Week 5: Galaxy goes north seeking first win

• by Ridge Mahoney  @ridgemax, Apr 17, 2009

[MLS PREDICTIONS] Among the teams seeking their first victory of the season is the beleaguered Los Angeles Galaxy, whose game against the San Jose Earthquakes was set in Oakland to accommodate a Beckham crowd, which instead must settle for a postgame firework show. 2008 runner-up New York looks for its first win when it hosts Real Salt Lake. Houston tries to end a four-game winless streak when it hosts Colorado. Also hosting is winless FC Dallas, which welcomes Toronto. The league's top team so far, Chivas USA, hosts Seattle, which lost for the first time last week.

FRIDAY
D.C. UNITED (1-1-2) vs. NEW ENGLAND (2-0-1), 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes
If United wants to be taken seriously, it needs to beat a Revs team lacking Taylor Twellman, but a porous midfield means it probably won't.
Prediction: United 2, Revs 2.

SATURDAY
NEW YORK (0-2-2) vs. REAL SALT LAKE (2-1-0), 7:30 p.m., Direct Kick
Left back Alfredo Pacheco will help but Carlos Johnson is suspended. In his return to New York, Clint Mathis nets his MLS first goal since leaving after the 2007 season as RSL beats NYRB for the first time. Hey, why not?
Prediction: Red Bulls 1, RSL 2.

CHICAGO (2-0-2) vs. KANSAS CITY (2-2-0), 8:30 p.m., Fox Soccer Channel
Bakary Soumare, without Wilman Conde beside him, suffered through a shocker last week in San Jose (3-3), but the Fire should get back on the winning track even though the Wizards are formidable.
Prediction: Fire 2, Wizards 1.

SAN JOSE (1-2-1) vs. LOS ANGELES (0-1-2), 10:30 p.m., Direct Kick
Ruud Gullit and Alexi Lalas took the fall after the last time these teams met in Oakland, and despite a 0-0 tie last week, the Galaxy are riddled with problems. The Quakes are no great shakes, pun intended, but good enough to win.
Prediction: Quakes 3, Galaxy 2.

CHIVAS USA (3-0-1) vs. SEATTLE (3-1-0), 10:30 p.m., Direct Kick
The top two teams in the league square off. Chivas outplayed the Galaxy but ran into a hot goalie; without the suspended Kasey Keller, the Sounders are vulnerable. Chivas' Sacha Kljestan can't stay pointless forever.
Prediction: Chivas USA 3, Sounders FC 1

SUNDAY
HOUSTON (0-2-2) vs. COLORADO (2-1-1), 3 p.m., TeleFutura
A bad field and bad vibes are hampering the Dynamo, and the Rapids are just going about their business of setting up Conor Casey and clamping down on opponents. A good formula.
Prediction: Dynamo 1, Rapids 1.

FC DALLAS (0-3-1) vs. TORONTO FC (1-1-2), 7 p.m., Direct Kick
TFC opened the season with a win in Kansas City and is eager to take out the frustrations of failing to win at home, especially by conceding an equalizer in the 87th minute when these teams tied, 1-1, last week.
Prediction: FCD 1, TFC 2.

Ridge Mahoney's prediction record:
Last week: 3-4. Season: 11-18.