Decision Day has come and gone, leaving Major League Soccer’s 14 playoff sides with nearly two weeks to contemplate their paths to MLS Cup glory. In the regular season’s afterglow, postseason hopes will never be higher for many of these clubs, which is why we’ve detailed precisely why each team can win MLS Cup … and, similarly, why each can’t.
Western Conference
1. LAFC
Next playoff match: 10:30 p.m. ET Oct. 24 vs. Minnesota or LA Galaxy (watch live on ESPN)
Why they will win MLS Cup:…
Adrien Perez and Diego Rossi both scored as league leaders LAFC were held to a 2-2 draw by Nani’s Orlando City. To watch MLS sign up to ESPN+.
Time is running out on the MLS regular season, with just three weeks remaining until the playoffs get underway, and Wayne Rooney and D.C. United are traveling to Portland for a Sunday afternoon tilt on ESPN, while the Philadelphia Union take aim at LAFC, plus Eastern Conference leaders New York City FC clash with San Jose.
Can Philly pounce on LAFC’s slump?
From the looks of it, the Philadelphia Union have shaken off their midsummer slump and are heading into the final weeks of the season playing…
Diego Valeri’s vicious strike 16 minutes in is all Portland need to beat Real Salt Lake. To watch MLS sign up to ESPN+.
Sporting KC have now won three straight as they continue their late surge towards the playoffs. To watch more MLS, sign up to ESPN+.
With or without Carlos Vela, LAFC will look to bounce back from a rare defeat when they face Orlando City SC, while the Seattle Sounders are once again finding their late summer groove as they head to the Colorado Rapids, plus it’s a crucial clash between the Portland Timbers and Sporting Kansas City in the Pacific Northwest.
Must-win time in Portland
It’s a topic that has been discussed before on these pages, but it has to be said once again that the Portland Timbers face another must-win contest,…
Pity Martinez’s goal for Atlanta United gave them the cushion they needed to hold off Minnesota, and secure a US Open Cup victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Philadelphia hosts cup winners Atlanta in a big Eastern Conference clash, while Minnesota United will try to get over its U.S. Open Cup final loss with a visit to LAFC, plus Portland seeks a rebound from its rivalry loss to Seattle.
Walk-the-walk time for Philly against Atlanta
One could say that these are uncharted waters for the Philadelphia Union. Being in the mix for a conference crown on Labor Day weekend is a rarity for the Union, yet here they are and now they get the chance to show…
ESPN FC’s Brian McBride shares his top five most intriguing fixtures of the upcoming MLS Rivalry Week, including the next chapter of El Trafico.
MLS Rivalry Week brings a festival of intriguing grudge matchups to the networks of ESPN. The fun starts Friday on ESPN with Orlando City looking to break their Atlanta United curse (8pm ET), followed by a Cascadia clash between Portland and Seattle (10 pm ET). Last but certainly not least, Hudson River Derby rivals New York Red Bulls and New York City FC clash Saturday in the Big Apple on ESPN 2 (7pm ET).
— MLS fan experience: See and hear MLS like never before
— Beckham’s Miami…
Alejandro Moreno feels D.C. United can’t afford to sign the “inconsistent” Mesut Ozil from Arsenal, after sources say the club and player are in talks.
ESPN FC’s Ale Moreno says that Wayne Rooney’s decision to return to England with Derby County is a major blow for both D.C. United and MLS.
It’s another big home date for Pity Martinez and Atlanta United against New York City FC, while red-hot Marco Fabian and the Philadelphia Union host struggling Houston, plus Seattle and New England will each try to rebound from home defeats.
Pity and De Boer turn a corner in Atlanta
Pity Martinez and his rocky start to life at Atlanta United has been mentioned many times before on these pages, and just two weeks ago the Argentine looked downright incredulous when coach Frank de Boer yanked…
Major League Soccer: Gustavo Bou (3′) New England Revolution 1-0 Orlando City. To watch MLS, sign up to ESPN+.
Minnesota United will try to halt hard-charging Portland on Sunday on ESPN, and the red-hot New England Revolution host Western Conference leader LAFC, plus a crucial contest between the New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC. Here’s what to watch for in MLS Week 22.
Red-hot Revs take crack at league leaders
Only in the zany world of MLS can a team be left for dead in early May yet find itself in a playoff spot just two-and-a-half months later. This year’s zombie club appears to be the New England…
The MLS All-Stars were held scoreless for the first time since 2011 as Joao Felix and Atletico Madrid went on to a 3-0 victory at Orlando City Stadium.
Relive the best moments from last night’s MLS Skills Challenge in Orlando.
For the last 15 years, the MLS All-Star game has pitted the best of MLS against a major European club. This year the MLS All-Stars faced off against La Liga runner-ups Atletico Madrid in Orlando, the Spanish visitors, led by teenage phenom Joao Felix, running out as 3-0 winners.
But did Atletico really play against the most deserving or “best” of MLS? This year the fans selected a fairly star-studded starting XI to play in a 3-4-3, a formation hardly ever used in league circles.
– Carlisle:…
Los Angeles FC will try to get over last week’s “Zlataning” when they face reigning champs Atlanta United on Friday night on ESPN, while Houston’s magic man Mauro Manotas tries to continue Seattle’s misery and D.C. United welcome back a rested Wayne Rooney when they meet Chicago.
Here’s what to watch for in MLS Week 21.
The Hangover, Part III
While Los Angeles FC have been wildly successful in their short MLS lifetime, there’s still the nagging matter that they have yet to beat city rivals Los…
Seattle Sounders and Atlanta United’s rabid fan bases have been huge staples of Major League Soccer. Be sure to tune in to ESPN on Sunday at 3:55 PM ET.
MLS teams are returning to full strength following the conclusions of the Gold Cup and Copa America, and a pair of matches on ESPN this weekend should provide plenty of entertainment, with the Seattle Sounders hosting Atlanta United, and D.C. United facing the New England Revolution. Also, north of the border, rivals Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact will clash for the first time this season.
Superstar showdown in Seattle
Transfer rumors always add an extra layer of intrigue to proceedings, and…
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