The New York Red Bulls sputtered in the first week of Major League Soccer action, but things have turned around in New York. Kenny Cooper and Thierry Henry look like the best forward paring in MLS, and there doesn't seem to be answer to how to stop them right now. 

Real Salt Lake came back firing this week with two wins in a short week. Is this week's showdown with perfect Sporting Kansas City the game of the year? Short answer: Yes. Both teams are stingy and both are in prime form.

1. Sporting Kansas City (5-0-0, 15 Points)  

Kei Kamara comes through in the clutch again, and Sporting K.C. becomes the first team since MLS's inaugural season to start the year 5-0. Oh, and Sporting hasn't allowed a shot on goal for 245 minutes.

That's pretty impressive (an understatement if I've ever written one).

2. Real Salt Lake (5-1-0, 15 Points)

Two wins on one week proved to be pretty easy for an RSL side that has come together again under Jason Kreis.

3. San Jose Earthquakes (4-1-0, 12 Points)

San Jose finally allowed a goal, but Chris Wondolowski added two more to his tally, and the Quakes dispatched a good Whitecaps team at home. 

4. New York Red Bulls (3-2-0, Nine Points)

Kenny Cooper and Thierry Henry each scored a brace over the weekend against Columbus—bringing their goalscoring totals to seven for Henry and six for Cooper. They continue to terrorize defenses, and will do so until someone can find an answer to their goalscoring prowess.

New York's defense is still iffy, but with an attack like this, it won't be tested that often.

5. Seattle Sounders (2-1-1, Seven Points)

A draw away to D.C. was deserved, but there are still questions about the Sounders going forward.

Is there a bite to this team? Or will it continue to flounder in important games?

6. Vancouver Whitecaps (2-1-2, Eight Points)

A loss at home to San Jose puts a dampener on a solid start to the 2012 campaign for Martin Rennie's team. There are still issues with putting the ball in the back of the net for the Whitecaps, and it all needs to be sorted this week—which Vancouver has off—before Sporting Kansas City comes to town.

7. Houston Dynamo (2-1-0, Six Points)

The break continues for the Dynamo. How many teams are jealous of their schedule right now? The Fire are rested in waiting, though, and the Dynamo needs to show its muscle in its return to action next weekend.

8. Colorado Rapids (3-2-0, Nine Points)

Chivas' win at Rio Tinto looks more like the anomaly that it was. Colorado found out what so many teams will find this year—Real Salt Lake doesn't mess around at home. Next week won't be any easier, with a trip to Seattle.

9. New England Revolution (2-0-2, Six Points)

New England deserved a point in Dallas, but a sloppy giveaway from Shalrie Joseph and poor marking by the captain on a free kick in extra time gave Dallas the late win.

The Revs had a tough week of travel (LA to Dallas) and had to deal with tornado warnings on the road trip. All things considered, New England outperformed Dallas for much of the 90 minutes.

10. FC Dallas (2-2-1, Seven Points)

An injury-time goal from Ugo Ihemelu saved Dallas from a disappointing home loss. Injuries continue to mount for the Hoops, though, and will eventually catch up.

11. Columbus Crew (2-1-0, Six Points)

Columbus had no answer for Henry and Cooper. To be fair, not many teams will.

12. Los Angeles Galaxy (1-3-0, Three Points)

Another loss for the defending champs. And questions continue to arise about players' fitness and David Beckham.

13. D.C. United (1-2-2, Four Points)

D.C. United has tightened its defense in recent weeks. A draw with Seattle at home was fair, but there are questions as to who will step up and help Dwayne De Rosario.

14. Chicago Fire (1-2-1, Four Points)

A week off for the Fire was nice. Now it gets to host the Dynamo, another well-rested team, at home.

15. Chivas USA (2-0-3, Three Points)

Winning on the road is proving easier for Chivas than at home. A surprising win at Portland puts the rest of the league on its toes for when the Goats come to town.

16. Montreal Impact (1-3-1, Four Points)

Andrew Wenger scored his first MLS goal, helping Montreal get its first win in MLS and beating nearby Toronto in the process. Things are looking up in Montreal.

17. Portland Timbers (1-3-1, Four Points)

Is this the same Timbers team we saw in Week 1? A loss to Chivas at home was embarrassing for a team that was supposed to beat the sophomore slump.

