After a normal slate of matches last week, MLS is back with an absolutely packed Week 14 schedule, with 15 regular season matches – plus a pair of Canadian Championship contests and a US national team friendly – on the docket over the next few days.
As always, we’ve got plenty of storylines to discuss this week. Let’s dive right in:
Columbus Crew SC vs. Seattle Sounders
Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE
It’s reckoning time for Crew SC. Columbus were dealt a massive 5-0 defeat at Toronto on Friday, a loss that will likely prompt Gregg Berhalter – who began the TFC contest in a 4-1-4-1 formation – to move back to his more familiar 4-2-3-1 on Wednesday. Seattle enter the match winners of two straight, but it’s not all rosy for the Sounders. They failed to really impress in either of the wins, and their vaunted attack continues to look a bit disjointed. With Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris both gone on USMNT duty, it’ll be the Nico Lodeiro show on Wednesday night.
New York City FC vs. New England Revolution
Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE
New England’s extended stay in New York City will wrap up on Wednesday, when the Revs – who lost 2-1 at the Red Bulls on Saturday – will pay a visit to Yankee Stadium to take on NYCFC. It’ll be the first home match in nearly a month for New York, who will be looking to respond with a home win after a tough four-game trip that ended with a 3-1 loss at Atlanta on Sunday.
Orlando City SC vs. D.C. United
Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE
After an excellent start to the season, the wheels have fallen off a bit in Orlando. Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Minnesota extended the Lions’ winless run to six games and dropped them further down the Eastern Conference table. They have a good chance to get back in the win column on Wednesday. Not only will Orlando be at home, where they’re 5-1-1 this year, but they’ll be facing a D.C. team that is facing a brutal, cross-continent trip following their win on Saturday at Vancouver.
Houston Dynamo vs. Real Salt Lake
Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE
After ending their three-game road trip with a solid road point at FC Dallas on Sunday night, Houston will be looking to make their return home a sweet one against RSL on Wednesday. The Dynamo are tied with Chicago for the best home record in MLS with a 6-0-1 mark at BBVA Compass Stadium, while RSL – who beat Philadelphia on Saturday but have struggled this year – have been poor on the road, posting 1-5-1 record and conceding 15 times away from home. They’ll have their hands full shoring that up in Houston, who have scored 19 goals in their seven home games.
Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Friday, 11 pm ET | UniMás, Facebook Live in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada
Much like fellow fast-starters Orlando, Portland are in the midst of a pretty big slump, with their loss at Seattle on Saturday taking their winless skid to five games. One of the matches in that stretch? A 3-0 loss at San Jose on May 6. The Timbers have scored one goal and gone 0-2-1 in three matches since. They’ll look to get their attack back on track at home against the Quakes, who were a bit exposed defensively in their 4-2 home loss against LA on Saturday night.
New York City FC vs. Philadelphia Union
Saturday, 1 pm ET | MLS LIVE
NYCFC’s third match in six days will come against a well-rested opponent, as the Union will have an entire week to prep for their I-95 rivals following their loss at Real Salt Lake on Saturday. That defeat ended a four-game winning streak for Philadelphia, who will be hoping Saturday’s match goes better than their 2-0 home loss to NYCFC on April 14 that saw David Villa snag a leading candidate for Goal of the Year.
Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FC
Saturday, 5 pm ET | ESPN in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada
After a pair of road losses in their last two matches, Sporting KC will make a welcome return home to take on Midwest counterpart Minnesota United FC on Saturday. The difference between home and away form has been stark for SKC, who are a dominant 5-0-1 and have scored 13 of their 16 goals this season at Children’s Mercy Park. The Loons are still searching for their first MLS away win, but they’ll be a tough out, especially with Christian Ramirez staying hot in front of net in Saturday’s 1-0 win against Orlando.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Atlanta United FC
Saturday, 5:30 pm ET | TSN in Canada, MLS LIVE in the US
Atlanta will ride into Vancouver on a high, having won their last two matches in convincing fashion at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Back-to-back MLS Player of the Week winner Miguel Almiron, who has five goals in his last two outings, will look to make it a hat trick of excellent performances against the ‘Caps, who suffered a massively disappointing – and quite controversial – home loss to D.C. on Saturday.
