SOCCER MLS ARTICLES

We didn’t have many games last weekend because of the international break, but the MLS is back in full force with a full slate of action this week. All 24 teams will be in action this weekend with most of the action taking place on Saturday, and as the season is winding down in most leagues, it’s just getting started in the United States. Let’s look at the games.... 

The international break has meant that there isn’t as much soccer as usual this weekend, but the MLS will have five games to keep our palates satiated. Last week saw some great games as Wayne Rooney notched his first hat trick since joining the MLS, and the goals were coming in droves as there were nearly four goals scored per game in the highest scoring weekend of the season. It will be interesting to see if that trend continues in the fourth week of the year.... 

There are only three MLS games on Sunday this weekend, but four of the best teams in the league will be in action. The game of the day will be the first part of the tripleheader as New York City hosts Los Angeles FC in a battle between two teams that finished third in their conference in 2018. FC Cincinnati makes history when they host their first MLS game as the Western Conference champion Portland Timbers come to town, and the day concludes with defending champion Atlanta United looking to bre... 

The MLS is more up and down than any other league in the world. The nature of the league has led to there being a lot of parity, so it’s rare to see huge lines in this league. It takes a while to shake out which teams are among the best and which are among the worst, and home field advantage is vastly more important in the MLS than in other leagues. With that in mind, let’s look at the matches on Saturday in Matchday 3.... 

The opening week of the MLS gave us plenty of surprises. Atlanta United and Sporting Kansas City fell on the road to DC United and Los Angeles FC, while the Portland Timbers and New York Red Bulls settled for draws. Those were the final four teams in the playoffs last season, and to see none of the four teams pick up a victory might show a changing of the guard. We’ll see whether or not they can get a win in Matchday 2 this weekend.... 

Atlanta United are out to defend their title this season. The Five Stripes were incredible throughout 2018, and it culminated in Atlanta United knocking off the Portland Timbers for an MLS championship in just their second year. They are off to a rocky start this year, but they are heavy favorites coming into their match with expansion club FC Cincinnati. FC Cincinnati are looking for their first win as an MLS franchise, and they would love to knock off the defending champions.... 

After winning the MLS Cup in only they second season, what can Atlanta United do for an encore? Much has changed since the club beat the Portland Timbers for the 2018 MLS Cup, but Atlanta United are still the favorite to win the league. They have the best forward in the game in Josef Martinez and replaced their departed stars with other talented acquisitions. Atlanta will look to get their title defense started the right way, but DC United are a strong title contender.... 

Los Angeles FC were one of the biggest surprises of 2018. LAFC were picked to finish near the bottom of the league by many experts in the preseason, as many believed the expansion franchise just didn’t have enough guns to compete. They proved everyone wrong by finishing in third place in the loaded Western Conference, before being stunned by Real Salt Lake in the playoffs. The club has been able to keep their core together and they will look to start off with a win against Sporting Kansas City.... 

A city that has been starved of sports success is looking to erase years of heartache in one fell swoop. Atlanta has seen a lot over the years. The city saw two hockey teams leave town, experienced agony after agony with a baseball team that set a record for most division titles but only won one World Series title, dealt with consistently bad basketball teams, and experienced 28-3. Despite all of that, Atlanta United have been embraced by the city from their outset and they are looking to repay ... 

After a week off due to the international break, the MLS Playoffs return this Sunday with the first leg of the conference finals. Both conference finals will play their first leg on Sunday and the second leg on Thursday before the MLS Cup Final on December 8. Whichever team wins the Eastern Conference Finals will host as both of those teams finished with more regular season points than their Western Conference counterparts.... 

The Eastern Conference Semifinals will conclude this Sunday, and the two New York clubs are looking to make it an all-Gotham affair. However, both teams lost their first leg 1-0, and both clubs need to grab wins in the second leg to advance. The New York Red Bulls played pretty level with the Columbus Crew despite their loss and the winners of the Supporter’s Shield are still in good shape to advance. However, the same can’t be said about New York City FC, as NYCFC lost 1-0 at home to Atlanta United and now need to pick up a road win to stay alive. ... 

In the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals, both home teams picked up results. The Portland Timbers knocked off the Seattle Sounders 2-1 in a match where all the scoring took place in the first 30 minutes of action, while Real Salt Lake secured a draw against regular season champions Sporting KC. All four teams are very much alive heading into the second leg of their bout with a spot in the Western Conference Finals on the line. ... 

That’s why they play the games. The MLS Playoffs continue to be a topsy-turvy affair as we saw when three of the four higher seeds upset lower seeds to get to the conference semifinals. While many called for the Portland Timbers to knock off a slumping FC Dallas, only a handful of people believed that the Columbus Crew would take down a surging DC United squad and fewer still thought Real Salt Lake could defeat Los Angeles FC. Now, the teams that were the strongest in the regular season will look to avoid similar fates. ... 

