Welcome to Starting XI, our Friday rundown of what to watch for this weekend in MLS and beyond. And don't forget to get your Spanish-language fix with FutbolMLS.com.
Recommended musical pairing from Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle is "Psycho Killer" by the Talking Heads, because I'm tense and nervous and I can't relax.
1. THE BIG ONE: The Supporters' Shield is on the line. The MVP award is probably on the line. This game between the Sounders and Galaxy (Saturday, 2:30 pm ET; NBC) is everything we should want from the final week of the season, and a full stadium should make it an event like no regular-season game in league history. – MATTHEW DOYLE
2. WHO WANTS TO KEEP PLAYING?: It's always delicious when things come down to the wire and rivals are involded. As the MLS standings sit right now, Cascadia rivals Vancouver and Portland are battling out for the lone unclaimed playoff berth. We'll know who owns it sometime around midnight ET on Saturday. Portland, who are 4-1-3 in their last eight, have the harder run, at streaking FC Dallas (Sat., 8:30 pm ET, MLSsoccer.com Stream of the Week), while the Caps are at home to lowly Colorado Rapids (Sat., 10 pm ET; TSN2/RDS2, MLS LIVE). The scenarios are simple-ish. – GREG LALAS
<strong>Whitecaps clinch with:</strong> |
<strong>Timbers clinch with:</strong> |
<ul><li>
a win;</li><li>
a Timbers loss; </li><li>
or a tie by both teams.</li></ul> |
<ul><li>
a win and a Whitecaps tie or loss;</li><li>
or a tie and a Whitecaps loss.</li></ul> |
3. TRAVELING AT THE SEED OF LIGHT: Let's be honest: The fight for 3rd place in the East is really just a fight to avoid the Knockout Round. Last week's loss left the New York Red Bulls in a precarious 5th position as they head to Sporting KC for the season finale (Sun., 8:30 pm ET, ESPN2). Sporting, who are battling injuries and CCL fatigue, are in the driver's seat: a win and they'll take 3rd. But there are so many permutations involving these two and the Columbus Crew, it's a little dizzying. – GREG LALAS
Results |
Final Standings |
SKC win vs. NY; CLB win, loss, or draw |
3. SKC | 4. CLB | 5. NY |
SKC-NY draw; CLB loss or draw |
3. SKC | 4. CLB | 5. NY |
SKC-NY draw; CLB win |
3. CLB | 4. SKC | 5. NY |
NY win vs. SKC; CLB win |
3. CLB | 4. NY | 5. SKC |
NY win vs. SKC*; CLB draw<br>
* by less than 6 goals |
3. CLB | 4. NY | 5. SKC |
NY win vs. SKC; CLB loss |
3. NY | 4. SKC | 5. CLB |
4. MASSIVE CANARIES: After their trouncing of the Red Bulls on the road, and some praise from one of the all-time greats, the Crew come home to a new scoreboard and, as you see above, a chance to avoid the Knockout Round. The Philadelphia Union come to town (Sunday, 4 pm ET; Univision Deportes), hoping to play spoiler, but with Wil Trapp and Tony Tchani running the Crew midfield, don't count on it. – BEN BAER
10. TWEET OF THE WEEK: Wherein the Milwaukee Bucks' social media team are revealed as fans of Sporting KC:
11. END OF AN ERA?: Right now it looks like Lakers point guard, surefire Hall of Famer, and current Vancouver Whitecaps minority owner Steve Nash has played his last NBA game. And that is awful, because Nash is one of those guys who made the sport more fun to watch. He shared the ball and made everyone around him better. He was Zinedine Zidane on the hardwood, and his Phoenix Suns teams of last decade will go down as some of the most entertaining in any sport.
He's also a soccer junkie, and has been since youth. At least he'll have more time for that now. – MATTHEW DOYLE
