In a full weekend slate in MLS -- a welcome relief -- one game stands out above the rest. A Mid-Atlantic rivalry will be born, when the new Philadelphia Union host their first-ever game against nearby D.C. United.

A crowd of more than 30,000+ is expected at Lincoln Financial Field, the temporary home of the Union as they await the completion of PPL Park. Whether that is going to be enough to drive Philadelphia to a win remains to be seen.

1. Lack of goals. In three games, the two sides have combined for no goals. That's obviously a huge concern for both Peter Nowak and Curt Onalfo. Australian signing Danny Allsopp needs to get some more time on the pitch, as the tired legs of Jaime Moreno don't look up the task for 90 minutes on a weekly basis. First goal in this one could be huge.

2. Former United players (and a coach) very much in the mix. Peter Nowak, Fred and Andrew Jacobson. All three have ties to D.C., and all three would certainly love to get one over on their old club. Fred stands poised to play the biggest role -- the Union lacked a creative spark in the midfield, and it'd be shocking to see him absent from the starting lineup. The often maligned Brazilian could certainly be a difference-maker Saturday night.

3. Can United get their season back on track? Two games, no goals scored, and a team still in transition. That best describes D.C., and their trip up I-95 is perhaps the most important yet. While Philadelphia will be fired up by a raucous home crowd, though United remains the more talented side. Peter Nowak is no stranger to coaching in MLS, and his tactical knowledge will come in handy when the two sides face each other. A loss to D.C. would be another blow in what has been a sputtering start to 2010.

4. Who are the Union? With only one game under their belt, it's difficult to accurately gauge Philadelphia. They came out with a rather thuggish style against Seattle, and D.C. will certainly be expecting the same kind of treatment. 

Weekend Predictions: D.C. United 0, Philadelphia 0; New York 1, Chivas USA 1; New England 2, Toronto 0; Kansas City 3, Colorado 1; Houston 2, Los Angeles 2; Chicago 3, San Jose 1; Real Salt Lake 3, Seattle 2; Columbus 2, FC Dallas 1

Two games doesn't mean much. But for two Eastern Conference foes, the season trajectory is already going in opposite directions.

The New York Red Bulls ended a horrendous road run of away form, winning by a slim 1-0 lead in Seattle. Macoumba Kandji's goal served to be the difference, as Tim Ream and Mike Petke shut down Seattle (with the help of some wasteful finishing).

Another club woefully ineffective in front of goal was D.C. -- though they couldn't find ways to turn possession into scoring opportunities. And when they did, those shots rarely troubled the keeper. Santino Quaranta looks uncomfortable in the middle, and Jaime Moreno's 36-year-old legs looked extremely slow.

Some quick hits from the second week of MLS action:

1. Steve Nicol always seems to pick up the pieces. No Shalrie Joseph, no Taylor Twellman and no Matt Reis? No problem for the Scouse manager, whose post-game reactions are about as easy to comprehend as deciphering hieroglyphics. Putting together a starting XI with mostly duct tape (Pat Phelan) and dental floss (Preston Burpo), Nicol ensured his team maintained a rigorous defensive shape throughout 90 minutes.

This allowed Kenny Mansally to stop up and play hero, scoring a brace in under three minutes to send United to a discouraging defeat. 

2. Red Bull turnaround? While their process of redemption is far from complete, the early start has to be a relief, particularly for club officials. Looks like the team may be functional enough to attract a crowd to Harrison, NJ on a semi-regular basis.

Bouna Coundoul quieted the detractors -- myself included -- with a number of solid saves, keeping Seattle at bay. At the very least, two shutouts in a row is something to hang your hat on if you're a Red Bull fan.

3. Emphasizing recovery out in Colorado. If the Rapids are to break their playoff duck, they'll need a bit more offensive spark than they had on display against Chicago. The Fire certainly weren't at their sharpest -- particularly missing Wilman Conde -- but benefited from a questionable penalty decision to earn a 1-1 draw.

Employing a 4-4-2 "bucket" formation, Colorado is lacking a creative force in the midfield, as Jeff Larentowicz and Pablo Mastroeni are solid pros, but unable to produce the goods to breakdown opposing defenses.

Colin Clark and Jamie Smith, both who suffered injuries that ended their 2009 campaigns, are slowing on the mend and making their way back. Clark is fit enough to start, as he did Saturday, but remains a shadow of the player he was, terrorizing the opposition on the flanks. Meanwhile, Smith has yet to make a debut on the right side.

The arrival of Claudio Lopez can't come soon enough. Only if he can contribute something, of course.

4. Why did six teams sit? I know this question has already been asked, and then asked again, but why were six teams in action? Can't teams suit up on a weekly basis? 

