Another week, another round of Round One games. We’re officially at the business end of the opening stage, and while several teams have already punched their tickets to the Conference Semifinals, a record five series will be decided in their respective Game 3s. We needed three shootouts to decide Game 2s across the league, saw 27 goals scored across all eight games, and witnessed what it means to have a home-field advantage in this league.
Don’t worry if you missed some of the action: I’m back with another edition of our playoff tracker, where we’ll be updating you on who’s gone through, who I think is most likely to join them, and how terribly a few takes of mine have aged since last week. It’s gonna be fun.
East
The Eastern Conference may have been the first to have all postseason teams clinched this year, but they’re lagging behind the west when it comes to wrapping up Round One. We’ve still got three series to figure out on this side of the bracket, and they’re all over the map.
Game 2 Results:
Chicago Fire 0 - 3 Philadelphia Union
The Philadelphia Union were the only team to take care of business in two games in the East, immediately after I claimed that the Fire would make this the standout series on their side of the bracket. I’m still going to claim I was right to call it a standout series, but I’ll admit my reasoning didn’t play out the way I’d hoped. The Supporters’ Shield winners are officially through, and they look to be at the peak of their powers after a truly dominant performance at Soldier Field. Tai Baribo has rediscovered the form that saw him jump to an early Golden Boot lead this season, meaning everything he touches has a 50/50 chance of turning to gold. Watch out, east.
Nashville SC 2 - 1 Inter Miami
Oh, what’s that? Miami didn’t go through yet? And Luis Suarez is suspended for Game 3? Well, that last one is probably going to help the Herons; El Pistolero isn’t the spring chicken he used to be. The Boys in Gold have pushed Lionel Messi and co. to the very brink, leaving a winner-takes-all finale to be the final decider in a series that I honestly didn’t see going to Game 3. Will Sam Surridge get his revenge for losing the Golden Boot? Hot take: no. No, he won’t. Miami cleans up, Messi scores a brace, next question.
Columbus Crew 4 - 0 FC Cincinnati
Let’s go, Crew! Even I, the most delusional Crew fan in the state of Minnesota, didn’t see that coming. Wilfried Nancy has been fantastic for Columbus, getting the most out of his squad and instilling a Goonies-like attitude that got me fired up during their rivalry rout in Game 2. Never say die, am I right? After that kind of sucker punch, the Cincinnati players will be reeling, but I can’t help but give them the slightest of edges heading into the series finale.
NYCFC 0 (6) - 0 (7) Charlotte FC
There are plenty of talented field players on both of these squads, but we all wanted to see this, right? The battle of the keepers: Matt Freese vs. Kristijan Kahlina. They got to have their say in Game 2, and Kahlina did just enough to keep his club’s season alive at least a little longer. Alonso Martinez’s game-winner from Game 1 is still stuck in my head, though, and I feel that if anyone is going to win Game 3 in regulation, it’s going to be him. I’m backing the pigeons in yet another close game.
West
The west has been, for the most part, relatively unsurprising. The bottom half of the bracket is set; we’re just waiting on the two actually exciting matchups to bring us home this weekend. Nobody wants to watch Vancouver or LAFC play anymore anyways, right?
Game 1 Results:
Portland Timbers 2 (3) - 2 (2) San Diego FC
There’s something about playoff soccer that makes the Timbers extra-frustrating — and that’s saying something, because they’re already the most frustrating team in the league to play against during the regular season. It’s almost like they’ve got something in their DNA that awakens on the eve of November, propelling them further than anyone would’ve guessed year after year. Maybe I’m crazy, or maybe I just don’t like when expansion teams have great debut seasons, but I’m feeling a Portland upset in Game 3. We’ll see you in the Conference Semifinals.
Seattle Sounders 4 - 2 Minnesota United
I gave away my prediction here, didn’t I? Despite what was a brutal start to Game 2, the Loons fought back to preserve their dignity and keep the wheels on the track ahead of another match at Allianz Field. Without a crowd behind them, I don’t think the Sounders will find as much success against this MNUFC backline on Saturday, and barring any funky bounces or deflections, I doubt they get more than a single goal. Your Loons are going to have to match that, at the very least, and I think we’re overdue for a little set piece magic. The Loons go marching on.
Austin FC 1 - 4 LAFC
FC Dallas 1 (2) - 1 (4) Vancouver Whitecaps
From the moment the final seeding was set, I knew, you knew, we all knew. LAFC and Vancouver are set to play one another in a Western Conference Semifinal, and the rest of the league is rejoicing that this matchup is coming so early in the postseason. These two sides ended the regular season in scintillating form, tearing through opponents at will and showcasing some truly exciting soccer. Can anyone stop Son and Bouanga? Is Thomas Mueller the missing piece Vancouver needed to lift some MLS hardware? Two unstoppable forces are set to clash in one of the most highly anticipated MLS postseason matchups I can remember; we’ll see which one proves to be an immovable object as well.
There you have it, the playoffs all updated and freshly predicted. It’s already been a wild postseason, with plenty of goals, just enough shootouts, and no snow (knock on wood). If my predictions are right — as they always are — it’s only going to get better from here. See you next week to gloat about another batch of perfectly prognosticated playoff games.
