MLS Week 5 Open Thread: Sporting and Seattle's Perfect Records on the Line

The fifth week of the MLS season is upon us and after a week (mostly) off for last weekend's international dates, eighteen of the league's twenty teams are back in action. The weekend starts off tonight with one of the classic East Coast rivalries as the winless New England Revolution take on the injury-decimated New York Red Bulls, then continues into a slate of games on Saturday that see a whole bunch of teams still trying to sort out just who will be good this year and who is destined to be below the red line.

Friday

New England Revolution vs. New York Red Bulls

Watch it on: UniMas

Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. PT at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA

One sentence preview: The one match this weekend with some real animosity between the sides, this is the chance for the Revs to show that they are not destined to regress back to the bottom of the East after three rough performances to start the season.

Saturday

Chicago Fire vs. Philadelphia Union

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 2:00 p.m. PT at Toyota Park in Bridgeport, IL

One sentence preview: Another Eastern Conference match up; this one sees the rebuilding-project-with-promise Fire take on the rebuilding-project-with-more-points Union.

Colorado Rapids vs. Toronto FC

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 5:00 p.m. PT at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO

One sentence preview: The Rapids might be down near the bottom of the Western Conference -- tied with the Timbers and Houston Dynamo with four points apiece, but ahead of the still-pointless Sounders -- but they are still just a strong defensively as they were in 2015 and will pose a real issue for even Toronto's high powered attack to break down.

Sporting Kansas City vs. Real Salt Lake

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. PT at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, KA

One sentence preview: SKC have won all three of their matches so far; RSL will be without three players due to suspensions and a handful more due to injury. This could get ugly.

FC Dallas vs. Columbus Crew SC

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 6:00 p.m. PT at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX

One sentence preview: Since their rough loss to the Dynamo in Week 2, FCD have looked a lot like the powerhouse team that everyone was afraid of coming into the 2016 season; conversely, the Crew have looked nothing like the high flying side that they were last year.

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. LA Galaxy

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. PT at BC Place in Vancouver, BC

One sentence preview: Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard, and Gio Dos Santos will be out for this one, so expect a surprisingly competent patchwork Bruce Arena side to lose by penalty kick to the Whitecaps.

Seattle Sounders vs. Montreal Impact

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, WA

One sentence preview: Dealing with an injury-riddled locker room and a seeming lack of direction on the pitch, the Sounders -- the only team in MLS who have yet to earn a point through three games -- face a very real possibility of going pointless through four as they face the Impact.

San Jose Earthquakes vs. D.C. United

Watch it on: MLS Live

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, CA

One sentence preview: The Earthquakes are going to be difficult to beat this season at home and D.C. -- coming off a 3-0 loss to Dallas last week -- are struggling, so this looks like a good chance for San Jose to grab their third win of the season.