Photo by Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports
By AARON CRANFORD
Only three games kick off this week in MLS, but two of those have major Supporters’ Shield implications.
After Week 31, many teams are still mathematically alive in the race for the regular season trophy, including Toronto FC, which has excelled as of late and only sits five points behind current leaders New York Red bulls with three games left to play.
However, the focus has narrowed, and only the top six contenders are the spotlight this week. The New England Revolution, Columbus Crew SC and Seattle Sounders are all only four points behind the Red Bulls, but each team only has two games to play and recent form suggests they will all not be at the top at season’s end.
Both of the intriguing games this upcoming week in MLS will be played Wednesday, as the New York Red Bulls face off against the Montreal Impact, and FC Dallas meets the Vancouver Whitecaps in the week’s headline match.
Here are the current MLS Supporters’ Shield standings, and the upcoming matches that will have the biggest impact on that race:
MLS SUPPORTERS’ SHIELD STANDINGS
KEY WEEK 32 MATCH-UPS
WEDNESDAY
New York Red Bulls vs. Montreal Impact, 7:30 p.m.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. FC Dallas, 10 p.m.
REMAINING SCHEDULES
vs. Montreal Impact (10/7), at Toronto FC (10/14), vs. Philadelphia Union (10/18), at Chicago Fire (10/25)
vs . Portland (10/18), at Sporting Kansas City (10/25).
vs. FC Dallas (10/7), at FC Dallas (10/14), vs. Houston Dynamo (10/25)
at Vancouver Whitecaps (10/7), vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (10/14) at Real Salt Lake (10/17), vs. San Jose Earthquakes (10/25)
vs. Chicago Fire (10/18), at Columbus Crew SC (10/25)
at San Jose Earthquakes (10/16), vs. Colorado Rapids (10/21), vs. LA Galaxy (10/25)
———-
Who do you see winning the Supporters’ Shield? What match are you most looking forward to this week?
Share your thoughts below.
Red Bulls have never won in Toyota Park and Chicago has one thing that the Bulls have a problem with and that is speed on the counter
I think the Galaxy only have a favorable chance to win the MLS cup should they secure home field advantage. throughout the WC playoffs and MLS Cup itself. That means someone in the east will have to knock off NYRB. It happened last year, could happen again.
The Red Bull have 4 games left and the easiest schedule in front of them; it is theirs to lose!
Except for Drogba maybe helping Montreal to a win, the other 3 games are very winnable, Toronto will likely not have Bradley or Altidore after the Costa Rica game and then Chicago and Philly which have the worst records in MLS.
Other teams are playing front-runners like Dallas-Vancouver, twice, or at least teams that have a chance to make the playoffs and except for Dallas have fewer opportunities to gain points.
Don’t sleep on FC Dallas. We win tomorrow night’s game in Vancouver, it’ll be on… #DTID
NYRB have a very good chance at MLS Cup.
New York has the easy schedule for shield.
Playoffs will be hard, though