5. Paging N'kufo, Blaise. It's a shame that Seattle didn't sign him up prior to the season, because they could use the finishing help. While it didn't cost them against Philadelphia, the inability to score off 12 corner kicks is a problem that needs to be corrected if this club wants to live up to the billing of title contender. 

Two home openers, two wins. That was the result for both Seattle and New York the prior week, with the Red Bulls christening their new stadium by eking a 1-0 win over Chicago and the Sounders overcoming the thuggish tendencies of new boys Philadelphia.

While the light schedule is a puzzling momentum-killer, the two clubs face each other in the weekend's most interesting matchup. Mostly because it's a return to the field where it all went very badly for New York in Seattle's first-ever MLS match.

Here are a few reasons to tune in.

1. Gauging New York. It was a close-fought game against Chicago last week, and the momentum from a thrilling opening win against the Fire is a good start to forgetting last season's trauma. Still, they've got to be able to perform away from Red Bull arena, something they'll have the chance to do. Bouna Coundoul remains a question mark, and he could be rattled out at Qwest Field.

2. Montero tormenting again? A lot of folks continue to ring the praises of the young Colombian, and his two goals set the tone for the rest of the season during Seattle's debut year. While remaining an impressive attacking asset, the lack of a partner up top could haunt the Sounders until the arrival of Blaise N'kufo after the World Cup. No matter the case, it's likely that Montero will give Tim Ream and Mike Petke nightmares on Saturday.

3. Freddie Ljungberg -- in or out. Much has been made of the back-and-forth between Peter Nowak and Freddie Ljungberg. The Swede got kicked around a good bit by Philadelphia, and the resulting injuries left him in the hospital. His presence, or lack thereof, wouldn't cripple Seattle's attack, but it would make things easier for the visitors.

Weekend Predictions: Seattle 2, New York 1; D.C. United 1, New England 0; Colorado 2, Chicago 2 

When Stuart Holden and Ricardo Clark both made the jump to Europe over the offseason, Dominic Kinnear's job became infinitely more difficult.

In Thursday night's 2-1 win against Real Salt Lake, Houston showed they remain a work in progress -- something that most clubs are dealing with. For the first half, Houston was chasing the game, as the craft and guile of Javier Morales and Will Johnson dominated the game for the defending champs.

A Morales goal, well-worked through the heart of defense, demonstrated the potential Real Salt Lake has. For a team that has a consistently poor showing away from Rio Tinto, it was the bright start they needed to earn a second straight road win.

But it was not to be -- two defensive errors, and two Brad Davis penalties later, Houston emerged with all three points. The visitors tapered off after conceding two goals in three minutes, as Robbie Findley couldn't spark a fightback off the bench.

Watching Houston struggle is no surprise, though the pieces are in place to build another winning season. Geoff Cameron's versatility abounds, and once the 24-year-old learns to excel in his new role, Houston will be a much more formidable squad.

RSL's talent abounds and provided that Jamison Olave refrains from his daft outbursts that plague Salt Lake so often, they'll be in the mix for a second MLS Cup. 

Galaxy ease to win in SuperClasico

If the Houston-Real Salt Lake featured dashes of attacking soccer, the SuperClasico out West was more about two teams sitting back, waiting for the other to make a first move.

Los Angeles and Bruce Arena have brought back what worked last year -- hunkering down, staying compact and organized, attacking through Edson Buddle up top. And the American striker responded with two goals, while Chivas struggled to break down the Galaxy defense.

While the Galaxy improved over last week's 1-0 win over a rather hapless and injured Revolution side, Chivas's slow start to 2010 continued. New signing Osael Romero failed to trouble Los Angeles, while Justin Braun had a night he'll want to quickly forget. The fact Braun stayed on the pitch until the 81st minute is a bit disturbing, as he never really got going.

The importance of Landon Donovan to the Galaxy can't be understated, especially with Beckham out for the season. He wasn't overly brilliant on Thursday, but didn't really have to be. Sean Franklin's excellent pass from the back set up Buddle's first, before Donovan broke free to set up the game's clinching goal.

Los Angeles is far from a finished product -- the Brazilian trio is still easing their way into the squad, and if they can match the stereotype of expectation, Los Angeles is transformed into a much more dangerous side. 

Two wins from two matches is a strong start for Los Angeles, while on the flip side of that, Chivas have lost two from two. There were bright signs for the Rojiblancos -- Sacha Kljestan was lively, setting up teammates in dangerous positions, and the speed of Maykel Galindo can torment any MLS defense. It's now a question of him getting that first goal and staying healthy.

The first weekend of MLS action is done and dusted, with plenty to deduce. All 16 teams took the field, for better or for worse, and with it the preseason became a distant memory. While it's too early to draw any conclusions, much can be learned from an opening weekend that some managers will delight in, while others will want to quickly forget.

