All but five Major League Soccer teams are off, so to speak, until at least the middle of next week, a rare occasion in which the league honors FIFA's international fixture dates -- and nobody's complaining.
More than 50 MLS players are with their national teams for competitive matches or friendlies this weekend and early next week, and nearly everybody else is getting a breather of sorts.
Not so the Galaxy -- they have an MLS Reserve League match Thursday night in Portland and a Labor Day league clash at Sporting Kansas City. Real Salt Lake and Philadelphia tangle on Saturday in Utah.
The rest of the league still has training sessions, but there are days off -- Chivas USA has given its players the entire Labor Day weekend to themselves.
FIFA designates dates for international matches, and most of the world's leagues honor them -- there's nothing going on, for instance, in Europe's top leagues, and only a trio of makeup games are on the Mexican Primera Division schedule.
MLS, citing a cramped calendar that owes perhaps more to extreme winter weather in certain markets, usually plays through these dates, its teams gutting through while missing their top players. Commissioner Don Garber says the league wants to take more IFTs off, and they'll do so again in mid-October, with just two matches slated for Oct. 8 (and five in a seven-day span from Oct. 6 to 12).
This week's rankings:
Week 24: Omar Gonzalez and Chad Barrett score as Galaxy go 2-0-0 in CONCACAF Champions League with 2-0 win over Alajuelense (Costa Rica); showdown at New York postponed to Oct. 4 because of Hurricane Irene
Remark: Gregg Berhalter's foot “sprain” will test depth at key spot in pivotal matches
International duty: Landon Donovan (U.S.), Robbie Keane (Ireland) and Chris Birchall (Trinidad & Tobago) were called up for duty during FIFA's Sept. 2/6 international fixture dates
Next: Monday at Sporting Kansas City, 3 p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Deportes)
2. SEATTLE SOUNDERS (13-5-9, 48 points), Last week: 2
Week 24: Lamar Neagle is MLS Player of the Week after his hat trick highlights 6-2 destruction of Eastern leader Columbus; Fredy Montero's goal tops FC Dallas, 1-0, in a U.S. Open Cup semifinal
Remark: Sounders could become first MLS club to win three straight U.S. Open Cups. Might be different if they played on the road
International duty: Goalkeeper Terry Boss (Puerto Rico)
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Real Salt Lake, 1 p.m. (MLS Direct Kick)
3. FC DALLAS (13-7-7, 46 points), Last week: 3
Week 24: Jack Stewart's goal beats Toronto FC, 1-0, in morning Champions League encounter after lightning halts action the night before with Hoops up at halftime; Maicon Santos scores trying goal in 89th, Bobby Warshaw nets winner in stoppage to beat Sporting Kansas City, 3-2; U.S. Open Cup run ends with 1-0 semifinal loss at Seattle
Remark: Biggest pickup might be center back George John, after transfer to Blackburn falls apart
International duty: Brek Shea (U.S.) and Marvin Chavez (Honduras). Zach Loyd (U.S.) withdrew with a hamstring injury
Next: Saturday in a friendly vs. UANL Tigres, 5:30 p.m.; Sept. 10 at New England, 4:30 p.m. (MLS Direct Kick)
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/10717/mls-power-rankings-week-25-a-needed-break
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