18. Philadelphia Union (0-3-1, One Point)

No game this week for a Union team that really needs to figure things out. 

19. Toronto FC (0-4-0, No Points)

Out of CONCACAF Champions League and a loss to their newest Canadian rivals made for a horrible week for the Reds. There are still so many questions that need to be answered about this team, but the biggest has to be in the defense, where the team is thin and extremely weak.

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It’s only been five games into the 2012 season, but Ryan Meara has made an impact in goal that the New York Red Bulls were missing badly last season.

In the first five games last season, the team had only allowed three goals, but they had to use three different goalies (and they only had two wins). As the season went on, mistakes by the man in net were abundant and the team used five different players at the position.

Mistakes, inconsistencies and not having chemistry on defense doomed the Red Bulls, as they barely made the playoffs and suffered a second-round exit.

It was a position that team desperately needed to upgrade in the offseason. So it was a bit puzzling when a franchise that has had no issues spending money on players and recruiting mostly foreigners to join the squad put the team literally in the hands of an American rookie.

The 21-year-old out of Fordham University was selected by the Red Bulls with the 31st pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft. He was the first goalie taken in the draft and the only player the Red Bulls selected in the draft.

“We think he’s the best goalkeeper in the college system. He’s big, he’s strong, we need a goalie, and he’s from New York,” Red Bulls General Manager Erik Soler told the media after the draft. “Every factor that we looked at was there, and he was the player we wanted most from the draft simply because we needed a goalkeeper.”

Meara beat out another young American, Jeremy Vuolo, for the starting spot out of preseason and he has been quite the find. He has started the first five games and played every minute of them. He leads all of MLS in saves (21) and the Red Bulls have three victories.

The Red Bulls defense was bad last year and is still rather shaky. The loss of Tim Ream and his calmness on the ball is a big one. Markus Holgersson has failed to adjust to MLS thus far, Wilman Conde has not been healthy and the defensive bite in midfield has been absent due to the injuries of Teemu Tainio and the early suspension of Rafa Marquez.

Still, Meara has held strong in the back and has made a number of great saves to protect Red Bull leads or keep the team in the game.

“He’s looked very composed. He’s a low-key guy, but a hard worker,” head coach Hans Backe said in an interview with the New York Post. “Fingers crossed now, I think definitely he has a future.”

The 6'4" goalie commands a strong presence and poise in net. He shows good athleticism and in the team’s poor opening to the season in Dallas, Meara was one of only a couple of bright spots.

He was born in Yonkers, New York and admits he grew up a MetroStars fan. The club, despite all its recent struggles finding a keeper, has had the luxury of playing some of the best goalies in league history such as Tim Howard, Tony Meola and Johnnie Walker.

“Going into this whole process, in the back of my mind I was thinking the Red Bulls. I was thinking how staying local would be great,” Meara said in an interview for the team’s website.

Meara is young and there still is room for improvement, as there should be. But he has looked like a good prospect early on and as the defense in front of him solidifies itself and he develops better chemistry with them, he could develop into one of the best in the league.

For right now, though, the responsibilities he has taken on have been huge and he has performed admirably. The consistency he has brought to the Red Bulls defense is just as important as the goals that Thierry Henry and Kenny Cooper have scored.

It looks like the name Ryan Meara will be one that actually sticks around for a while.

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With their 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday, Sporting Kansas City extended their season-opening win streak to five straight matches. It is only the second time in league history a team has won their first five matches. The other? The Los Angeles Galaxy won eight straight to kick off the league's first campaign in 1996.

With that number, five, in mind, here are the five keys to Sporting Kansas City's hot start in 2012.

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The lack of David Beckham played a major factor in the Los Angeles Galaxy's 1-0 defeat to Sporting Kansas City, although to their credit, they held their own on defense.

This time, it was the offensive punch that went AWOL, as the Galaxy failed to get a shot on goal.

So, how did the players do? It wasn't that bad of a defeat, but a loss is still a loss. Here are the player ratings.

Josh Saunders: 7

If it weren't for the 41st-minute header by Kei Kamara (and the pretentiously slow-motion celebration that ensued), Josh Saunders would have recorded his first shutout of the season.

Saunders made three saves, but that goal allowed lowers his grade.

A.J. DeLaGarza: 6

Normal performance from DeLaGarza, who I have conceded will have to stay in the center. To my surprise, save for once, LA weren't killed down the middle. Can DeLaGarza keep it up?

