Major League Soccer offers fans a trio of matches this week to hold us over until another full slate comes around this weekend. All three matches feature teams in the playoff picture looking to solidify their places in the postseason as autumn nears.
Here’s a look ahead at those three matches.
Tuesday. August 14
La galaxy vs. Colorado rapids – 10:30 p.m. – espn+
The Rapids are on a mini two game win streak thanks to a pair of late winners. The first of those two came when these two sides just met ten days ago. That match saw the Rapids overcome a first half deficit to win in the dying minutes thanks to Sam Nicholson. Bismark Boateng gave them a win over the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend, and now, Colorado looks to keep their run going with another meeting against the Galaxy.
Despite those two dramatic victories, the Rapids are still in 11th place in the Western Conference and not really within sniffing distance of a playoff spot, so they are more interested in stopping the Galaxy from making a return to the postseason.
The Galaxy are on a great run of form overall. That heartbreaking defeat at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park a week and a half ago was their only loss since the end of June and they find themselves clinging onto fourth place out west. They are three points clear of a playoff spot and hope that some home cooking at the StubHub Center can serve them better against the Rapids this time around.
Wednesday, August 15
D.c. united vs. Portland timbers – 8 p.m. – espn+
The Timbers lost for the first time since April 8 when Vancouver took them down 2-1 last Saturday. That 15 match unbeaten run made their five match winless opening to the season feel like a distant memory and it vaulted them as high as second in the west. They’ve dropped down to third with that defeat, but they are only a pair of points behind Sporting Kansas City for that coveted first round bye position. A trip across the country to face a motivated D.C. United squad is an opportunity to get back up there, but it won’t be easy.
D.C. will have plenty of momentum coming off their last second victory over Orlando City on Sunday. The worst team in the Eastern Conference has enjoyed finally having a home this season, having won three of their four matches at the brand new Audi Field. They are still at the bottom of the conference, though, but things aren’t hopeless. A win against Portland will vault them up to eighth place and put them only five points out of a playoff spot with four games in hand on the sixth place Montreal Impact.
los Angeles fc vs. real salt lake 10 p.m. – espn2
Speaking of teams playing well at home, LAFC is coming off their first ever loss at Banc of California Stadium thanks to a 2-0 humbling at the hands of Sporting Kansas City. Despite that being their first home loss of the year, things aren’t looking great for the expansion side lately. LAFC are without a win in MLS play since a 4-1 win over Orlando City way back on July 7. They’ve tumbled down to fifth place in the West and are holding onto a playoff spot by only three points.
They welcome in a Real Salt Lake team who sits right behind them in the standings and have three draws and a win in their last four games. The last time the two sides met was way back on March 10, and the team from Utah barely showed up. LAFC came to Rio Tinto Stadium and left with a 5-1 victory with Diego Rossi scoring twice.