Matchday

Matchday 29: What to know, how to watch on MLS Season Pass

23MLS_Season_Pass_Match_Info_MD29

Casey Dunau

The Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs race heats up Wednesday evening with 13 midweek games on tap for Matchday 29.

Western Conference: The race remains tight, as only five points separate third place from 10th place.

Eastern Conference: There's a bit more separation (both in points and possibly roster talent) between the top seven and the rest. But the race for the final Wild Card spots (eighth and ninth place) is hot.

D.C. United, Sporting Kansas City and LAFC are all on byes.

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.
The Big Three

Inter Miami CF vs. Nasvhille SC

Until Miami are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, they remain a hot ticket. And even if Tata Martino's side do end up eliminated before the season's end – which is looking less and less likely considering they haven't lost in nine games since Lionel Messi's debut – they'll still be a must-watch simply because Messi & Co. are that entertaining.

If the Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Benjamin Cremaschi and Messi combination below doesn't do it for you in terms of pure aesthetic brilliance, it's possible nothing will.

But maybe rivalry is more your thing, and if that's the case, this game has you covered there too. Miami knocked off Nashville in the Leagues Cup Final on penalties, and Gary Smith's side will surely want to exact revenge in what will be the Herons' first rematch of the Messi era.

A major concern for Nashville will be the availability of All-Star center back Walker Zimmerman, who, alongside DP striker Sam Surridge, is listed as questionable heading into this one.

Miami, meanwhile, will just be hoping to string a few more wins together to keep postseason hope alive before Messi presumably leaves for Argentina camp during the September international window.

Atlanta United vs. FC Cincinnati

Atlanta look like a positively reborn team since their summer signings joined the side, most recently beating MLS Cup contenders Seattle Sounders (on the road) and Nashville SC (at home) by a combined 6-0 scoreline. But they now host the best team in the league, FC Cincinnati, who are currently neck-and-neck on points per game with the 2021 New England Revolution – the highest point-getters in MLS history.

One of the ways Cincinnati have amassed all those points is through excellent play from their bench, which will likely be called upon again as Yerson Mosquera continues to work his way back from injury and Aaron Boupendza, fresh off a goal-scoring performance in Cincy's 3-0 rout of NYCFC on Saturday, trained off to the side in Tuesday's practice.

For Atlanta, continuing to get the most out of new creative sparks like Xande Silva and Saba Lobjanidze will be crucial in this match and beyond.

San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy

El Trafico may get more headlines as far as California derbies go, but never sleep on the Cali Clasico. The clubs have won a combined seven MLS Cups (five for LA Galaxy, two for San Jose Earthquakes), which is far and away the largest haul between any two rivals in the league.

And while the Galaxy may have the upper hand historically, it's the Earthquakes who could deliver a possibly lethal blow to their SoCal rivals' postseason chances on Wednesday.

Greg Vanney's Galaxy have white-knuckled their way through the last eight MLS matches (3W-1L-4D) to keep hope alive, but are still second to last in the Western Conference. Losing one of their precious games-in-hand to a fellow Western Conference bubble team in San Jose may make the points mountain too tall to climb.

Then again, with Riqui Puig now in top form, anything seems possible.

Quick Passes

Charlotte FC vs. Orlando City SC

In securing a 2-1 home win over LAFC on Saturday, Charlotte FC pulled a "not-so-fast" on grave-digging pundits ready to put their 2023 season to bed. And considering the Crown haven't lost at home since May, it may be time to put the shovel away for a while, even with red-hot Orlando City coming to town.

Bank of America Stadium is regularly getting 30,000+ fans through the gates, making Charlotte one of the more daunting road trips in the league.

New England Revolution vs. New York Red Bulls

Djordje Petrovic, one of MLS's top goalkeepers, is off to Chelsea. Brandon Bye, arguably the most underrated right back in the league, is out for the season with an ACL tear. Bruce Arena, the all-time winningest coach in MLS history, remains away from the team on administrative leave.

New England have overcome a lot this season, but a home loss to the Red Bulls would be a clear data point that a 2023 unraveling has begun.

New York City FC vs. CF Montréal

Two Eastern Conference playoff bubble teams trending in opposite directions go head-to-head as "now or never" time sets in for NYCFC (six points below the playoff line), while CF Montréal could potentially jump out of the Wild Card spots into seventh place with a win.

Playoff race aside, let's show some love to Mathieu Choinière: Montréal's 24-year-old homegrown product was something of a surprise selection to this year's All-Star Game (Commissioner's Pick), but with 3g/2a in his last four games across all competitions, the do-everything midfielder is breaking into "I'm him" territory.

Toronto FC vs. Philadelphia Union

The Philadelphia Union continue to round into full health, which means their attacking big three – Dániel Gazdag, Julián Carranza and Mikael Uhre – are back and more dangerous than ever. All three notched goal contributions against D.C. on Saturday, bringing their collective total to 28g/17a on the season.

Good luck to Toronto FC (eight straight losses) in slowing down Philly's triple threat.

Austin FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC

A massive Western Conference six-pointer is set to go down in Texas between two Western Conference playoff bubble teams with increasingly agitated fan bases.

Between Austin's leaky defense and the Sounders' sputtering attack, something's gotta give – and anything but a win for either side will only exacerbate their supporters' anxieties.

Chicago Fire FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

If Choiniére has approached "I'm him" territory of late, Vancouver's Ryan Gauld is fully there:

The Designated Player's summer breakthrough couldn't have come at a better time, as Vancouver have finally begun a more convincing march up the Western Conference table.

Chicago will have little room for more self-inflicted wounds (like Saturday's first-half red card to Gastón Giménez) against the surging Whitecaps.

Houston Dynamo FC vs. Columbus Crew

This game was hard done by to not make Matchday 29's "Big Three." The Dynamo are on a heater of late (+8 goal differential in their last two games), and the Crew are in "can't stop, won't stop" mode when comes to scoring goals.

So soccer nerds rejoice: Two of the league's most well-oiled midfields are about to go head-to-head, potentially pitting two young stars with serious European aspirations (Coco Carrasquilla and Aidan Morris) against one another.

Minnesota United FC vs. Colorado Rapids

Minnesota's best two attackers, Emanuel Reynoso and Bongokuhle Hlongwane are both question marks for this one as they recover from knocks, which should at least give the last-place Colorado Rapids a little hope of keeping things close.

St. Louis CITY SC. vs. FC Dallas

FC Dallas' Nkosi Tafari is quietly having one of the best seasons of any MLS center back. His match-winning goal against Austin on Saturday brings his contribution tally to 3g/2a on the year, while FCD's 26 goals against are tied for the fewest in the league.

Tafari will need to be in top form to slow down a St. Louis side that have scored nine goals in their last two regular season home games.

Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake

Salt Lake have been reeling since their stalwart midfielder, Pablo Ruiz, went down with a knee injury in a Leagues Cup loss to LAFC, and Saturday's 3-0 home loss to Houston looked particularly ugly.

A trip to Portland, losers of four straight across all competitions, may be just what the doctor ordered.

Casey Dunau -
@CaseyDunau

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