Sean Franklin: 3

The goat of the match. Was responsible for giving up the Kei Kamara goal that gift-wrapped another three points for Sporting Kansas City. Do I smell a possible trade soon?

Todd Dunivant: 6

Good outing from the Iron Man, made some clearances but needs to do better on the offensive side of the ball.

Tommy Meyer: 7

Verdict is in: Tommy Meyer has won the starting job in center-back for the rest of the season over Andrew Boyens hands down. Marked his men and limited the production of Kamara, Graham Zusi and C.J. Sapong.

Mike Magee: 7

Best midfielder on the day for LA. Had two chances that went wide. The Magee Magic is fading, though, and this raises a red flag heading into next week's match with the Portland Timbers.

Juninho: 4

This year's Juninho is not last year's Juninho. Completely struggled to find a rhythm in the midfield, and the combo with Marcelo Sarvas failed to deliver an equalizer.

Michael Stephens: 4

Ineffective performance from Stephens. Also came up gimpy and had to be subbed late in the second half.

Edson Buddle: 3

Buddle was left on a island, all alone, and it was a simple task of double-marking Buddle. He doesn't have the speed and finishing touch that defined him in 2010. A complete shell.

Landon Donovan: 6

Landon Donovan was not playing up to full strength and was just easing off an injury to his quad muscle. Also, his late challenge on Kamara affected his grade.

Still, Donovan's presence did make the scoreline respectable, but the dynamics of the match would have changed if LD was at full strength. For example, improved defending.

Robbie Keane: 7

Well, Robbie Keane is the vice-captain for a reason. But what he still doesn't understand is that MLS is not home to the most consistent referees in world football. Aside from that, another workmanlike effort.

Chad Barrett: 5

Barrett had one legit look on goal late in the second half but really should have started the match to test Jimmy Nielsen, who had a rather uneventful outing on Saturday.

Kyle Nakazawa NR, Marcelo Sarvas NR

Both players came in late and didn't do much to change the outcome of the contest, so no rating is given.

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Red Bulls strikers Thierry Henry and Kenny Cooper both scored a brace, the second time that has happened already this season, as the Red Bulls routed Columbus 4-1 at Columbus Crew Stadium. Cooper scored a quick-fire double in the 8th and 13th minute and from then on the game was never in doubt. Henry added his first goal towards the end of the first half and again in the waning minutes of the second half.

Columbus really struggled to maintain possession and move the ball into the attacking third. In the few moments when the crew managed to create chances their finishing was terrible, the highlight coming in the 63rd minute when Emilio Renteria missed an opportunity from just outside the 6 yard box. Columbus did add a 89th minute Chad Marshall goal off a corner kick, but it was too little too late for the lethargic Crew.

Player Ratings

GK Ryan Meara

Poor communication almost cost the young keeper early on, but he got better as the game progressed. Had a number of great saves towards the end of the second half as his defense seemed to lose focus. Deserved a clean sheet for his second half effort, but was denied by an 89th minute Chad Marshall header.

Player Rating: 6

RB Jan Gunnar Solli

Defended well and got forward throughout the game. Looked really good attacking up the right flank throughout the match.

Player Rating: 6.5

CB Markus Holgersson

Defended well early on and well into the second half. Broke up play along the right side. Really faded as the game came to a close, allowing Renteria to get back into the action. Should have been stronger on the 89th minute Marshall goal, but the game was already won.

Player Rating: 6

CB Steven Keel

Had more than just a few shaky moments, including a dangerous back pass that incited the venom of Red Bulls Manager Hans Backe. All-in-all he looks a step behind the MLS game. Red Bulls will be hoping Conde can find fitness because Keel can be exposed.

Player Rating: 5

LB Roy Miller

Will get the assist as he found the killer ball on the Henry's 40th minute goal. Other then that was rarely found in the attacking third, but his defense was solid throughout the match.

Player Rating: 6.5

RM Dane Richards

Had a few good moments early, including am 18th minute charge into the box that lead to a shot that barely fails to find the upper corner. Yet his performance takes a hit due to his hesitance on the ball during a few attacks. He often seems short of ideas with the ball at his feet at the edge of the box and a defender blocking off his path to goal. Was subbed in the 80th minute for Joel Lindpiere.

