Remember on Tuesday how I was saying we live for weeks like that one? I’m hoping this one will give us more juice than what’s on the slate. It’s the time of year when we start to get some day games thrown into the mix across the league as well. Outside of the middle of the summer where it’s unbearably hot pretty much everywhere in North America, I think day games should be a constant in MLS. It’s a great opportunity to get more eyes on more games for MLS fans. Don’t forget noon eastern time kickoffs are a thing now, so make your morning coffee and clear your Saturdays for the coming weeks as we really start to find out which teams will have what it takes to make deep runs. We haven’t talked much about the Western Conference playoff race and it’s really heating up over there, so we’ll talk briefly about a couple matchups in that spot with some pretty big implications. But first, we have some more big Eastern Conference battles.
Courtesy of Charlotte FC
New York City FC vs Charlotte FC
NYCFC started their difficult 10 day stretch with a dream result against Columbus. They were down twice, fought back both times, and then relied on a late Julain Fernandez banger to sneak away with all three points. It was a sloppy game, but at this point of the season with the games they still have ahead of them, the Pigeons won’t care. The win brought them up to third place in the East and with a game in hand still, the top four is well within their sights. They’ve won four of their last five since Leagues Cup, and the only team that’s hotter than them is…
Charlotte FC. Where do we even start with them honestly. It’s never particularly pretty, they aren’t blowing teams out or playing them off the field, but they’re carrying a nine game winning streak into the early kickoff on Saturday. Stop me if you heard this before: They’re one game away from dethroning the 2018 Seattle Sounders for the longest winning streak in MLS history. They don’t care how it happens at this point, but they’ve shown they can make it happen. Vibes are high in Charlotte right now, and they’re looking to keep the good times rolling this weekend and make some history at the same time. Idan Toklomati has eight goals over the course of the winning streak, so if anyone is most likely to start the MLS weekend off with a bang, it’s him.
Over the last 10 games, these are the two hottest teams in the entire league. Because of that, not only do Charlotte have a real shot at a run for the top of the East, but New York City can tie Charlotte’s point total with a win. It’s a massive battle near the top of the conference and with no other game on at noon, should definitely be one everyone should watch.
Orlando City SC vs Nashville SC
Orlando will welcome Nashville to Inter&Co Stadium Saturday night with just two points separating the teams. Nashville currently sit in fourth place in the East, but they’ll come into the game having lost five of their last six games. Sam Surridge and the rest of Nashville SC will look to build on some Open Cup momentum after beating Philly on Tuesday night. The MLS Golden Boot (presented by Audi) leader Surridge scored a hat trick to help Nashville advance to the Open Cup final, and he’ll look to keep that form going this weekend. Nashville desperately need a big win in league play to turn the tide with just a few games left, but this will be a tough test in Orlando. Orlando are prone to giving up a ton of chances at home, so if Nashville can convert on their opportunities they’ll have a great chance to climb out of their slump.
Orlando have won four of their last six in the league, and have quietly kept pace with the rest of the top teams. It’s a weird time in the East, as even though Orlando sit in eighth place, they’re only two points away from fourth. Martín Ojeda’s MVP resume has slowed compared to everyone else in the race, but his 14 goals and nine assists are still among the top goal contributors in the league. Orlando have only played four league games since the end of July, which may be why we haven’t heard much from them. A run to the Leagues Cup semi finals has also given them a game to make up on the top teams in the East, so with max points, they’d still be very much in the conversation for first round home field advantage in the playoffs. It starts Saturday against Nashville, and with games against Cincinnati, Columbus, and Vancouver yet to play, points won’t be easy to come by for the Lions.
Courtesy of John Babiak
FC Dallas vs Colorado Rapids
Here’s two teams we really haven’t spoken about, but now’s as good a time as any to throw them into the fold. I do think the East is deeper than the West, and I’m not sure either of these teams have enough to make a run in the playoffs, but the playoff line in the West is getting pretty tight and there’s some potential for some really late drama down the stretch.
