Waiting for the weekend: MLS playoffs & more

*The MLS playoffs started Thursday with a fairly drab opener between Colorado and Columbus.

*Here’s the television schedule for the other games this weekend:

2 p.m. Saturday Fox Soccer Channel FC-Dallas-Real Salt Lake (the Seattle-Galaxy winner meets the winner of this series in the Western Conference final)

7 p.m. Saturday Telefutura San Jose Earthquakes-New York Red Bulls

5 p.m. Sunday ESPN2 Seattle Sounders-Galaxy

I decided to splurge and head up to the Pacific Northwest Saturday on a midday flight to see the game the following day. So I will blog from Qwest Field and file a column for Monday’s newspapers (rather than Tuesday this week only).

Any Galaxy fans making the trip (or Seattle fans for that matter) who want to hang with this UW grad in Pioneer Square for a quality microbrew or two the night before (or after 9 p.m. Sunday) should hit me up on Facebook or drop me an e-mail (both links are to the left at the end of the mini bio). I’ve already heard from a couple of folks and the more the merrier (anyone know of a place that will show the evening game Saturday, which could be tough because Washington has a 4 p.m. pointyball game?).

*I know I’m looking forward to sampling the Qwest Field atmosphere in person again for a Galaxy game; David Beckham is too, his first experience playing there as a member of the Galaxy against the Sounders.

*Other televised games of note this weekend:

8 o’clock tonight FSC UCLA women-Washington

6:55 a.m. Saturday ESPN2 Chelsea-Blackburn Rovers

9:30 a.m. FSC Manchester United-Tottenham Hotspur

*In an easy CONCACAF World Cup qualifying opener Thursday Abby Wambach smashed home a hat trick and the U.S. dispatched Haiti, 5-0. Next for the U.S.: Guatemala at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Torrance’s Shannon Boxx got an assist on Wambach’s first goal. Haiti couldn’t muster a shot on target.

Notable: Halftime substitute Kristine Lilly earned her 350th cap, extending further her world record for international appearances.

U.S. lineup: 18-Nicole Barnhart; 2-Heather Mitts, 6-Amy LePeilbet, 3-Christie Rampone (capt.), 26-Rachel Buehler; 9-Heather O’Reilly (15-Megan Rapinoe, 46), 7-Shannon Boxx, 10-Carli Lloyd, 4-Yael Averbuch (13-Kristine Lilly, 46); 8-Amy Rodriguez (12-Lauren Cheney, 57), 20-Abby Wambach

Highlights:

*In college action Thursday, the Cal State Northridge women (11-8, 5-3 Big West) defeated Cal State Fullerton 2-0 at Matador Field. The win qualified CSUN for the four-team Big West Tournament for the second-consecutive season.

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About Nick Green

South Bay-based Los Angeles News Group soccer columnist and blogger Nick Green writes at the 100 Percent Soccer blog at www.insidesocal.com/soccer and craft beer at the Beer Goggles blog at www.insidesocal.com/beer. Cheers!