Player Rating: 5.5

CM Dax McCarty

Worked hard for his team helping win back possession and blunting the Crew's attack through the center of the park. Did well in the build up to Henry's 40th minute goal and executed a great chip to Henry in the 47th minute that almost lead to a spectacular goal.

Player Rating: 7

CM Rafa Marquez

Distribution was much better in this match as he consistently picked out the right pass to send the Red Bulls surging forward. He played in a more deep lying roll then usual and looked more comfortable. Executed two clever Set Piece plays that caught the Crew off guard, but failed to find the back of the net.

Player Rating:  7

LM Medhi Ballouchi

Was everywhere in the offensive third helping to break down the Crew. Always made himself available for teammates and consistently moved the attack forward with his passing. Didn't really operate well along the left wing choosing to play more centrally linking up play.

Player Rating: 7

ST Thierry Henry

Scored two goals and assisted on a third, ho-hum for the league leader in goals and runner up in assists. Strong play by partner Kenny Cooper allowed Henry to drop back into the midfield and orchestrate as a play maker throughout the match.

Player Rating: 8

ST Kenny Cooper

Cooper did well to turn and finish in the 3rd minute and was a bit lucky on his second goal off a deflected Dane Richards shot in the 13th. His hold up play was really impressive as he consistently brought teammates into the attack. Has developed a fruitful partnership with Thierry Henry that see's him just behind the Frenchman in second place of the MLS scoring table.

Player Rating: 8

Substitutes:

Joel Lindpiere (on 80th Minute)

Made an impression in his short appearance as he surged up the left side late in the match making the Columbus defense look foolish before finding Thierry Henry for his 90th minute goal.

Player Rating: 7

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It ended up being a lot harder than it should have been, but the Montreal Impact have finally won their first game in the MLS, with a 2-1 win over Toronto FC on Saturday.

The Impact scored first in the 17th minute. Off a turnover in midfield, Lamar Neagle set up Sinisa Ubiparipovic near the top of the box. Ubiparipovic made no mistake as he slid the ball between both central defenders and into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Despite dominating play in the midfield throughout the first half, the Impact had a lot of trouble handling Toronto's crosses coming into the box. If not for a spectacular reaction save from Donovan Ricketts on a Danny Koevermans header, TFC would have tied the game just before half time.

The Impact later got some help from the referee when Logan Emory was sent off for taking down Sanna Nyassi in the 65th minute. The straight red was a bit harsh as Emory and Nyassi were virtually side by side at the time of the foul—but considering some of the calls the Impact have gotten this season, I'm sure they'll take it without any complaints.

The Impact almost blew the lead shortly after, however, but were saved by a Shavar Thomas goal-line clearance.

Andrew Wenger gave the Impact the insurance marker when he scored in the 81st minute with the help of a brilliant pass from Justin Mapp. The Impact were then able to hold on for the final 10 minutes, conceding only one goal.

Highlights

Jesse Marsch's personnel decisions were outstanding today. With the Impact starting to struggle midway through the second half, Marsch was able to sub in just the right players needed to give his team a boost.

Realizing that Zarek Valentin was simply incapable of generating any offence from the fullback position, and noticing that Ubiparipovic was losing some pace in the midfield, Marsch inserted Justin Mapp. Mapp changed the game for the Impact, giving them a credible threat from the wing and eventually assisting on the winning goal.

Marsch also made the right choice taking out Bernardo Corradi. Corradi wasn't making anything happen for the Impact. His replacement, Wenger, gave the Impact some much needed speed up front.

Donovan Ricketts also deserves some praise for his outstanding close range save on Koevermans. A Toronto goal at that point likely would have ruined the Impact, as the Reds were building serious momentum.

Lowlights

Zarek Valentin was ineffective in every aspect of the game. His runs up the right side never produced any offence as his crosses into the box were consistently off target. Also, because he was consistently running up the field and essentially turning the ball over, he left gaping holes in the Impact defense.

Bernardo Corradi, in what's becoming a disturbing trend, also failed to help his team today. Corradi just didn't seem capable of of keeping up with the play. He didn't have a shot on goal and was utterly invisible.

What Needs to Change

The Impact need to find a permanent solution up front. Sanna Nyassi has been solid all year, using his speed to constantly put pressure on opposing defenses. He just doesn't have another striker to work off of.

