The Major League Soccer regular season is in its stretch run, and a number of games today hold massive playoff implications.
In today's early game, the Montreal Impact look to continue their excellent form at home when they host Sporting Kansas City. The Impact currently sit seven points out of the playoffs with just four games to play, so today's game is a must-win. Sporting Kansas City, on the other hand, is three points behind San Jose in the race for the Supporters' Shield and is also in need of a win if they hope to finish the year with the league's best record.
In another important Eastern Conference showdown, the Chicago Fire host the Columbus Crew at Toyota Park. The Fire aren't quite out of the Supporters' Shield race yet, and a win today would put them back in that discussion and consolidate their playoff position. Columbus, meanwhile, sit one point away from fifth-place Houston and could move above the Dynamo with a win.
On the West Coast, the Seattle Sounders face San Jose in a top-of-the-table Western Conference clash. Seattle find themselves nine points behind the Earthquakes in the race for the Supporters' Shield, so if they have any aspirations towards winning that honor, they need a win today.
Before watching, take a look at SBI's preview of the weekend's matches.
If you will be watching today's action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below (and also be sure to follow us on Twitter at @soccerbyives for updates on all of tonight's matches).
Enjoy the action (Today's MLS Schedule is after the jump):
TODAY'S MLS SCHEDULE
1pm - MLS Direct Kick - Montreal Impact vs. Sporting Kansas City
7:30pm - MSG/MLS Direct Kick – NE Revolution vs. NY Red Bulls
8pm - NBC Sports Network - Real Salt Lake vs. Portland Timbers
8:30pm - MLS Direct Kick - Chicago Fire vs. Columbus Crew
10:30pm - MLS Direct Kick – LA Galaxy vs. Toronto FC
10:30pm - MLS Direct Kick - Seattle Sounders vs. SJ Earthquakes
Gaudette should not have come for that ball with the crowd of players between him and the likely cross, and no pressure on it, so mistakes on both ends of the game tying goal.
Marquez will likely be scapegoated for the improved performance when he came out, but you could’ve taken out any central midfielder for a Lindpere and they would’ve looked better.
#LasttimeNYwoninFoxborough Head coaches Vermes, Heaps, Kreis, Olsen, Warzycha, Fraser, Pareja and Marsch were still PLAYING in MLS, via Ives twitter
Not a bad list. Awesome to see so much MLS representing in top spots!! At this point, how many coaches/ assistant coaches are products of MLS?
Oy! Well I guess at this point, I’m pinning my hopes on Califf & Shalrie, and Adu & well who ever is left to start for Philly for tomorrow. At least Philly is at home, and I wouldn’t put it past DC to blow up in RFK… go chivas…
Go Crew!! I’m out!!!
Yeah, Higuain went all Cantona on the half field camera
3 goals, 3 assists, 6 games
Ha! I just noticed they cleared out the half field camera.
Well, it’s currently the 88th minute. If they hold they’ll be one point back of SJ on the same number of games. (Before SJ’s game at the SEA tonight.)
does anyone know why letieux gets the start over Cooper for NYRB? His corners were AWFUL
Doubt they’ll make up that much ground, but man, I wouldn’t want to meet them in the playoffs. Very impressive how much better they’ve gotten over the course of the season — Klopas and Jeffries have hit pay dirt with one personnel move after another.
Crew have hit three posts tonight, consider yourself lucky!!!
(Rolfe did hit some quality shots tonight…)
Chicago really challenging for the shield if they can hold on. They look that quality right now.
Red bulls didn’t deserve much out of that game. NE was the better team for nearly the whole match.
Too bad for RBNY. Looked like they would pull out a nice result,…a man down and they pissed it away.
Gaudette has real balls to be shouting at his teammates. He left himself totally stranded on the Rev’s goal. Had he just stayed on his line,…the ball would have hit him in the hands!
BTW – nice to watch RBNY without Marquez!
Nagbe to Zizzo to Dike. That counterattack was worthy of the Bob Bradley-era Nats.
Both teams deserved to lose that game.
Oops…Did I say winner?
Revs’ last gasp header to tie.
I think someone with ESP hacked the MLS site. They’ve given NYRB an extra game and an extra 3 points — even though they’ were scoreless in the 90th minute when I started typing this. Now Cahill has headed int hte winner..
This ref has given the game to RSL. I feel bad for all the Timbers fans out there having to watch this.
RSL is flopping their way to another victory. They should be ashamed to need to play that way.
It’s tough-I love playoffs, and this is a huge reason why letting more teams in is good (more important games), but at the same time, 10/19 teams making it is probably a bit much…
Man talk about every game is huge. Every game has ENORMOUS effects on playoffs, seedings and next years CCL