Wednesday night soccer
A full slate tonight. Check out the full schedule here or refer to your friendly neighborhood Watchgridometer below.
Sign up for The Daily Kickoff in your inbox! The Daily Kickoff is more than an article – it can be delivered to your email account as well.
It’s that time of year. As always, we’re fully prepared to gauge each game’s watchability with the Plusometer. But now, there’s more to take into account than standard entertainment value. We have to consider how critical each game is to the playoff race. That’s why we’ve added a “Playoffocity” value to each game. The closer to 50, the closer it is to a winner gets in/loser goes home game on Decision Day.
*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?
Toronto FC vs. Philadelphia Union
WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 20/50 | Playoffocity: 10/50
Toronto may essentially be totally and completely out of the playoff race, but the Union are in the midst of an all-out bar fight for one of the top spots in the East. Philly are at the top of the pile for now (after Cincinnati of course), but are just two points ahead of sixth-place Atlanta and five points ahead of seventh-place Nashville. They should be able to take care of business against the Reds and stay in second place, but remember, road games are hard. Even if the opponent feels like they’re spiraling.
New England Revolution vs. New York Red Bulls
WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 26/50 | Playoffocity: 35/50
The Revs and Red Bulls are both trending downward. New England just lost the best shot-stopper in MLS history and the Red Bulls…well, basically, I’m just running out of patience with the Red Bulls. Their underlying numbers continue to be some of the best in the league. Their actual numbers are very much not that, and it’s largely because of their inability to create quality chances. As great as they’ve been defensively, they haven’t been able to consistently create high-quality chances and take control of games. Only Toronto have scored less this season.
For now, they’re still in the hunt for one of the East’s final playoff spots. A win over a New England side in the midst of a transition moment would go a long way toward that.
Chicago Fire FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
WATCH: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass** | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 25/50 | Playoffocity: 36/50
Both teams are right on the edge of the playoff line. On a related note: Both teams have been remarkably inconsistent for the majority of the year. Chicago have a tendency to do the whole “snatch defeat from the jaws of victory” bit. Vancouver have been good enough to lead the entire league in expected goals created, no seriously but haven’t been able to translate that into consistent points. Something has to give here.
Minnesota United FC vs. Colorado Rapids
WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 22/50 | Playoffocity: 20/50
Either the Loons take care of business here or they don’t. Another poor performance at home would feel something close to catastrophic. They have the second-worst home record in the league this year. If they can’t improve on that against Colorado of all teams, it will be time to wonder if they ever will.
Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 10:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 23/50 | Playoffocity: 26/50
RSL are sputtering a bit. They’re still comfortably above the line, but only for now. Losing midfielder Pablo Ruiz has caused a dramatic shift in the outlook for this team, and now it feels like they’re fighting to stay above water instead of fighting to catch St. Louis at the top of the conference. They’re five points above 10th-place Minnesota and seven points from being on top of the West. Another loss or two could put them in genuine trouble. RSL need a result against a reeling Portland side.
San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 10:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 30/50 | Playoffocity: 20/50
It’s Cali Clasico. The odds of something chaotic happening are high. But it feels like this one is lacking energy. The Galaxy’s playoff hopes are hanging on by a thread and the Quakes feel like they’ve hit a wall. Maybe a rivalry plus MLS After Dark energy will provide a spark.
Charlotte FC vs. Orlando City SC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 27/50 | Playoffocity: 34/50
Orlando are right in the middle of the race for top four in the East and Charlotte are 10th in the conference on points per game. It would take something special for the Crown to get above the line, but they’re in a decent position. There’s a timeline in play here where they get ahead of Chicago and set up a mini-playoff with Inter Miami for the final Wild Card spot when they meet in back-to-back games at the end of the season. It would be…kind of incredible.
There’s a long, long way to go before we get there. Orlando have been one of the best teams in the league over the last couple of months. Charlotte will need to be at their best tonight. And for the rest of the season.
NYCFC vs. CF Montréal
WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 23/50 | Playoffocity: 38/50
I think we can consider closing the coffin on NYCFC if they lose at home tonight. This Montréal team has been great at home but totally average on the road. Losing a winnable six-pointer with only seven games to go would probably wrap things up. Montréal would definitely be out of reach. And if Chicago win tonight there would be a nine-point gap between NYCFC and ninth place.
On the flip side, Montréal would begin to feel like a surefire playoff side. They may even be able to jump Nashville for seventh in the East and pull themselves out of a Wild Card spot.
Austin FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 29/50 | Playoffocity: 38/50
Austin have been miserable lately. Seattle have been struggling despite great underlying numbers. Both teams could use a win for playoff reasons and, most importantly, morale reasons.
St. Louis CITY SC vs. FC Dallas
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 31/50 | Playoffocity: 34/50
St. Louis are on their way toward clinching the top spot in the West, while Dallas are trying to recover from a stretch where they were without Jesus Ferreira for a little too long. Dallas are right on the edge of the playoff line in a crowded Western Conference race and St. Louis feel like a less-than-ideal matchup at the moment. Dallas have two road wins on the season and changing that against the conference’s best home team is going to be a tall, tall task.
Atlanta United vs. FC Cincinnati
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 47/50 | Playoffocity: 30/50
Have y’all seen Atlanta the last two games? It’s a brand new world for the Five Stripes. At least it seems that way after two big wins. Cincinnati are a whole different level of problem to handle though.
We’ll have a much better idea of how much things have changed for the better in Atlanta after tonight. If they can pull out a result against the best team in the league, it might be time to seriously consider the Five Stripes as contenders for a top-four spot in the East. Maybe you already should be.
Inter Miami CF vs. Nashville SC
WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 47/50 | Playoffocity: 40/50
It’s a Leagues Cup final rematch. It may not have the same level of intensity, but both teams should be on edge. The Herons need to be practically perfect from here on out to make the playoffs, while Nashville’s terrible league form has them in serious danger of dropping into a Wild Card spot. If that’s not enough to inspire some urgency for the Coyotes, maybe the revenge factor will be.
Houston Dynamo FC vs. Columbus Crew
WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 44/50 | Playoffocity: 31/50
Houston are on a heater. Over the last few games they’ve been as good as they’ve been in…pretty much as far back as I can remember. Meanwhile, the Crew are simply one of the best teams in the league. Both teams are jostling for position in their respective conferences, but the real draw here is that this could easily turn into the most entertaining game of the night. These are two of MLS’ best right now.
Chanot departs NYCFC for France's AJ Ajaccio: Center back Maxime Chanot has departed New York City FC to join French Ligue 2 side AJ Ajaccio. The outgoing move ends an eight-season stay for the Luxembourg international defender at the MLS Eastern Conference club, where he amassed 5g/1a in 165 regular-season appearances (157 starts).
- Take a look at what Matt Doyle is watching for in MLS Matchday 29.
- FC Cincinnati can clinch a playoff spot on Wednesday.
- Lionel Messi is set to make his first MLS start versus Nashville SC.
- Power Rankings.
Good luck out there. Push the limits of style.
