Since you can never have too much of a good thing, the 2023 MLS season keeps chugging along this weekend – international break and all. However, Matchday 19 will be a more muted affair than normal, with just six games on deck.
That means most clubs are on a bye. Rather than listing them all, we invite you, dear reader, to check out the matchups below. If you don’t see your team, they’re not playing.
For those in need of a refresher, here’s how to watch via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV:
- Apple TV - Free = games are free to watch; you only need an Apple ID.
- Apple TV - MLS Season Pass = an MLS Season Pass subscription is required.
- Tune into the MLS 360 whip-around show for live look-ins and analysis of every match's key moments.
- MLS Countdown is your lead-in, and MLS Wrap-Up comes at night's end.
New York City FC vs. Columbus Crew
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 3:30 pm ET
Things are pretty grim for NYCFC right now. Winless in their last eight games (0W-5L-3D record), the Cityzens have also been shut out twice in a row and are near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, just three points ahead of last-place Inter Miami.
“We want to get back to winning ways,” head coach Nick Cushing said this week. That sounds well and good, but NYC must try to do so against the Columbus Crew – one of the hottest teams in the league. Winners of three straight, Wilfried Nancy’s squad is clicking on all cylinders.
D.C. United vs. Real Salt Lake
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
With recently-acquired striker Chicho Arango ineligible to debut until after the league’s Secondary Transfer Window opens on July 5, Real Salt Lake must improve their finishing in the final third with what they’ve got for now in attack. As the Western Conference’s fourth-lowest scoring team (18 goals in the 17 matches), that’ll be a tall task at Audi Field against a D.C. United side that are undefeated in their last four home games (2W-0L-2D).
Like Saturday’s opponent, United also have their eyes set on the summer window, with manager Wayne Rooney hinting at possible new arrivals in the not-so-distant future.
“There’s a few players we’ve identified,” the Manchester United and English national team legend stated this week, emphasizing the “need to be ambitious” after last year’s Wooden Spoon finish.
New England Revolution vs. Orlando City SC
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
While juggling injuries and a loaded schedule, the New England Revolution have gone undefeated in their last four games (1W-0L-3D) and currently sit in fourth place in the East. A big reason for this has been the play of Carles Gil, with the Spanish midfielder contributing 3g/3a during this stretch.
“He’s always good,” head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena recently said of the 2021 Landon Donovan MLS MVP. “And you can copy that for the next 17 games [of the regular season] as well.”
Consistency hasn’t quite been the hallmark of Orlando’s 2023 campaign, as the Lions alternated between wins and losses through much of the spring. But Oscar Pareja’s side seem to have turned a corner of late, winning three of their last four games. That form has coincided with notable improvement from Facundo Torres, their Uruguayan Designated Player who has three goals and two assists in Orlando’s two most recent wins: against the New York Red Bulls (3-0) and the Colorado Rapids (2-0).
Sporting Kansas City vs. LAFC
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | 8:30 pm ET
Remember when Sporting Kansas City were the worst team in MLS and LAFC were the opponent nobody wanted to face? How quickly things change in this wild league of ours.
After going winless through their 10 first games of the season, SKC are looking downright dangerous of late, putting together a 5W-1L-2D record since first entering the victory column to now seize Audi MLS Cup Playoff positioning in the West. Their latest outing was a 4-1 dismantling of Austin FC, led by a brace and an assist from Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire winner Alan Pulido.
Things aren’t quite as rosy for the Black & Gold, who are showing serious signs of a post-Concacaf Champions League hangover. After their heartbreaking loss to Liga MX side Club León in the final, LAFC have gone winless in three straight league games, including two straight losses to Houston Dynamo FC. It’s not yet time to panic, but LAFC need to change things quickly if they plan on repeating their MLS Cup-Supporters’ Shield double from 2022 (and rediscovering their scoring touch).
Nashville SC vs. St. Louis CITY SC
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
Two of the league’s top teams collide at GEODIS Park, with Nashville SC (second in the East) hosting St. Louis CITY SC (first in the West) in the first-ever matchup between both clubs.
With current Landon Donovan MLS MVP and MLS Player of the Month Hany Mukhtar leading the way, the Coyotes are enjoying a historic run of form, matching a club-record nine-game unbeaten streak (6W-0L-3D) after last week’s 1-1 draw at Toronto FC.
St. Louis, on the other hand, have embraced a team-first ethos to put together what very well could end up as the most successful expansion season in league history. The proof is in the pudding, as Bradley Carnell’s side have hardly missed a beat since losing then-leading scorer João Klauss (5g/4a) to a left quad injury in late April. Even without the Brazilian DP, CITY have kept on trucking, with veteran leaders Eduard Löwen and Roman Bürki pulling much of the weight – as well as USMNT striker Niko Gioacchini, who's established himself as the main interim man up top by scoring three goals in his last fives games, good for a team-best six tallies.
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Portland Timbers
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
San Jose’s turnaround under first-year head coach Luchi Gonzalez has been nothing short of remarkable, and last week’s 2-1 defeat of the Philadelphia Union was the latest example that the Quakes are a force to be reckoned with. While many familiar faces remain from the team that finished last in the Western Conference a year ago, the likes of Cristian Espinoza and Cade Cowell have been consistently performing at an improved level, aided by key offseason arrivals – particularly FIFA World Cup veteran Carlos Gruezo.
It’s been far more of a struggle for the Timbers, who have yet to string two consecutive wins together this season. That could change Saturday night at PayPal Park, as they’re coming off a 1-0 win over FC Dallas. In order to hand San Jose their first home loss of the season, Portland will need a strong showing from club-record signing Evander, who earned his first goal contribution in five games last weekend with his assist on Franck Boli’s winner.
