Photo by Steve Dykes/USA TODAY Sports

By AARON CRANFORD

MLS’ final match day is approximately one month away, but the race for the Supporters’ Shield is still wide open.

The Vancouver Whitecaps suffered a disappointing defeat to contenders Seattle Sounders and, to make matters worse, their local rivals won the coveted Cascadia Cup in the 3-0 win. However, the Canadian club still remains in first place on the Supporters’ Shield table.

The New York Red bulls are closing in on that position fast, though, as the East Coast team traveled across the country and found a important 2-0 win against the Portland Timbers Sunday. The Red Bulls have the same amount of points, 48, as the Whitecaps, but they have a vital game in hand.

Meanwhile, the LA Galaxy are on a downward spiral, having lost two and tied once in their last three MLS games. With CONCACAF Champions League also on the schedule, the reigning MLS Cup winners have to figure things out quickly if they want to claim the regular season title.

Sporting KC could make the biggest jump up the table in Week 30, as Peter Vermes’ men play twice, a road meeting with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday and an intriguing contest with the Sounders on Sunday.

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 30 MATCH-UPS

WEDNESDAY

Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting KC

FRIDAY

New York Red Bulls vs. Orlando City SC

SATURDAY

Montreal Impact vs. D.C. United

Columbus Crew vs. Portland Timbers

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. New York City FC

SUNDAY

Sporting KC vs. Seattle Sounders

LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas

REMAINING SCHEDULES

vs. New York City FC (9/26), at San Jose Earthquakes (10/3), vs. FC Dallas (10/7), at FC Dallas (10/14), vs. Houston Dynamo (10/25)

vs. Orlando City SC (9/25), vs. Columbus Crew SC (10/3), vs. Montreal Impact (10/7), at Toronto FC (10/14), vs. Philadelphia Union (10/18), at Chicago Fire (10/25)

at LA Galaxy (9/26), vs. Houston Dynamo (10/4), at Vancouver Whitecaps (10/7), vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (10/14) at Real Salt Lake (10/17), vs. San Jose Earthquakes (10/25)

vs. FC Dallas (9/26), at Seattle (10/4), vs . Portland (10/18), at Sporting Kansas City (10/25).

vs. Portland Timbers (9/26), at New York Red Bulls (10/3), at Toronto FC (10/17), vs. D.C. United (10/25)

vs. Philadelphia Union (9/26), at Chicago Fire (10/3), vs. Montreal Impact (10/17), at New York City FC (10/25)

at Sporting KC (9/27), vs. LA Galaxy (10/4), at Houston Dynamo (10/18), vs. Real Salt Lake (10/25)

At Montreal Impact (9/26), vs. New York City FC (10/2), vs. Chicago Fire (10/18), at Columbus Crew SC (10/25)

at Houston Dynamo (9/23), vs. FC Dallas (9/27),  at Portland Timbers (10/3), at San Jose Earthquakes (10/16), vs. Colorado Rapids (10/21), vs. LA Galaxy (10/25)

at Columbus Crew SC (9/26), vs. Sporting KC (10/3), at Real Salt Lake (10/14), at LA Galaxy (10/18), vs. Colorado Rapids (10/25)

———-

Who do you see winning the Supporters’ Shield? What match are you most looking forward to this week?

Share your thoughts below.