CCL Final tomorrow
Tomorrow! 10:00 pm ET kickoff on FS1 and TUDN. LAFC travel to Tigres for leg one. Here’s more on the game, plus how to watch and stream.
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Another midweek slate tomorrow! Plus a little extra thanks to the CCL Final. You know the drill at this point. We’re here to make your viewing decisions easier. This is service journalism. You’re welcome.
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. Colorado Rapids - Wed., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
Plusometer Score: 29/50
The Crew are fun to watch but aren’t getting the results they seem to deserve right now. The Rapids are the exact opposite of that. The Crew should take care of business here, which would be fun to watch. Or, they outplay Colorado and lose anyway. Which, yeah, also fun to watch.
D.C. United vs. CF Montréal - Wed., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - Free
Plusometer Score: 28/50
D.C. United have been getting great results as of late…except for last weekend, when they lost to a spiraling Toronto team and Wayne Rooney openly lamented the rules prohibited subbing off his entire team after the first half. So. Could have gone better.
Even still these are two teams who have quietly been among the hottest in the league. CF Montréal took down Inter Miami on Saturday for their fifth win in their last seven games. This one feels like it might be important down the line for fringe playoff team purposes.
Inter Miami CF vs. New York Red Bulls - Wed., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
Plusometer Score: 25/50
The Red Bulls are putting up elite underlying numbers and totally mid actual numbers. On paper, they should roll here. In practice, things aren’t so clear. Maybe Inter Miami can get back on track after a rough couple of games.
Austin FC vs. Minnesota United FC - Wed., 8:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - Free
Plusometer Score: 22/50
Minnesota are focused on making games as cagey as possible until Emanuel Reynoso is back. They score one goal a game and that’s all they’ve really needed to climb up the standings in the West. It wouldn’t be surprising to see more of the same in this one.
Sporting Kansas City vs. FC Dallas - Wed., 8:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
Plusometer Score: 24/50
Sporting KC are kind of getting results lately? Like, kind of? They’ve at least dragged themselves partially out of the cellar. It’s a tough, tough task to get three points off FC Dallas right now though. They rarely feel out of control of whatever’s happening in the match.
Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy - Wed., 9:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - Free
Plusometer Score: 20/50
If you watch this instead of the CCL Final, you either really love one of these teams or really hate one of these teams.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Houston Dynamo FC - Wed., 10:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - Free
Plusometer Score: 29/50
This will be totally fine! The CCL Final is on at the same time though.
NYCFC vs. FC Cincinnati - Wed., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
Plusometer Score: 35/50
This would typically be in the 40-ish range on the Plusometer, but NYCFC have earned one point in their last five games. They don’t create chances like you’d expect an NYCFC team to create. Against an FC Cincinnati team making a living out of low-scoring, one-goal wins this year, there’s no real reason to expect that to change. Still, there’s going to be a lot of talent on the field. You never know.
Philadelphia Union vs. Charlotte FC - Wed., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - Free
Plusometer Score: 38/50
These are…two of the hottest teams in the league? I mean, you’d expect it from Philly, but Charlotte have come out of nowhere to start piling up wins. All it took was a little tactical simplification and a little luck. The Union will have their hands full. Although it does kind of feel like Philadelphia are finding another gear over the last few weeks.
Toronto FC vs. Chicago Fire FC - Wed., 7:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
Plusometer Score: 30/50
I can’t stop staring at Toronto, and I refuse to stop. Plus, ya know, Chicago only does 3-3 games these days.
Seattle Sounders FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes - Wed., 10:30 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
Plusometer Score: 38/50
If you want a well-played, high-intensity game featuring a ton of talent, you should watch the CCL Final that’s happening at the same time. However, if for some reason you’d like to watch two of those kinds of games on two screens, you could throw this one up on a laptop and be just fine.
Atlanta United vs. New England Revolution - Wed., 7:00 pm ET
WATCH ON: Apple TV - Free, FS1
Plusometer Score: 39/50
Feels, very very scoresy. It could be a nice warm-up for CCL later in the night. It won’t be as well played, but it might have a few more goals in it. Atlanta score in bunches, but can’t defend. The Revs have outstanding attacking pieces and haven’t been an iron curtain at the back as of late. At the very least, you get to watch Carles Gil face off against the league’s second-most Carles Gil player, Thiago Almada.
Club León vs. LAFC - Wed., 10:00 pm ET (CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL, LEG 1)
WATCH ON: FS1, TUDN
Plusometer Score: 49/50
The last time I gave a 50, the game got canceled. We’ll play it safe. But this is can’t miss.
LAFC are aiming to become the second (and second straight) MLS team to win the continent’s highest honor. Club León are the rare Liga MX underdog. This is going to be an outstanding first leg. I shouldn’t even have to sell this to you. It’s the CCL Final, and this LAFC group might just cement their place as the best team in league history.
- Philadelphia Union's Carranza named Player of the Matchday: Julián Carranza scored twice in stoppage-time in Matchday 15, leading the Philadelphia Union's 3-1 come-from-behind win at New York City FC and earning MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire honors for good measure.
- Charles Boehm picked out the best young player performers from Matchday 15.
- The USA U-20s are set to begin the knockout round versus New Zealand.
- Here’s your Team of the Matchday presented by Audi.
- Voting for AT&T 5G Goal of the Matchday for MLS Matchday 15 is now open.
- ICYMI: Charles Boehm’s Sunday column is up and good.
Good luck out there. When you get it right the first time, just do it again.