Colorado currently hold onto the eight seed in the West and have a bit of cushion between them and the challengers below. They’re five points ahead of Real Salt Lake and Dallas in the playoff hunt, but both of those teams have a game in hand. Whenever two teams are close in the standings, we tend to call that matchup “a real six pointer.” Not only can you pick up three points, but you can keep three points away from the team ahead or behind you. This one is a true six point swing, so there’s a heightened sense of pressure this weekend. Bad news for Colorado is that they’ve been pretty poor away from the comforts of home. The Rapids have only picked up 13 points on their travels this season, which is one of the worst in the West. Their home form has been among the best in the conference, which is why they’re still in contention for a playoff spot. It’s too early to tell whether or not they’ll be able to replace the goal contributions from the Djordje Mihailovic trade with Toronto, but Rafael Navarro is quietly having a really nice season. His 12 goals and three assists have led the line for Colorado this year and Chris Armas will be hoping Paxten Aaronson will pick up some of the production they lost in the summer window.
The good news for Colorado is that Dallas has been almost equally poor at home as they’ve been on the road. They’re averaging 1.00 points per game at home, which is tied for the worst in the conference, and they’re one of four teams in the West who have a negative xG differential at home this year. In a league where road wins are so hard to come by, the quickest recipe for successes is to hold serve at home. Three points on the weekend will be a step in the direction of leaving that poor record behind them, because a win on Saturday and a San Jose loss would see them in a playoff spot. Having said that, Dallas are unbeaten since the beginning of August, and have taken four points from Texas rivals Austin FC, beat Portland and tied LAFC during the streak. Petar Musa has had a really productive season in Frisco. His 15 goals and six assists have been a real bright spot for Dallas. Maarten Paes has been out since the beginning of August with a thigh injury, so getting him back healthy could also boost their playoff hopes.
Courtesy of Mike Fiechtner / Sounders FC Communications
Austin FC vs Seattle Sounders FC
A 5v7 matchup in Austin on Sunday is another real six pointer in the West. Seattle make the long trek to Texas after a disappointing Leagues Cup final rematch in Miami. The loss was just Seattle’s second since the beginning of June, so there really isn’t a reason for concern as of now. A cross-country midweek game with a lot of emotions from the drama just a few weeks ago shouldn’t be looked at too closely, and this is the final game before they head back to the PNW for a three game home stand. Brian Schmetzer will make sure his team is up for this one, as Austin FC is right on their heels. A win will surely boost Seattle’s chances at a top four finish in the West, but a loss could make home field advantage in the opening round of the playoffs a real uphill battle. They’re currently two points behind LAFC for the fourth spot, but LAFC do have a game in hand still. Back to back Cascadia Cup matches in the next two weeks against Vancouver and Portland are always a toss up, so three points on the weekend is imperative to keep pace with LAFC. The last couple months have been a grind for the Sounders, and a myriad of injuries have made it difficult for them to even have their best team on the field as of late. Good news is, Seattle is getting healthy at the right time and if Jordan Morris, Joao Paolo and Pedro de la Vega can seamlessly slot back into the lineup, I’d expect the Sounders to make a deep run in the playoffs. That starts in Austin. It’s a game the Sounders surely feel like they should win, but going into Q2 Stadium and taking all three points is always a difficult task.
Austin come into Sunday seventh in the Western Conference, and will look to carry their momentum from an Open Cup semi final victory with them. Austin have also been in great form, having lost just twice since the last time they played Seattle at the end of June. If Austin has ambitions to make a run at the top four, it has to happen now. They’re six points back of LAFC heading into the weekend and with a game against LAFC still to play, it’s certainly far from impossible to make a run at it. If they want that to happen, Austin will need to find more goal production. Three players are tied for the team lead in goals with… five, and they’re second to last in the West and bottom five in the league in regards to goals scored. It’s actually miraculous that they’re comfortably in a playoff spot at the moment having generated so little. Brandon Vazquez tearing his ACL midseason certainly doesn’t help that statistic, but it’s not as though he was lighting the world on fire at the time either. Austin’s saving grace this year has been their ability to keep teams off the scoresheet at home. Only Nashville SC has conceded less goals at home than Austin. Leaning on that stout defense will be a pillar of any late season success, but without more production in the final third, Austin will have a tough time advancing if they come up against a team who can score goals at a high rate. Unfortunately for Austin, that team is Seattle. Their high powered attack will be a real test for Austin on Sunday, and it will be interesting to see how they handle the pressure.