Photo by Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports

By RYAN TOLMICH

While the MLS playoff race continues to heat up, the CONCACAF Champions League group stages will become just a bit clearer following this week’s results.

D.C. United can clinch a spot in the knockout stages as soon as Tuesday night when the Eastern Conference powerhouse plays host to Panama’s Arabe Unido. Later that night, Real Salt Lake, blessed with two games in hand on group leaders Municipal, takes on Santa Tecla with a chance to secure a stranglehold on Group G.

Wednesday looks like a day that will provide some clarity in Group F, this year’s group of death. Facing off with Honduran side Olimpia, the Vancouver Whitecaps look to catch up to the Seattle Sounders in the Canadian side’s final home match of the group stage.

Here’s a closer look at this week’s CCL action:

D.C. UNITED vs. ARABE UNIDO (Tuesday, 8 p.m., Fox Sports 2)

With six points through the team’s opening two games, D.C. United can book a spot in the knockout stages by maintaining form Tuesday night.

RFK Stadium is set to play host to Panama’s Arabe Unido, a team that D.C. previously defeated, 1-0, in Central America. A repeat of that performance would prove to be more than enough for D.C., who lock up a spot in the next round with a match to spare by securing either a draw or a victory.

With that being said, D.C. head coach Ben Olsen now has some flexibility regarding lineup choices. Struggling in the league, Olsen could very well opt to play a more reserve-laden side Tuesday night, aiming to secure a point while keeping the big guns rested for the campaign for postseason positioning.

Regardless of who is playing, D.C. will have to deal with the presence of forward Abdiel Arroyo, who has appeared eight times for Panama, including this summer’s Gold Cup. Still, with just a point required, D.C. enter as favorites to contend with an Arabe side that will all but certainly be on the front foot with nothing to lose.

SANTA TECLA vs. REAL SALT LAKE (Tuesday, 10 p.m., Fox Soccer Plus)

With games in hand, Real Salt Lake knows exactly what is ahead of them entering Tuesday’s action.

Having earned a victory in the team’s lone CCL game, RSL now faces a trek south to take on El Salvador’s Santa Tecla, who has just one point from three games. Both teams are currently chasing Guatemala’s Municipal, who has snagged four points from three CCL appearances.

With two games in hand and just one point to make up, RSL can afford to make several changes as the team looks to prepare for a final, although doubtful, push to the postseason. Sebastian Jaime and Jameson Olave will both miss out, with head coach Jeff Cassar also given the option of resting several other regulars with a matchup with the LA Galaxy looming at the weekend.

However, both Tony Beltran and Luke Mulholland could feature for RSL, having missed out on last weekend’s 3-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo. With two home games remaining on the schedule, an RSL victory would put the club in the driver’s seat while all but locking up status as heavy favorites to advance to the knockout stages.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS vs. OLIMPIA (Wednesday, 10 p.m.)

The Vancouver Whitecaps will need a result to stay alive in this year’s group of death.

Trapped in a group with the rival Seattle Sounders, the Whitecaps will have to take care of business Wednesday night in a home matchup with Honduras’ Olimpia. As things stand, the Sounders sit atop the group with four points in three games, a mark that the Whitecaps can achieve themselves with a win on Wednesday, the team’s second contest.

With two road matches on the horizon, the Whitecaps will need to take advantage of the team’s final match within the friendly confines of BC Place. However, with a clash against the Sounders set for this weekend, head coach Carl Robinson is likely to rest some big names as the Caps’ pursuit of the Supporters’ Shield continues.

Robinson cannot make changes too liberally, though, as Olimpia has proven to be a tough out in their clashes with Seattle. Although captain Arnold Peralta will miss out due to yellow card accumulation, forward Alberth Elis has scored twice throughout the tournament and should prove a major test to a Whitecaps back line that will have to remain firm throughout 90 minutes.