The MLS Playoffs are set and 12 teams will duke it out for the chance to win the MLS Cup in December. On Wednesday and Thursday, the knockout rounds will take place featuring one-off battles between the No. 3 seed and No. 6 seed and between the No. 4 seed and the No. 5 seed in each conference. The lower seed will host all four games, with the winner taking on either the No. 1 seed or No. 2 seed in their respective conference this weekend. ... 

It’s rare to have stakes this high on Decision Day in the MLS. The No. 1 seed in the Western Conference is still up for grabs and both Los Angeles FC and Sporting KC are out to grab it. Sporting KC has the upper hand with 59 points compared to 57 points for LAFC, and they will be hosting this decisive match. Sporting KC won the previous meeting between these two teams in early August, and LAFC would love to return the favor to finish best in the west. ... 

With just two games left to go in the MLS regular season, the New York Red Bulls are just one point behind Atlanta United for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. These two teams have been the best in the MLS all throughout the regular season and one of the two will claim homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and the Supporters’ Shield. It will be an uphill battle for the Red Bulls to finish first, and they need a win over the Philadelphia Union this week to have a chance at claiming the top spot on the last day. ... 

It’s been a pretty phenomenal year for Los Angeles FC. MLS’s newest expansion team began play this year, and they have surpassed all expectations. Many considered them a longshot to make the postseason, and the most common preseason prediction in the loaded Western Conference was ninth place. However, they have already locked up a spot in the postseason and are currently tied with Sporting Kansas City for second place with 53 points. Now, LAFC have their sights set on a first-round bye, and they are out to grab all three points against the Houston Dynamo this week. ... 

We’re entering the last month of the regular season in the MLS, and it’s now or never for teams looking to make the postseason. For all intents and purposes, there is just one playoff spot available in the Eastern Conference, and DC United are trying to grab it. They are two points behind the Montreal Impact for the last spot in the conference, but they have two games in hand. DC will look to make their move this Sunday when they face the Chicago Fire, a team that has been eliminated from the postseason already. ... 

There’s a lot at stake when Atlanta United travels north to take on the New York Red Bulls this Sunday. One of these teams is almost certain to win the Supporters’ Shield this season as they have the two best records in the MLS by a wide margin. Homefield advantage throughout the playoffs could be decided too, as Atlanta United are sitting on 63 points and the New York Red Bulls are at 59 points with every other club at least six points behind them. The good news for both clubs as they have already clinched playoff berths and are very likely to get first-round byes. ... 

Sporting Kansas City is looking to hold on to the top spot in the Western Conference. They have a one-point lead on FC Dallas with just six games left to play, and they don’t want to surrender their advantage. Sporting KC has a challenge ahead of them this week when they face the Philadelphia Union on the road though. The Union look certain to make the playoffs out of the Eastern Conference, with an eight-point margin of error. Playoff seeding is on the line for them though, and you would always rather play at home than on the road when the postseason starts. ... 

DC United have almost completed their ascent from Eastern Conference cellar dweller to playoff team. It’s been an incredible ride for DC United. The club was down and out of the playoff picture this season until Wayne Rooney arrived, but now they are just two points behind the Montreal Impact for the last playoff spot in the East, and they have a game in hand. They will look to surpass Montreal this week when they face on the New York Red Bulls. ... 

DC United are on fire at the moment. Adding Wayne Rooney has lit a spark under this team, and they have been tearing through the competition in recent weeks. It seems they were stuck at the bottom of the Eastern Conference a lifetime ago at this point, and they now have a decent chance of making the playoffs. Doing that would complete an improbable turnaround for a team that everyone had given up on just two months ago. ... 

There is a lot on the line when the Seattle Sounders play host to Sporting Kansas City this week. Sporting Kansas City have their eyes set on the top spot in the Western Conference and home field throughout the playoffs. They are currently a point behind FC Dallas for the top spot out west, but they have played one less game than their Texas rivals to this point. As for Seattle, they are looking to keep their nine-year playoff streak alive. The Sounders are currently in sixth place, and they would earn the final playoff spot if the season ended today. However, the Los Angeles Galaxy have the same amount of points as Seattle, and the Vancouver Whitecaps are just one point behind too. The Sounders know they need as many points as possible to move their playoff streak to 10. ... 

The second half of an MLS rivalry week doubleheader will commence late Friday when the Los Angeles Galaxy host Los Angeles FC. This will be the third Battle for Los Angeles this year and Los Angeles FC would love to pick up its first win in this derby. ... 

It’s been a banner year for Atlanta United. The club is on pace to finish with the best record in the MLS in only their second season. They are currently three points up on the next closest team, the New York Red Bulls, and they are just a few games away from already clinching a playoff spot. This Friday, Atlanta faces its biggest rival in Orlando City. The game is in the Sunshine State, but Atlanta United is likely to be favored as the Lions are the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference. ...