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MLS Match Day 5 Preview and Picks

 One of the bigger storylines ahead of this weekend are all of the players who won't be playing because of International Duty this weekend. Some clubs are going to be down a lot of players, while others will be without one or two very significant pieces going into this weekend.

Orlando City and Philly is the ultimate dwindled down roster matchup of the weekend with both sides being down seven players going into the weekend. Orlando will be without starting RB Mikey Halliday, GK Pedro Gallese, all everything F Facundo Torres, MF Wilder Caragena, and a couple of good youth depth players in Thomas Williams and Alexander Freeman. Philly will be without Daniel Gazdag, Damion Lowe, Jose Martinez, Jack McGlynn, Quin Sullivan, Brandan Craig, and Richard Odada. I've written on multiple occasions how both of these teams are deeper than your average MLS squad, but this weekend should be a real test of that depth.

Sporting Kansas City is without Marinos Tzionis this weekend which could really hurt if Johnny Russell and Alan Pulido are still out of the lineup. Seattle is without defenders Arreaga, Baker-Whiting, Nouhou, and Alex Roldan as well as Raul Ruidiaz. This is a really important game for Peter Vermes and company because Seattle will be thin at both full back positions, so I would expect Salloi, Thommy and if healthy Johnny Russell to be coming down both sidelines full speed ahead. 

Atlanta United may have some of the most significant absences this weekend being down Thiago Almada, Derrick Etienne, Chol, Abram, Miles Robinson, Ronald Hernandez, and Giakoumakis ahead of their matchup with Columbus. I would expect Columbus to really try and take three points from a thin Atlanta side this weekend.

Moving away from international absenteeism, the Portland Timbers and LA Galaxy play an important 3:30 Central game this weekend. Both clubs are struggling out of the gate early and Providence Park will likely be in proper form ahead of this big matchup. 

Charlotte will be down Swiderski ahead of their matchup with the Red Bulls, who are coming off a nice home win last weekend. Can Charlotte build off of their surprise win at Orlando City last week?

Nashville and Cincy are both near fully staffed ahead of a big conference matchup this weekend in the Music City. Nashville is in fact one of the only teams not down a single player this weekend. Cincy will still have the likes of Brenner, Brandon Vasquez, and Matt Miazga for the showdown. 

LAFC and FC Dallas will be a battle of top half Western Conference teams, but LAFC will be down Buoanga for the game. We will still get to see the likes of Carlos Vela and Timothy Tillman face off against the boys from North Texas.

San Jose host Toronto FC this weekend. The Quakes will be looking to get back on track after falling 0-3 to St. Louis City last weekend while Toronto are still trying to fit all of their important pieces together while being down Mark Anthony-Kaye, Richie Laryea, Jonathan Osario, and Ayo Akinola this weekend. 

St. Louis City SC will be without stand out center back Kyle Hiebert who was called into camp for Canada this weekend as they head to Real Salt Lake to try and continue their historic start. Kyle Hiebert being called up for his National Team is a great story for college soccer and for my hometown Missouri State Bears soccer program. It blows my mind in the draft when MLS teams opt to pass. Take a chance on someone, you never know when you're going to find the next hidden gem. RSL will be without Diego Luna, Braian Owed and Rubio Rubin for this matchup. 

Elsewhere around the league the New England Revs look to stay hot as they travel to DC United. Inter Miami host the Chicago Fire, while Minnesota United host Vancouver, and NYCFC travel to the Houston Dynamo who are looking to build on last weeks big 2-0 win over Austin FC. 

Speaking of Austin FC, they are hosting the down on their luck Colorado Rapids. The Rapids found out this week they've lost Captain Jack Price for the season, while they will be without young Striker Darren Yapi and the speedy Diego Rubio for this matchup. If Stan Kroenke truly cared at all about his MLS team, he would dig down into those deep Walmart based real estate pockets and try to get some reinforcements to help Cole Bassett and company out for the rest of this campaign. We knew the Rapids would face an uphill battle this season, but they are going to need to make some real moves if they are going to try and make a push at the expanded playoffs this season. 

Here's five picks for you all this week:

Austin over Colorado

St. Louis over RSL

Sporting KC over Seattle

FC Dallas over LAFC 

Philly Union- Orlando City DRAW 

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