The summer of soccer continues with Matchday 23, a six-game slate that provides a background to Fourth of July celebrations.
We’ve got five games on Tuesday, including one that’s expected to shatter the MLS single-game attendance record, and one more on Wednesday.
When pulling up MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, here's how to navigate the options:
- 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.
Inter Miami CF vs. Columbus Crew
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Tuesday, 7:30 pm ET
Cucho Hernández has been on fire lately and the Columbus Crew have gone six games unbeaten (5W-0L-1D).
That creates a daunting task for Inter Miami, who are winless in their last eight games (0W-7L-1D). From the current roster, who can impress new head coach Tata Martino and turn things around?
Orlando City SC vs. Toronto FC
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Tuesday, 7:30 pm ET
Facundo Torres is a man on fire, posting five goals and an assist in Orlando City's last four games. He's chalked it up to confidence from time spent under new Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa.
"I've got that renewed motivation," Torres said after last weekend's 3-1 win over Chicago, where he scored twice. "I think the [Uruguay] national team really helped re-spark that because when you're called into the national team and you can score, you've got that feeling of happiness and I was able to bring some of that motivation back from the national team into here."
Toronto, in their second game since parting ways with head coach/sporting director Bob Bradley, are searching for their first win since late May. And there's some uncertainty around the availability of star forward Lorenzo Insigne:
FC Dallas vs. D.C. United
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Tuesday, 8:30 pm ET
With Christian Benteke (yellow card suspension) not available, who steps up at striker for D.C. United? That's the question head coach Wayne Rooney must solve in this cross-conference matchup.
FC Dallas can regain fourth place in the Western Conference with a second straight win at Toyota Stadium in four days. This comes while Jesús Ferreira is balling out for the US men's national team at the Gold Cup:
Colorado Rapids vs. Portland Timbers
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Tuesday, 9:30 pm ET
Maybe the 10th time's the charm? Colorado remain winless (0W-4L-5D) at home in 2023, a sobering stat for the Western Conference's last-place team.
Portland are also struggling (12th in the West), though will get Evander back from his one-game suspension. The Brazilian playmaker and fellow 2023 signing Franck Boli have combined to score nearly half (11 of 23) of Portland's goals this season.
LA Galaxy vs. LAFC
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Tuesday, 10:30 pm ET
El Trafico heads to the Rose Bowl and the rivalry is expected to break the all-time MLS attendance record (80,000+ fans!). They should be in for a treat as LAFC and LA Galaxy wrangle over bragging rights for the 20th time.
LAFC, second in the West, have gone 2W-4L-1D after losing the Concacaf Champions League final in early June. Is it because of heavy legs, injuries, or something more?
The Galaxy are unbeaten in their last five games (1W-0L-4D), though are still second-from-bottom in the West. Maybe they'll get a season-altering result here, even amid long-term injuries to striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez and defender Martín Cáceres.
New York City FC vs. Charlotte FC
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Fresh off snapping an 11-game winless streak, NYCFC will try to ascend the table. While there aren't concrete answers yet, this team's going to look different once the Secondary Transfer Window gets underway on July 5 (and lasts until Aug. 2).
Charlotte FC, who have won all three of their matches against NYCFC, are coming off a disappointing month. They're 0W-2L-3D in their last five matches, falling out of the Eastern Conference's Audi MLS Cup Playoffs picture into 10th place.
