The first big rivalry match of the season in Major League Soccer takes place on Saturday night when the Houston Dynamo host FC Dallas in the first Texas Derby of 2016. 

While the passion has been there over the last three years, the results haven't shown up for the Dynamo. Since the start of 2013, FC Dallas have won five straight league matches against Houston and an additional two in the 2013 and 2014 U.S. Open Cups. 

Earning a big result in the second week of the season means more to Houston than FC Dallas. The Dynamo come into Saturday's showdown at BBVA Compass Stadium off a 3-3 draw with the New England Revolution in which they let three points slip away in second-half stoppage time. 

Not only would a victory in Week 2 help the Dynamo rebound from their Week 1 heartbreak, but it will give fans of the club hope that Season 2 under manager Owen Coyle will see progress. The pieces are there for the Dynamo to improve, but to do so they must win at home against the difficult competition in the Western Conference. 

A win on the road would help Oscar Pareja's side earn some early separation from the pack of contenders in the West. Only five clubs from the West recorded three points in Week 1, and at least one of those teams will fall in Week 2 when Portland visits San Jose in the final match of the weekend. 

Houston can still brag about its 6-3-3 record at home in the Texas Derby, but a loss or draw on Saturday would hand FC Dallas an eight-game unbeaten run in the rivalry across all competitions. That would not sit well with Dynamo supporters, especially with just under three months between the Week 2 meeting and the second contest between the rivals on June 2 at Toyota Stadium. 

The Texas Derby isn't the only matchup in Week 2 that has been lopsided recently. Six other clubs enter the second weekend of the 2016 campaign with some sort of extended unbeaten run against their opponents. 

Real Salt Lake comes into their Saturday home opener against the Seattle Sounders with wins in each of their last four home contests versus Sigi Schmid's club. The last time Seattle left Rio Tinto Stadium with a win was May 28, 2011. 

The New York Red Bulls have won four of their last six matches with the Montreal Impact. Montreal's last victory against the Red Bulls came on March 23, 2013 at Olympic Stadium. Since then, the Red Bulls have four wins and two draws against their Eastern Conference foes from Quebec. In each game between the two sides last season, the Impact had a defender sent off. 

It shouldn't be a big surprise that the LA Galaxy and Columbus Crew have large streaks from their recent meetings with the Colorado Rapids and Philadelphia Union. LA heads to Dick's Sporting Goods Park with a four-game unbeaten streak against Colorado, and Columbus has not lost at home against the Union in seven all-time meetings at Mapfre Stadium. 

Vancouver will try to break its bad luck against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night. The Whitecaps have only beaten Sporting KC once and do not have a victory in Kansas City. Portland comes into its Sunday showdown at Avaya Stadium with a five-game unbeaten run against the San Jose Earthquakes.

But since this is MLS, where we're used to seeing the unexpected occur, don't be surprised if some of these streaks come to an end in Week 2. 

Week 2 Schedule (all times ET)

Chicago Fire at Orlando City (Friday, 7 p.m., UniMas) 

D.C. United at New England Revolution (Saturday, 3 p.m., MLS Live) 

Seattle Sounders at Real Salt Lake (Saturday, 4 p.m., MLS Live) 

New York Red Bulls at Montreal Impact (Saturday, 4 p.m., MLS Live) 

LA Galaxy at Colorado Rapids (Saturday, 7 p.m., MLS Live) 

Philadelphia Union at Columbus Crew (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., MLS Live) 

FC Dallas at Houston Dynamo (Saturday, 8:30 p.m., MLS Live) 

Vancouver Whitecaps at Sporting Kansas City (8:30 p.m., MLS Live) 

Toronto FC at New York City FC (Sunday, 5 p.m., ESPN2)

Portland Timbers at San Jose Earthquakes (Sunday, 7 p.m., FS1)

Players to Watch

Antonio Nocerino, CM, Orlando City 

One of the biggest names to enter the league during the offseason could debut for Orlando City in the opening match of the weekend. 

Former AC Milan man Antonio Nocerino is set to play in front of the purple faithful at the Citrus Bowl for a club that needs help in midfield. Kaka did not start in Week 1 due to an injury, and Darwin Ceren is suspended for the match against Chicago due to a red card he picked up in the season opener. 

We don't expect Nocerino to dazzle us every second he's on the pitch on Friday night, but we expect him to bring some much-needed quality to the Lions as they look to get past the rebuilding Fire. 

Felipe, CM, New York Red Bulls

In order to capture their first win of the season, the New York Red Bulls must contain Montreal playmaker Ignacio Piatti. 

Midfield destroyer Felipe will be tasked with keeping the Argentinian quiet while fellow central midfielders Dax McCarty and Sacha Kljestan move forward. 

If Felipe can quiet Piatti's impact during the run of play and on the counter, Montreal will be forced to create through the wings, where the defensive strengths of the Red Bulls lie. 

Andre Blake, GK, Philadelphia Union

Jamaica international Andre Blake was one of the few players who impressed in Philadelphia's Week 1 defeat to FC Dallas. 

If the Union want to secure a point at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday, Blake must continue to shine in between the pipes. 

Since the Philadelphia defense is still working on its chemistry and Maurice Edu is out for at least three months, holes will be exploited by the Crew attack. If Blake makes the saves when called upon, the Union will gain confidence throughout the match and could steal a result late. 

Sebastian Giovinco, FW, Toronto FC 

Sebastian Giovinco returns to Yankee Stadium, where he recorded a nine-minute hat-trick in a wild 4-4 draw against New York City FC on July 12, 2015. 

Given the porous defending from NYCFC in Week 1, Giovinco is poised to give another standout performance for Toronto FC on Sunday. 

Giovinco's movement will also be worth watching. In Week 1 at Red Bull Arena, the Italian was isolated for most of the match before he broke free in the final 10 minutes. The Reds must do a better job of finding their star attacker early in the match in order to keep the NYCFC back four consistently under threat. 

Game of the Week 

Vancouver Whitecaps at Sporting Kansas City 

There are plenty of intriguing matchups in Week 2, but the one that catches our eye the most comes from Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City. 

Sporting KC benefited from strong defending and a red card to Seattle's Oniel Fisher in Week 1 to steal three points from the Sounders. Peter Vermes' side did that without Benny Feilhaber, Brad Davis, Justin Mapp, Seth Sinovic and Paulo Nagamura. 

Sinovic and Davis are expected to be available for selection, according to Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star, but Sporting KC will still be short-handed.

One of Vancouver's biggest strengths is its defense anchored by Costa Rican center back Kendall Waston. How Waston and Tim Parker handle Dom Dwyer will be key to the club's success. 

The Western Conference matchup also provides us with a look at two of the best defensive midfielders in the league. Sporting KC's Soni Mustivar and Vancouver's Matias Laba are expected to wreak all sorts of havoc in this contest. 

Joe Tansey covers MLS for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

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