Chippy and sloppy play were particularly prevalent -- all understandable considering it was the start of the season -- with players making bad runs and several passes going straight to the other team. A few weeks of starters playing together will change all that.

Here are five observations from this week:

1. Javier Morales, defending champs off to the right start. There was a deafening echo of accusations directed at Real Salt Lake after drawing their way to an MLS Cup triumph last year. A sub par regular season didn't reflect the wealth of talent manager Jason Kreis has at his disposal.

Salt Lake look a step towards producing on a consistent basis, actually winning on the road -- something they've really struggled to do the past two year. Standing front and center was Argentine attacker Javier Morales, who scored to world class goals and setting up Fabian Espindola for the team's third.

The return must have felt particularly sweet considering the last time Morales walked off the pitch, it was during the MLS Cup final when he had to come off with an injury in the first half.

2. Blinder in Kansas City. Former Wizards coach Curt Onalfo was making his debut with new club D.C. United Saturday night in Kansas City, and the Wizards quickly turned it into a nightmare 

Featuring a new lineup with a host of new acquisitions, many wrote off Kansas City before the season started because of the high turnover. That aside, some of the new pieces looked impressive, particularly Ryan Smith and Stephane Auvray.

Before taking potshots at United and lauding KC too much, it's worth noting that D.C. had only one of their back four actually in the starting lineup, and Carey Talley making his debut shortly after signing with the club. Nonetheless, the Wizards have every reason to take confidence from producing a quality performance.

3. Toronto needs more time. To see Toronto FC's team sheet prior to their kickoff against Columbus and see only five substitutes wasn't too shocking. Preki must not have noticed when the season started, wheeling and dealing the day before the club's first match, leaving Toronto without a team to field.

The ensuing 2-0 loss to Columbus isn't anything for a TFC supporter to get worked up about, but it's got to be somewhat disconcerting to see a team in such flux when the season gets underway. Preki has plenty of time to sort things out, though will it pay off?

4. Red Bulls make the right start. The two brand-new foreign coaches, Hans Backe and Carlos de los Cobos, christened Red Bull arena in league play, and Joel Lindpere's well-taken goal highlighted the 1-0 win. Getting that first win is huge, in particular shutting out Chicago -- although Bouna Coundul was far from calm and composted in net.

Nit-picking point: Lindpere's goal was nice, though one couldn't help but wonder if Jon Busch could have saved it.

5. Title contenders meet expectations. Yes, it's one game, but the contending trio of Seattle, Columbus and Real Salt Lake all proved that they belong near the top. Los Angeles doesn't quite join this list, but given time will likely enter that discussion.

The 2010 Major League Soccer season has finally dropped, and I don't know if I'll be able to drop five my previews. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is.

That meaningless drivel aside, MLS is upon us and Philadelphia has now played that first game. Here's a few observations from last night:

*Nowak's puzzling starting lineup. No one could have predicted Danny Mwanga and Michael Orozco starting centrally in the midfield, and Toni Stahl in defense. Mwanga in particular looked out of his depth, uncomfortable with the task of playing out of position. Stahl then proceeded to earn two yellow cards and leave Philadelphia down a man for the second half.

*The turf and rain didn't make things easy. Both sides struggled to come to grips with the conditions, and it's a shame to watch a good match deteriorate because of the carpet out in Seattle. The players did well to adjust, and as the game progressed things smoothed out -- not to mention it was the first game of the year.

*Class of Montero. The young Columbian is easy to hate for his diving and theatrics, but there's no discounting his scoring abilities. While Jordan Harvey deserves credit for keeping Montero onside, he did well to react quickly and essentially put the game out of reach.

*Seattle is better than Philadelphia. Well, duh. That is an obvious sentiment that one can easily conclude after taking in Thursday night's match. Seattle set the bar extremely high and will face the pressure of expectations. The addition of Blaise Nkufo will be huge, particularly after Roger Levesque had a poor game yesterday.

Follow along on Twitter

It's an exciting time for MLS fans, though especially for the Sons of Ben. Philly's team is born tonight, and check in with a host of bloggers and writers from around the Internets to take part in the fun. Season previews may not be done (tomorrow, for sure), but that's no reason not to join in tonight.

You don't see a team make the postseason three years in a row and then proceed to part ways with the manager. But that's what Chivas USA did, sending Preki on his way and bringing in Martin Vasquez.

The club decided that it was time to make a change despite the regular season accomplishments. It's hard to fault them, considering that Preki could never lead them to a playoff victory. Paulo Nagamura and Jesse Marsch have since moved on as well.

Vasquez didn't deem it necessary to ring the changes, adding Blair Gaven in the draft, and Osael Romero, a player who ought to give them some creativity. Still, it'll be tough to keep up in the West, and Chivas will be hard-pressed to do so.

