Frisking the fixtures

The MLS announced to it's loyal fan-base the home openers of 2017 recently and it makes interesting reading for the two expansion teams of Minnesota United and Atlanta United. Minnesota United face a tough away trip to the Portland Timbers, while Atlanta welcome the New York Red Bulls to Georgia.





Match week one looks like this:

We have a Friday night fixture to kick the first week of MLS off: Portland Timbers F.C. vs. Minnesota United F.C.. 

Saturday see's the action ramp up with seven games taking place:

  1. Columbus Crew vs. Chicago Fire
  2. LA Galaxy vs. F.C. Dallas
  3. Real Salt Lake vs. Toronto F.C.
  4. Colorado Rapids vs. New England Revolution
  5. D.C. United vs. Sporting Kansas City
  6. Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders F.C.
  7. San Jose Earthquakes vs. Montreal Impact
Sunday finishes out match week one with three games:

  1. Orlando City S.C. vs. New York City F.C.
  2. Atlanta United vs. New York Red Bulls
  3. Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Philadelphia Union

Teams to watch:

Atlanta United:


Analysing the fixtures, three teams pop right out at us where a lot of the MLS Fantasy points will come from. Atlanta United who have certainly been making some noise down in the South with their managerial, player and possibility T.V. sponsorship signings face a tough match against a New York Red Bulls side who certainly underachieved in the 2016 campaign. 

Atlanta United will be hoping that over preseason, (which starts on January 23rd) that Tata Martino will be able to figure out a system which allows his team to gel and become a cohesive side that is both ruthless going forward and miserly at the back. They have made some great signings in: Miguel Almiron, Jeff Larentowicz, Jacob Peterson and Greg Garza as they look to make a big splash in their inaugural season in MLS. 

The New York Red Bulls will certainly put it up to Atlanta though, as they look to secure their first three points on the road in Georgia. 

New York City F.C.


New York City F.C. had a stellar season last season under former Arsenal player and Manchester City under-21 manager, Patrick Vieria. This was as evidenced in two ways: The Sky Blues run in the league during the season, which in turn secured them a play-off spot for the first time under the Frenchman and also David Villa securing MVP status on the final day of the regular season, ahead of Toronto and New York Red Bull's strikers: Sebastian Giovinco and Bradley Wright-Phillips. 

It was a great inaugural season for the Frenchman where it was believed that he would fail, because no previous non-MLS coach had succeeded in his first MLS season. 

But, that was last season and this season on MLS opening weekend, NYCFC face a tough away-trip down to Florida and the OC Lions of Orlando City S.C. Orlando City S.C. have been quite during the post season so far, but come opening day, don't be surprised to see the Purple and White's but up a defensive wall against the Sky Blues of New York. 

Seattle Sounders F.C.


The Sounders, the MLS Cup champions. This was certainly unexpected, given that Seattle had a less than great or stellar MLS season in 2016. Finishing ninth overall in the final standings, Seattle Sounders F.C were not expected to do much going into the post season, we were looking at teams such as, LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, Toronto to name three. Out of nowhere though, Seattle Sounders pounced and secured themselves an MLS Cup after extra-time in Toronto F.C. in Toronto. 

A kick to the teeth for Toronto!

This campaign for the Champions, see's them face a road trip to a Houston Dynamo side, that midway through last season, seen them lose their manager and have a very underwhelming season, finishing second from bottom in the overall standings, with only Chicago Fire lower. This game could see the Champions steamrolling their way to their first three points of the season in Houston and I wouldn't be surprised, given that Seattle have acquired the Houston defender Will Bruin during the off-season as well as Harry Shipp from Montreal Impact, whereas Houston Dynamo's only top signing so far is: Romell Quioto from Honduras. 

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