MLS is back tomorrow
A full Saturday slate for ya. Check the full schedule here.
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It’s Friday. On Fridays, we get to do a Watchgridometer. I like Fridays.
*The Plusometer is a scientific way to quantify the potential watchability of any given game on Apple TV - MLS Season Pass, but can and will also be used for all other channels. Using the elements of "Potential for very good/entertainingly bad soccer," "Chances created," "Narrative," "Aesthetics" and "Totally subjective bonus points," I assign each element a score out of 10 and each game a score out of 50. Twenty-five is average potential. Fifty is greatest game of all-time potential. Yes, I do calculate each game. No, I don't know why. Respect for the form, maybe?
Columbus Crew vs. Toronto FC - Sat., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass**
Plusometer Score: 28/50
IT’S THE TRILLIUM CUP, BABBBBBYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY.
(Columbus might win by eight.)
D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union - Sat., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - Free**
Plusometer Score: 25/50
D.C. are doing their best to hang on to their Audi MLS Cup Playoff hopes, but Philadelphia won’t make it easy. I think it’s fair to wonder if D.C. can steer into the skid and save their season at this point.
Sporting KC vs. San Jose Earthquakes - Sat., 8:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - Free**
Plusometer Score: 23/50
The Quakes really need to take care of business here. Even on the road. SKC’s season is hanging by a thread at this point, and San Jose are right in the thick of the playoff race in the West.
Real Salt Lake vs. Houston Dynamo FC - Sat., 9:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass**
Plusometer Score: 29/50
Yeah, we just saw this but it’s still two solid teams. The most interesting aspect of this though is probably RSL learning to live life without Pablo Ruiz. He’s been the key figure for them this year, scoring four times and delivering six assists. His recent knee injury changes the chemistry of things for an RSL team that had a whole lot of momentum heading into Leagues Cup. Now, after falling out of the tournament and falling to this same Houston team in the US Open Cup, it feels like they’re back on their heels for the first time in a while.
LA Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire FC - Sat., 10:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass**
Plusometer Score: 23/50
Chicago are still in a playoff spot, if you didn’t know. The Galaxy… are not and probably won’t be anytime soon after Gaston Brugman’s injury. It’s hard to see it, at least. This is one of those games that Chicago need to win if they want to convince folks they actually have the juice to break a lengthy playoff drought this season.
Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - Sat., 10:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass**
Plusometer Score: 22/50
It’s a new era for the Timbers. They’ll take the field without Gio Savarese in charge for the first time since 2018. That’s probably not enough to make this one all that entertaining, but who knows, maybe we’ll get a classic MLS After Dark performance. Whether it’s entertaining or not, the ‘Caps need a win. They’re just one point ahead of 10th-place Dallas.
Charlotte FC vs. LAFC - Sat., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass**
Plusometer Score: 30/50
Charlotte’s playoff hopes are slim at this point, but any chance to see what kind of form this LAFC team is rounding into down the stretch feels like a chance you have to take. Last year we watched them build toward a Supporters’ Shield win before winning MLS Cup. They aren’t fighting for a Shield this year, but they are working their way back toward the top of the Western Conference after a tough post-CCL run. If they keep steamrolling teams week after week, it will be hard to see anyone else as the favorites in the West heading into the playoffs.
FC Cincinnati vs. NYCFC - Sat., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass**
Plusometer Score: 31/50
I’m personally done waiting on this NYCFC team to come good, but that doesn’t mean you have to be. There’s always a chance they finally put it together in attack against… the league’s best team. I mean, it could happen, right?
CF Montréal vs. New England Revolution - Sat., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - Free**
Plusometer Score: 30/50
There is a tier of teams in the East that aren’t quite a sure bet for a playoff spot but at least still have a chance at one. Montréal are at the top of that tier right now after their win over Toronto last weekend and have a chance to build on an encouraging attacking performance by getting the better of a New England side that… well, it would be bad enough if they were only having to deal with Djordje Petrovic’s likely departure. They’re also dealing with Bruce Arena’s continued absence and an injury to Brandon Bye in addition to losing a keeper that will go down as one of, if not the best shot-stoppers in MLS history. I don’t think that’s a thing you casually overcome down the stretch.
FC Dallas vs. Austin FC - Sat., 8:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - Free**
Plusometer Score: 35/50
An in-state rivalry match that also happens to be a six-pointer for one of the West’s final playoff spots. It’s tough to tell if either of these teams is actually anything better than just completely average at this point, but this should still be fun.
Minnesota United vs. Seattle Sounders - Sun., 4:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - Free**, FOX
Plusometer Score: 36/50
I have no idea why things feel so stale in Seattle right now, but I do know that I’ve been actively pushing Minnesota as a surefire playoff team for a while now. And now that we’ve found out that Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s knee injury is more of a knock than an actual injury, I’m fully prepared to commit to that idea again. He may not be ready to play against Seattle, but the Sounders aren’t going to have an easy time breaking out of their slump against the Loons.
Atlanta United vs. Nashville SC - Sat., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - Free**
Plusometer Score: 41/50
A southern rivalry and a six-pointer and a game that got way more interesting last Sunday when Atlanta United trotted out new midfielder Tristan Muyumba and new winger Xande Silva and looked like the best version of the team we’ve seen in years. At least for a few minutes, anyway. Now we’ll find out if they can build on that performance against a team that came a penalty kick away from winning Leagues Cup. It should help that Atlanta’s new DP, Saba Lobjanidze, will likely see some playing time.
Speaking of Leagues Cup, I think it’s fair to wonder if Nashville will start to see their legs fade a bit over the next few games. They added extra miles that other MLS teams just won’t have down the stretch. That’s totally worth it for a Concacaf Champions Cup spot, of course, but it will make reaching one of the top four spots in the East a little more difficult. A win would go a long way here. Both teams in this one could be anywhere from seventh place to third place by Sunday morning.
New York Red Bulls vs. Inter Miami CF - Sat., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass**
Plusometer Score: 47/50
This is it. The one I’ve truly been waiting for. Finally, Lionel Messi faces the most MLS of challenges. On short rest, on the road and against a team that's largely here to mess things up. Can Sergio Busquets do it on a relatively balmy night in Harrison against the pressing-est team in the league? I’ve always wondered. And now I get to find out.
Orlando City vs. St. Louis CITY SC - Sat., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass**
Plusometer Score: 40/50
Just a really good soccer game. I don’t know how much more to add. St. Louis are trying to stay one step ahead of LAFC. Orlando are trying to keep pace in a very crowded race for top four in the East. Both teams are pretty good at this. That’s probably all you need to know.
- Five officials from PRO worked the Women's World Cup final.
- Here’s what to know for and how to watch Matchday 28 on MLS Season Pass.
- Lionel Messi and Inter Miami
- Take a look at what Matt Doyle is watching for in MLS Matchday 28.
- Houston Dynamo have turned a "wild ride" into an Open Cup final berth versus Miami and Messi.
- FC Cincinnati will have to figure out how to bounce back from an Open Cup loss to Miami.
Good luck out there. Celebrate with friends.
