October is here, and that means the last round of the 2022 MLS Season is upon us. After a tough road in what’s been a very exiting edition of the competition, there is still some last minute opportunities for several teams, whereas if they can secure wins, or avoid loses, they might just get invited to this years’ playoffs.
Entering the final round of the regular season, four teams (out of seven) in the Eastern Conference have clinched a playoff spot, and five squads are still in the ‘hunt’ for the last three spots. The Western Conference on the other hand, has five team who’ve secured a playoff berth, and four teams still keep their chances alive. So, who’s in need of a miracle this weekend?
Eastern Conference
Philadelphia Union and CF Montreal have dominated this conference and will still play for a non-stop trip to the semifinals, but this last round also features some decisive matches that will make or break several teams dreams of making the playoffs.
FC Cincinnati (5th place) with only one game left in the regular season, will make a trip to DC United which sits dead last in the conference. The ‘Orange and Blue’ needs to avoid defeat at all costs. Even though Cincinnati ranks the highest of the teams with playoffs hopes, their rivals have two games in hand, so a combination of results could leave them hanging if they lose, or tie.
Just behind, three teams; Orlando City, Inter Miami, and Columbus Crew sit in 6th, 7th, and 8th place respectively. They all posses the same amount of points, and have two games in hand. On Wednesday both Florida teams will face each other at Miami in what surely is going to be a thriller, as the winner will clinch a playoff spot, and the loser will wait for results and try to find a place in the post-season on the weekend.
Columbus Crew and Charlotte FC will have a thriller of their own, when they face each other on Bank of America Stadium on Wednesday as-well. ‘The Crown’ will be eliminated if they lose or tie the game, meanwhile ‘The Crew’ could secure a playoff spot with a win.
Western Conference
The top of the conference has been locked in by Los Angeles FC and its stars, but there will be plenty of action in the last week of the regular season as four squads will decide their fate on the weekend, and if that wasn’t enough, these teams are playing each other.
Portland Timbers will play on Sunday a winner-takes-all match against Real Salt Lake, who is also looking to get into the post-season. The game will be played on America First Stadium in Sandy, Utah. A Tie will secure a playoff berth for the visitors, and a victory is needed for the ‘Claret and Cobalt’ to punch in a last minute entry to the playoffs.
The other decisive match will feature Minnesota United FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps. This blockbuster game will be played at Allianz Field in Saint Paul. A win will send ‘The Loons’ to the playoffs, but a loss or a tie (pending results) will see their demise. The ‘Caps’ on the other side need a miracle to clinch a spot in the post season. Even though the Canadian side is coming off three wins in a row, they do not have their fate in their own hands. For starters, they will need to win on their trip to Minnesota, and on the other hand, they’ll need Real Salt Lake to tie, or lose their match against Portland.
There’s plenty of action in this closing week of the MLS regular season, and we can’t wait to see what the playoffs have in store for us as-well.