D.C. United vs. LA Galaxy
Saturday, 7 pm ET | MLS LIVE
The Black-and-Red will finish their three-game, Vancouver-Orlando-Washington week with a match against the suddenly surging Galaxy at RFK Stadium on Saturday. LA have thrived ever since Jermaine Jones went down with an injury against Chicago on May 6, erasing a two-goal deficit to tie the Fire and winning their three matches since. Romain Alessandrini is a star, and Giovani dos Santos is clicking – LA will lean on both in dos Santos’ final match before departing for Mexico national team duty next week.
New England Revolution vs. Toronto FC
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE in the US, TSN in Canada
New England will conclude their three-match week with a date against another Eastern Conference titan. This one, however, will be down quite a few key pieces. Toronto will be without Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore due to USMNT duty, could still be without Sebastian Giovinco due to injury and could rest several other key players should they see be called on to help erase a 2-1 deficit against Ottawa in Leg 2 of the Canadian Championship semifinals on Wednesday night. We’ll see if the Revs, who play at NYCFC on Wednesday, can take advantage and end TFC’s eight-game MLS unbeaten run.
Montreal Impact vs. New York Red Bulls
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET | TVA Sports in Canada, MLS LIVE in the US
Montreal haven’t played an MLS match since downing Portland 4-1 on May 20, but the Impact haven’t exactly been on a break since. They lost 2-1 at Vancouver in the first leg of the Canadian Championship last week, and will host the Whitecaps in the return leg on Tuesday night. Expect Mauro Biello to use at least a smattering of first-teamers on Tuesday, and then again on Saturday as the last-place Impact look to climb up the East against the Red Bulls, who snapped a four-game winless run with a 2-1 win against New England on Saturday.
FC Dallas vs. Real Salt Lake
Saturday, 8 pm ET | MLS LIVE
Dallas have been in a minor spin since losing their first match of the year on May 20 against San Jose, falling at Chicago last Thursday before playing Houston – who had lost all five of their previous road matches – to a scoreless draw at home on Sunday night. Their last win actually came against Real Salt Lake, with FCD smashing RSL 3-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium on May 6. RSL have rebounded a bit since then with wins in two of their last three, but have lost five of seven on the road this season.
Colorado Rapids vs. Columbus Crew SC
Saturday, 9 pm ET | MLS LIVE
Colorado have been largely miserable this year, posting a 3-8-1 record in their first 11 matches, but they have been feisty at home. All three of their wins have come at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, and they’ve won their last two matches in Commerce City, dispatching San Jose 3-0 on May 13 before eeking out a 1-0 victory against SKC on Saturday. That home field advantage should be substantial this weekend against Columbus, who lost 5-0 at Toronto on Friday and will host Seattle in a tough match on Wednesday before flying west.
Orlando City SC vs. Chicago Fire
Sunday, 7:30 pm ET | FS1 in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada
The hottest team in MLS will be well-rested for their trip to Orlando, with Chicago – winners of four in a row and currently in second in the league – having a full 10 days off ahead of their journey into the Lions’ Den. Chicago won’t have Dax McCarty for the match, but Bastian Schweinsteiger, Nemanja Nikolic and the rest of the Fire will give Orlando – who enter their midweek match against D.C. on a six game winless slide – a real fight in Florida.
Seattle Sounders vs. Houston Dynamo
Sunday, 10 pm ET | MLS LIVE
Both teams will be coming off of short rest and both teams will be missing key players due to international duty, making the Week 14 closer between Seattle and Houston a bit of a toss-up. It’s unlikely that forward Will Bruin, who was traded from Houston to Seattle this winter, will be able to return from his dislocated elbow in time for Sunday’s match, though the Sounders – who will be without Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris due to international duty – could certainly use his presence up top.