Impact Players

Midfielder Sacha Kljestan would probably do well to forget 2009. It started with a bang, and a hat trick against Sweden while playing for the U.S. team. Since then, he's tapered off considerably, coming up small when Chivas needed him the most. A return to form by Kljestan would help kick-start the Chivas offense to life.

Last year was a career renaissance for Zach Thornton -- the team's hot start to the season could be attributed to the play of the 36-year-old, and he'll need to keep that form to help Chivas reach new heights.

New signing Romero is an interesting piece -- he has the creative, attacking abilities that the Preki-coached sides sometimes lacked. The El Salvadoran international is a talent to watch for our in the West.

Big Question

Can Vasquez achieve what Preki couldn't?

Preki was always known as the coach who could get the most out of the least. Some of his moves were particularly memorable, winning with an injury list that more closely resembled a starting XI at times. Regardless, the feeling out in California was that Preki had taken the club was far as they were going to go.

2010 Outlook

Another club that missed out on the last day of 2009, Gary Smith felt the need to make a change or two heading into a new season.

The dynamic duo of Conor Casey and Omar Cummings couldn't get Colorado into the playoffs, so Smith made a move to bring in Jeff Larentowicz and Wells Thompson to beef up the midfield. Two foreigners came in as well, with Oscar Murillo and Danny Earls brought in.

Whether those small moves can make the difference remains to be seen. No matter what, the club remains the Casey-Cummings show, and if those two aren't clicking the Rapids will sink fast.

Impact Players

Looking past the obvious two reveals a decently stocked roster. Mehdi Ballouchy and Colin Clark provide some of the width, along with Scotsman Jamie Smith. Former U.S. men's midfielder Pablo Mastroeni has seen the end of his international career but will play a big role in this season's campaign. 

Defensively, the departure of Cory Gibbs to New England opens up a starting spot in the back line -- one that is likely to be filled by Drew Moor. One thing that Colorado lacks at the back is pace, though the acquisition of Marvell Wynne today alleviates that some.

The lack of depth at striker could end up being a big problem. The club waived Pat Noonan earlier in the week, leaving second round pick Andre Akpan first off the bench. A U.S. youth international, Akpan lit up defenses at Harvard, although questions about his work ethic and the quality of competition have been raised. He'll likely get a chance to prove those naysayers wrong this year.

Big Question

Can Gary Smith get the Rapids over the hump?

It's only the second full year with former Arsenal scout Smith at the helm of the Rapids and by now, he's had the chance to tailor a roster to his liking. A failure to make the playoffs at season's end could spell the end of his tenure, particularly with the talent he has up front.

2010 Outlook

Any team would kill to trot out Cummings and Casey. A lot will depend on the World Cup -- Casey could play a role in the U.S. campaign, which would take him out of the running for Colorado. Past the top two, Akpan is the only real striker available. 

The burden isn't on just Cummings and Casey, as questions will be asked of the defense led by Moor and Julien Baudet. 

Steve Nicol is staring at what could be his most difficult season yet.

Matt Reis and Taylor Twellman are both sitting on the shelf with injuries, and neither have looked any closer to getting back on. Reis underwent surgery during the offseason and is currently on the mend, while Twellman remains on the sidelines with concussion problems.

Injuries aside, Nicol's MLS track record gives every reason to believe that New England will put up quite a substantial fight. And if the young players step into the shoes of the missing veterans, the Revolution may pop up again in the playoffs.

Impact Players

It starts and stops with Shalrie Joseph in the midfielder. The stalwart kept New England together last year, even popping up as a striker and scoring important goals. He's the one player Nicol can't afford to lose in 2010 -- it could possibly cripple the club, especially after losing Jeff Larentowicz and Steve Ralston this offseason.

Darrius Barnes and Kevin Alston were huge last year. Both rookies played in every game in 2009, providing a solid defensive foundation at the back. Bringing that form into 2010 is crucial, as Nicol needs as few additional headaches as possible.

A lot of fuss is being made about rookie Zack Schilawski. The Wake Forest product could be called upon early in the season, especially with Twellman mired on the sidelines. If he steps in and scores goals, a lot of people in New England will be happy.

Big Question

Is Taylor Twellman finished?

The health and status of Twellman is an important part of this season. Last year, New England fared alright without him, and there's no reason to believe that they can't do it again. Head injuries can't be rushed, and it wouldn't be surprising to know Nicol is planning for an entire season with the ex-Terrapin.

2010 Outlook

Never count New England out. As long as Nicol remains at the helm, he'll steady the ship. That being said, starting a season with two major players out is never an easy thing to cope with. If Twellman comes back New England could be a legitimate title threat -- if not, they'll either be a one and done team or miss out altogether.