After a very congested late May schedule, Matchday 18 should find much of the league relatively refreshed, with over half of the teams playing on at least one week's rest. Between players recovering from injuries and the US U-20s returning from international duty, a lot of managers will be picking from their fullest squad in weeks.
New York Red Bulls will enjoy a little extra rest as the lone team on bye.
Most of you know the drill by now. But in case you don't:
- 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.
Atlanta United vs. D.C. United
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Atlanta recorded just their second shutout in their last 11 matches in a midweek 0-0 draw against high-octane LAFC. That's good news for the Five Stripes, even if Brad Guzan had to stand on his head to make it happen. Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis are not likely to be shut out two matches in a row.
D.C. United, for their part, continue to scrape points together behind a quietly effective season from Designated Player striker Christian Benteke (8g/2a).
Charlotte FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
The Sounders offense has been stuck in the mud as of late, transitioning from underperforming on xGoals to putting up a low xG tally altogether (0.3 in last Saturday's 0-0 draw against the Timbers). The return of Cristian Roldan, who came on as a sub against Portland, and Jordan Morris, cleared by Brian Schmetzer on Thursday, should help.
Charlotte would love to get some healthy attackers back themselves, but the latest word on the status of Kamil Józwiak and Enzo Copetti is not great.
CF Montréal vs. Minnesota United FC
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Montréal will need to get over a midweek Canadian Championship loss to the Whitecaps if they hope to take advantage of a return to Stade Saputo after three straight road matches across all competitions.
The problem for MTL, besides having to travel cross-country and play on short rest, is that Emanuel Reynoso is officially back with Minnesota.
New England Revolution vs. Inter Miami CF
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | 7:30 pm ET
Has anything of importance happened with Miami recently? Well, besides advancing to the US Open Cup semifinals on Wednesday (and possibly getting very close to signing the greatest soccer player of all time), they're on a five-match league losing streak and are in last place in the Eastern Conference. Oh, and they parted ways with head coach Phil Neville last week and promoted Javier Morales to take over on an interim basis.
New England haven't quite adjusted to life without winger Dylan Borrero (placed on season-ending injury list May 4), going 1W-2L-3D since his injury. A home match against a possibly-distracted Miami side could do the trick though.
Orlando City SC vs. Colorado Rapids
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Orlando are on the up, going five matches unbeaten and finally getting consistent production from Facundo Torres after a slow start to the year.
The Rapids remain... not on the up, though at least a 0-0 home draw against San Jose on MD 17 stopped a brutal five-match losing skid.
Toronto FC vs. Nashville SC
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
This is not a drill: Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne combined for a goal (Insigne the scorer, Bernareschi registering an assist) in Saturday's 1-1 road draw against Minnesota – the first time Toronto's high-priced DPs have done that all year.
Will it be enough to slow down one of the hottest teams in MLS in Nashville SC? Not if Landon Donovan MLS MVP frontrunner (and last year's winner) Hany Mukhtar has anything to say about it. Nashville's wizard of the counter-attack can't be stopped right now.
Chicago Fire FC vs. Columbus Crew
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
Speaking of possible MVP candidates, Lucas Zelaráyan is heating up (3g/5a in his last six matches) for the Crew.
Houston Dynamo FC vs. LAFC
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
So far, LAFC have navigated a congested schedule (courtesy of their Concacaf Champions League Final run) about as well as any team could. But with only 13 matches played in the regular season, that congestion isn't about to let up any time soon
Saturday's road match against a Dynamo squad that plays well at home will be the Black & Gold's third of seven matches across all competitions in June.
Sporting Kansas City vs. Austin FC
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
Wooden Spoon contenders no more, Sporting Kansas City have now gone on too long a run (4W-1L-2D in their last seven) to call their turnaround a fluke. Even if their defense isn't quite rock solid yet (nine goals allowed over that same stretch), Peter Vermes' side have officially become a fun watch.
Austin, on the other hand, just can't quite put all the pieces together, possibly proving the narrative that last year's results outpaced their performances and that a regression to the mean was inevitable.
Real Salt Lake vs. New York City FC
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 9:30 pm ET
Yes, Real Salt Lake came up with a big 2-1 road win against Austin last week, but the bigger news in Salt Lake is a report that Cristian Arango is coming to town. Last year's star striker for LAFC could supercharge an attack that's already started to hum as of late (7 goals scored in last three matches across all competitions).
Even with "Chicho" not yet available, the Claret-and-Cobalt will likely be a tough test for an NYCFC team that's still winless on the road this year.
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Philadelphia Union
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
It's hard to come up with fresh storylines for a Philadelphia Union side that just continue to bulldoze the competition (7W-0L-1D, +13 GD in last eight). Summary: They're loving the 3-5-2 and Dániel Gazdag and Julián Carranza are both tearing up the league.
San Jose are playing good ball themselves these days, and it wouldn't be a shock to see the return of Cade Cowell from the U-20 World Cup fuel a second-half-of-season surge up towards the top of the Western Conference.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. FC Cincinnati
- WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
Vancouver secured their second straight trip to the Concacaf Champions Cup with Wednesday's Canadian Championship win over CF Montréal.
Even on short rest, the Canadian side could ride that momentum to create something of a trap game for Supporters' Shield leaders FC Cincinnati.
St. Louis CITY SC vs. LA Galaxy
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free, FOX | Sunday, 1 pm ET
The Galaxy had a golden opportunity to salvage a disappointing 2023 campaign when they traveled to Salt Lake on Wednesday with a spot in the US Open Cup semifinals on the line. Instead, they were down 3-0 by the 51st minute in what ended up as a 3-2 loss. Plus, Chicharito went down with what looked like a serious knee injury.
A trip to CITYPARK, where St. Louis have won their last three with a combined +9 goal differential, is unlikely to provide any reprieve.
Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas
- WATCH: Apple TV - Free, FS1 | Sunday, 10 pm ET
Jesús Ferreira is that dude for FC Dallas, notching a goal and an assist in 40 minutes of resumed action in Dallas's 2-0 win over St. Louis CITY SC (continued from the 51st minute after their original May 6 match was postponed midway due to inclement weather.)
Portland could really use that type of production now, having only scored once in their last four matches. The injury bug hasn't been kind to the Timbers, but their lack of cohesion up top may have deeper causes than just an odd player out here or there.
