The Daily Kickoff

Your Friday Kickoff: Which Matchday 16 games will produce fireworks?

J. Sam Jones

What you need to know

Philadelphia sign Blake to contract extension

The Philadelphia Union have signed goalkeeper Andre Blake to a new contract through 2026 with an option for 2027. Blake, 33, is the only three-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award winner. He is also a four-time MLS All-Star and three-time MLS Best XI selection.

Tolkin signs new deal with Red Bulls

Rising US international defender John Tolkin has signed a new deal with the New York Red Bulls through 2027 with an option for 2028. The 21-year-old left back is in his fifth season with RBNY. He has five goals and 11 assists in 98 matches and was named a 2023 MLS All-Star.

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The Watchgridometer strikes again

All MLS games are worth watching. Some are worth watching more. The Watchgridometer is here to help you plan your matchday by giving each game a potential watchability score. A 50/50 game has “best game of all time” potential. Games are ranked in order compared to their time slot.

Tier Three: The satisfaction of expectations being met

Sometimes you want the best and you get it.

Toronto FC vs. FC Cincinnati
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 40/50

Well, who could have guessed this? I don’t know for sure, but it’s probably been a few years since Toronto found themselves in a Tier Three game. Actually, I’m not sure it’s ever happened. We’ve been doing The Daily Kickoff since 2020, but I’m thinking the Watchgridometer started in 2021. It’s hard to make the top tier when you’re putting out teams that have finished with 28, 34 and 22 points over the last three seasons. Maybe they snuck in during an early-season game. Feels like history here, though.

Anyway, Toronto (almost fully healthy version) sit on 22 points through 14 games and host a Cincy team with the best points-per-game rate in MLS. Federico Bernardeschi won’t be around due to yellow card accumulation, but Lorenzo Insigne should start this one in front of a Toronto crowd that’s dreaming big again. On the other side, you’ve got Luciano Acosta doing his best to repeat as MVP.

Colorado Rapids vs. Minnesota United FC
WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 9:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 41/50

Colorado, like Toronto, haven’t gotten too many Tier Three games in the last few years. I’m not sure exactly what it means that the last-place finishers in both conferences are Tier Three watchability teams a few months later, but it probably means MLS is a good soccer league.

The Rapids certainly have their hands full here. The Loons are averaging 2.00 points per game and have won a conference-best four road games. If you haven’t watched these clubs too closely in 2024, this is your opportunity to assess two of the most exciting teams in the West.

Tier Two: The joy of stumbling onto a match you previously weren't invested in but now are

Every now and then, you go into a game not asking for much and come away with more than you ever imagined.

Orlando City SC vs. Columbus Crew
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 39/50

Orlando have started to put it together… maybe? They’ve taken seven points from their last three games, including a 0-0 draw against Inter Miami. They still aren’t dominating games from start to finish, but they’ve found a way to climb back up the standings.

The Lions could give the Crew a tough time here, especially as Columbus have one eye on June 1 and the Concacaf Champions Cup final. Cucho Hernández will miss this one with a “week-to-week” injury.

Atlanta United vs. LAFC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 38/50

It’s two of the biggest clubs in MLS. But neither is exactly where they thought they’d be this season.

LAFC are getting there and the underlying numbers suggest they’re, once again, an elite team in MLS. Atlanta… should be really unhappy to see yet another elite team on the schedule as they try to navigate past injuries and bad form. They need to get it together (preferably soon). LAFC are a bad team to try and do that against.

Charlotte FC vs. Philadelphia Union
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 35/50

Philadelphia will actually be glad to get away from Subaru Park, but that won’t make a trip to Charlotte easy. Dean Smith’s group is tied for a league-best five home wins and has quietly reached sixth in the East. They’re tough to break down and the Union aren’t exactly firing on all cylinders. Charlotte could easily keep rolling here as some of the early-season favorites in the East continue to flounder.

Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 33/50

This won’t be “well played,” but it will be “good.” The last time these two met, Sporting KC scored three times in the first half and Portland scored three times in the second half to complete a wild comeback. Neither team has improved defensively since then.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Inter Miami CF
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 30/50

No Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez for this one. They’re resting rather than taking a cross-country flight. When paired with all of Inter Miami’s injuries, this is a big opportunity for Vancouver. The ‘Caps have caught a break and need to take full advantage of it.

Tier One: The delightful hum of a soccer broadcast on television

Soccer is nice to have on. And sometimes you look up and see something fun.

New England Revolution vs. New York City FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 26/50

NYCFC are fun again! The Revs are entertaining, but in a bleak way.

D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 23/50

Christian Benteke could do something cool. In fact, a hat trick feels very much on the table.

CF Montréal vs. Nashville SC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 25/50

Montréal have too many injuries right now to put up too much of a fight and Nashville are just starting to find their way in a post-Gary Smith world. That could lead to a pretty open game, even if it’s not a very good game.

FC Dallas vs. Real Salt Lake
WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 29/50

Dallas have slowly started to pull themselves out of the basement in the West. RSL will be more than happy to push them back down, though. Good luck to the folks trying to rein in Cristian Arango and Diego Luna right now.

LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 28/50

This could have been one of the best games of the weekend, but Houston haven’t held up their end of the bargain lately. Until they start scoring again, the Dynamo are stuck in Tier One.

St. Louis CITY SC vs. Seattle Sounders FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 25/50

I dunno y’all. We can’t just keep expecting Seattle to get it together and then feel bad when they don’t. They’re Tier One until they start to turn it around, even with Pedro de la Vega making his way back.

San Jose Earthquake vs. Austin FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 29/50

Both teams are incredibly on brand right now. Austin are defying all the numbers and San Jose are doing everything they can to be a total wild card at all times. I appreciate the commitment to the bit.

And Other Things

Charlotte sign Privett to new contract: Charlotte FC have signed defender Andrew Privett to a new contract through 2028 with an option for 2029. The 23-year-old was picked No. 69 overall (third round) by Charlotte in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas.

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