Wenger looked good today, but seems more suited for an attacking midfield role. With their depth in the middle, the Impact could do well switching to a lone striker formation and allowing guys like Felipe, Arnaud, Mapp and Wenger to attack with more regularity.

For more on the Montreal sports scene, go to The Montreal Sports Report.

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The Los Angeles Galaxy drop yet another match in Major League Soccer play, losing 1-0 to Sporting Kansas City at Livestrong Sporting Park.

Kei Kamara's header in the 41st minute was all Sporting needed in a performance that lacked offensive production.

Here are six things we learned from Saturday's match between the Galaxy and Sporting Kansas City.

1. David Beckham's absence made all the difference.

When any of Los Angeles's main players are not in the lineup, bad things tend to happen. Although the outcome wasn't as bad as it could have been, David Beckham's play-making abilities are an asset to the Galaxy.

No Beckham equals no victory due to the lack of off the ball movement.

2. Improved defending from LA

Although the result was the Galaxy's first shut-out loss of the season, the back-line of Sean Franklin, A.J. DeLaGarza, Todd Dunivant and Tommy Meyer held their own for the majority of the match.

It did provide one answer regarding the back-line: Andrew Boyens is a liability, and with Meyer in the lineup, the damage was reduced to just a simple header surrendered by Franklin, who was the worst player on defense for the Galaxy.

3. Landon Donovan eases back in

Landon Donovan was coming into the game wounded, but his impact on the match did reduce the damage that occurs when he not in the lineup. It seemed that LD was just doing his best not to reaggravate his injury. A healthier Donovan would have possibly changed the dynamics of the game.

4. Sound possession from Sporting

The real reason why Sporting Kansas City won? Ball control. Sporting Kansas City simply dominated possession, 59.6 percent to 40.4 percent and had more open play crosses (19 to 10). In addition, they won the ball more (49 to 35 in duels won, 58 percent to 41 percent) and outshot the Galaxy 14 to four.

It's not reflected in the scoreline, of course, but Sporting dominated this match on the stat sheet.

5. More offensive ineptitude

As previously mentioned, the Galaxy were outshot 14 to 4, but the chances they had could have changed the scoreline. Mike Magee had two legit shots on goal and Chad Barrett nearly had an equalizer late.

LA's offense needs to improve, and in order to do this, they need to create more chances. We did not see that today.

6. Jorge Gonzalez...not the best official in the league

Jorge Gonzalez is no Ricardo Salazar. Not only was his officiating favoring Sporting Kansas City, but a number of potential penalty chances were not whistled.

This was a loosely-officiated game, and only one yellow card was awarded, a late one to Donovan in the 90th minute for a challenge on Kamara.

In short, Gonzalez let the players play, but he did not control the match as much as he should have on Saturday.

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It’s high time for Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy, who enter the cauldron of fire, also known as Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.

Awaiting them: the top team in the East—Sporting Kansas City, who come into Saturday’s tilt unbeaten and ready to continue their winstreak.

With issues in the backline and an unsightly habit of surrendering goals on the fly, how will the defending champions of Major League Soccer fare in one of the most hostile environments in North America?

Can Los Angeles bounce back from an embarrassing 3-1 defeat at home to the New England Revolution? Or will Sporting establish themselves as the class of the league?

Kickoff at Livestrong is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET and will be televised by ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

Keep it right here on Bleacher Report for continuing coverage of the 2012 Major League Soccer season and all things world football.

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Kenny Cooper didn't live up to expectations last season for the Portland Timbers. The former FC Dallas standout was supposed to be the kind of impact player the expansion team needed to make its first season in Major League Soccer special.

Instead, Cooper struggled on John Spencer's team and didn't find the net the way people expected. He looked lost at times and short of confidence. The homecoming from a disappointing European journey with German team TSV 1860 Munich just didn't pan out for Cooper.

With a relatively high salary by MLS standards, Cooper was deemed too expensive to hold on to by Portland. The New York Red Bulls jumped at the chance to trade for the player before the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, sending allocation money and the Red Bulls' 2013 first-round draft pick to Portland.

And Cooper has been anything but a disappointment for the Red Bulls since arriving; in fact, he's been a perfect counter-balance to the Red Bulls' other experienced forward, a certain player by the name of Thierry Henry.

There was a chance the Red Bulls would be without Luke Rodgers this year. It was known that Rodgers' troubles with the law in England meant that obtaining a work visa for him for the 2012 season would be difficult even though he received one for the 2011 season.

