: FOX Sports 1

Kickoff: 4:00 pm pacific at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, UT

Match Rating: 3/5

This match will essentially be like watching two teams you have never seen before, but worse than you were expecting, as both sides are missing their biggest contributors to national team duty.