USNT weekend viewing guide: can Daryl do more damage?

There is a full slate of MLS and NWSL action as we wrap up June and head into the heart of summer. Here’s what you can keep your eye on this weekend:

Friday

Inter Miami v Orlando City SC - 8:25p on FS1

Daryl Dike looks to get the weekend started right as Orlando City take on a struggling Inter Miami side Friday evening. Dike is coming off a two goal performance in a 5-0 drubbing of San Jose on Tuesday. It was Orlando’s second win in a row and fourth in their last five games, though to be fair, those wins have all been against teams that are struggling mightily thus far this season. That caveat aside, the hot streak has moved Orlando into second place in the Eastern conference standings, and they look like a team that could make some noise, particularly if Dike sticks around for a bit. Dike was joined in the starting lineup Sunday by Chris Mueller and Andres Peréa, who have also been named to the Gold Cup provisional roster.

For Inter Miami this will be a chance to get another first hand look at what they passed on by selecting Robbie Robinson first overall in the MLS draft. Robinson was also named to Gregg Berhalter’s 60-man provisional roster, but has just one goal in four appearances this season and has not been able to elevate Miami out of Eastern Conference irrelevance.

Saturday

Sporting Kansas City v LAFC - 5:38p on ESPN

Saturday afternoon ESPN will keep the day long soccer coverage rolling as SKC and LAFC take the field and the airways following the conclusion of the day’s Euro action. The game features a SKC side that sit in second place in the Western Conference taking on an LAFC team that are off to a disappointing start and currently sit just outside the playoffs positions in the standings. The talk about Gianluca Busio moving abroad has been so persistent over the past few years that it makes one start to wonder if there’s any fire with that smoke or if he will remain at SKC for the long term. He’s there for now at least, and he’s been named to the Gold Cup provisional roster as well which may be another stage for him to sell his wares to the watching world. This weekend, he will be facing a LAFC that got off to a slow start but dominated FC Dallas Wednesday. The win gave LAFC two wins and seven points in their past four matches.

Other notes:

• Real Salt Lake and David Ochoa take on the Houston Dynamo at 8:08p on TUDN and UniMás. RSL sit a point back of Houston in the Western Conference standings, with two games in hand.
• Jackson Yueill and San Jose look to bounce back from their embarrassing 5-0 loss when they face Julian Araujo and the LA Galaxy, who are coming off a 2-1 win over Vancouver and currently sit third in the Western Conference.
• Kelley O’Hara, Emily Sonnett, and the Washington Spirit take on last place Kansas City, who have just two points through seven matches played and have lost five straight. The match will be on Twitch at 8:30p.

Looking through the paywall:

• Alyssa Naeher, Tierna Davidson and the Chicago Red Stars take on Racing Louisville on Saturday afternoon at 2p on Paramount+.
• Rose Lavelle did not make the bench Tuesday and Megan Rapinoe was a sub for the OL Reign in their 2-0 victory over the Chicago Red Stars. The Reign face NJ/NY Gotham FC and Carli Lloyd at 4p on Paramount+.
• Sam Mewis lead the North Carolina Courage as they face Crystal Dunn, Lindsey Horan, and the Portland Thorns at 7p on Paramount+.
• A struggling Toronto FC, currently second to last in the Eastern Conference will take on equally woeful, those less surprisingly so, FC Cincinnati at 7:08p on ESPN+.
• Kristie Mewis and the Houston Dash face Alex Morgan and the Orlando Price at 8p on Paramount+.
• Leon Flach and the Philadelphia Union face the Chicago Fire at 8:08p on ESPN+.
• Walker Zimmerman and Nashville SC face Djordje Mihailovic and CF Montreal at 8:38p on ESPN+.
• Cristian Roldan’s Seattle Sounders face Cascadia Cup rival Vancouver Whitecaps at 9:11p on ESPN+. Currently, Seattle lead the Supporters Shield race, while Vancouver are tied with FC Dallas for last place in the Western Conference.
• Eryk Williamson and the Portland Timbers face Hassani Dotson and Minnesota United in our nightcap at 10:38p on ESPN+.

Sunday

Austin FC v Columbus Crew - 8:25p on FS1

Gyasi Zardes has three goals in the last three games for the Columbus Crew, who have won three of their past four though they are coming off a 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. On their run of hot form, Columbus now sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference as they look to defend their 2020 MLS Cup title. This weekend Columbus will face Austin FC, who are winless in their past seven games and whose closest USMNT connection, Nick Lima (who wasn’t even named to the 60 man provisional roster), had to leave the team’s last match due to a hamstring injury.

Looking through the paywall:

• Miles Robinson, George Bello, and Atlanta United face the New York Red Bulls, who will continue to have Caden Clark featuring for the remainder of this year before his move to RB Leipzig. This match will be at 3:38p on ESPN+.
• NYCFC with James Sands and Sean Johnson take on Moses Neyman and D.C. United at 6:08p on ESPN+.
• Justin Che, who got his first start for Dallas Wednesday in a 2-0 loss to LAFC, is one of five FC Dallas players named to the 60 man provisional roster, a list that also includes Paxton Pomykal and Jesus Ferreira. The team face Matt Turner, Henry Kessler, and the New England Revolution at 9:08p Sunday evening in our weekend closer.

Let us know what you see as you follow along this weekend in the comments below.