Rodgers was the perfect foil for Henry last year. He played with energy, pestered defenders and created space for Henry to play in. The two had a great understanding of one another. And what was an early-season fear became reality when Rodgers wasn't granted his visa for this season and New York terminated his contract with the team.

With Hans Backe's reluctance to play Juan Agudelo, the latest in a long line of American forward prodigies, New York needed to find a suitable replacement for Rodgers, a player who could supplement Henry's goal scoring and who could add another dimension to the potent New York attack.

Erik Solér, the team's general manager/sporting director, saw a chance to sign Cooper and felt that Portland's offer was fair. He pulled the trigger and made the trade happen. And already New York is reaping the benefits of the move.

In four games, Cooper has scored four goals and helped Henry tally a few of his own as well. Between them, Henry and Cooper have scored nine of New York's 10 goals this season—Henry has chipped in three assists as well. They appear to have meshed together especially well the last two home games. 

New York scored one goal in its first two games of the season—in the 2-1 loss to FC Dallas on the opening weekend—and lost both games. In its last two games, New York has scored nine goals—a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rapids and a 5-2 win over the Montreal Impact. Cooper and Henry have been the focal point of those games as well, and they look to have settled into playing with one another, which spells trouble for the rest of MLS.

Before Cooper moved to Europe, he was a regular on the scoresheet as a goal scorer. In his last season in MLS with FC Dallas before his move overseas, Cooper tallied seven goals in 15 matches. The previous year, 2008, Cooper scored 18 goals in 30 matches. Cooper knows how to find the back of the net, especially in MLS, and he looks to be a new man since his move away from Portland.

Cooper's size and pace make him the perfect player to work off what Henry does on and off the ball. Cooper likes to run through the channels and work defenders, while Henry has started to drift deeper into the midfield in recent seasons to get on the ball more and create. With Henry pulling defenders out of position and Cooper playing on their shoulders, the Red Bulls have a nice forward combination that can create and exploit space better than arguably any pairing in the league. 

If Cooper and Henry can continue to click and develop, there won't be too many questions asked of the Red Bulls' weak back line because teams will have to pack it in and defend against two of the best forwards in the league.

Not to mention the fact that a 19-year-old goal scoring prodigy in Agudelo lurks on the bench when things aren't going according to plan.

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LA Dance...Into The Fire!

Until we dance into the fire, 
That fatal kiss is all we need.
Dance into the fire, 
To fatal sounds of broken dreams...


-Duran Duran, "A View To A Kill"

Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy are entering the cauldron Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, KS, straggling, wounded, bloodied and broken, but not unbowed.

Awaiting them: Sporting Kansas City in the Apr. 7 Holy Saturday tilt (1 pm PT/4 pm ET: ESPN, ESPN Deportes). For Robbie Keane, who salvaged some dignity last week against the New England Revolution, he knows the odds are suddenly stacked against the defending league champions.

 “It’s never good when you lose a game, especially when you’ve got a week ‘til your next game," Keane told MLSSoccer.com's Luis Bueno. "If there’s a game in a few days time, you kind of have to get your head around getting yourself focused, but it’s going to be a long week for the boys.

"It’s up to everyone to pick their heads up and be men.”

Accountability is important for the Galaxy heading into their match, but bouncing back with authority is also just as critical.

“We have to take this as a team, as a group of players," Keane added. "We have to accept it and not keep our heads down and be babies about it, get on with it, be a man and make sure we’re ready for next week.”

Time is of the essence

For defender Todd Dunivant, one of a handful of suspects in letting three goals slip past Josh Saunders last Saturday, every match is a big deal.

“One thing for us, and it’s kind of a blessing and a curse, is that every game we play is generally a really big deal for the other team,” Dunivant told Bueno. “When we’re playing on the road, it’s probably their biggest-selling game of the year, they get requested tickets the most, it’s something they circle on their calendar.”

Los Angeles only need to play four matches this month, and the schedule doesn't really accelerate until July, when the midweek matches start to pile up.

Advantage, LA? Advantage or not, ample time to get the kinks out can be essential to a compelling MLS Cup defense.

“It’s that kind of thing that can be a big thing during the season because you’re given the chance to make adjustments,” Dunivant said. “Over the course of a season, you can improve those things.”

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