The Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs continue this weekend with pivotal Game 2 action in the Round One Best-of-3 Series. Homefield advantage continues to be of importance, as eight teams will host their first playoff game of the Best-of-3 series. Fortune has favored the home team through the first turn in Round One, as seven of the eight home teams and top seeds have prevailed. For those clubs who faltered in the series opener, Game 2 is a must-win as they look to force a winner-takes-all third and decisive game. Meanwhile, eight clubs, including the No. 8 seed Sporting Kansas City, will look to punctuate a series win with a pivotal second victory.
Eastern Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series Game 2
No. 1 FC Cincinnati at No. 8 New York Red Bulls
CIN leads series 1-0
- Game 1: FC Cincinnati 3-0 New York Red Bulls
- Game 2: Saturday, November 4 (7 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
- Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, November 11 (TBD, MLS Season Pass)
FC Cincinnati rose to the occasion in their first-ever home playoff game, with goals from Argentine duo Luciano ‘Lucho’ Acosta and Álvaro Barreal highlighting a dominant 3-0 win over the New York Red Bulls in Game 1 of the Round One Best-of-3 Series. While Cincinnati looks to eliminate the Red Bulls from the playoffs for a second consecutive year at Red Bull Arena, the Red Bulls will hope to rediscover the energy defender John Tolkin and their young roster played with toward the end of the regular season to pull out a win in Game 2.
No. 2 Orlando City SC at No. 7 Nashville SC
ORL leads series 1-0
- Game 1: Orlando City SC 1-0 Nashville SC
- Game 2: Tuesday, November 7 (9 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
- Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, November 12 (5 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
After securing a home victory in Game 1, Orlando City SC, who had a league-best 9-4-4 away record during the regular season, travel to Nashville’s GEODIS Park for Game 2. Duncan McGuire ’s eight road goals were tied for second-most in MLS during the 2023 regular season, which included a game-winning goal at Nashville on Oct. 4. Nashville is tied for the fourth-fewest goals conceded at home this season (13), though, and star midfielder Hany Mukhtar will look to add to his 17 goal contributions at home and draw this series level in front of the Nashville faithful.
No. 3 Columbus Crew at No. 6 Atlanta United
CLB leads series 1-0
- Game 1: Columbus Crew 2-0 Atlanta United
- Game 2: Tuesday, November 7 (7 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
- Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, November 12 (7 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
Game 1 of this Round One Best-of-3 Series saw Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández announce himself to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs with two goals in his postseason debut. Upon their return to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, though, Atlanta United will hope midfielder Thiago Almada can make an even louder introduction in his first-ever playoff game. Can Almada rise to the occasion or will Hernández’s Midas Touch in front of goal sweep the Five Stripes out of the playoffs?
No. 4 Philadelphia Union at No. 5 New England Revolution
PHI leads series 1-0
- Game 1: Philadelphia Union 3-1 New England Revolution
- Game 2: Wednesday, November 8 (7 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
- Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, November 12 (3 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
In their third all-time meeting in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, the New England Revolution will host the Philadelphia Union for the first time at Gillette Stadium. Having gone down in the Round One Best-of-3 Series with a loss at Subaru Park in Game 1, a return home presents the Revolution with an opportunity to build on a rejuvenated second-half performance against the Union and balance the series to force Game 3 back in Philadelphia.
Western Conference Round One Best-of-3 Series Game 2
No. 1 St. Louis CITY SC at No. 8 Sporting Kansas City
SKC leads series 1-0
- Game 1: St. Louis CITY SC 1-4 Sporting Kansas City
- Game 2: Sunday, November 5 (5 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
- Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, November 11 (6 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
Carrying their immense end-of-season momentum into a 4-1 road victory in Game 1, the series shifts to Children’s Mercy Park as Sporting Kansas City looks to topple Western Conference No. 1 seed St. Louis CITY SC on Sunday. To do so, Kansas City will look to their stalwart goalkeeper Tim Melia , who proved to be the hero in the club’s last home playoff game, stopping a critical penalty-kick attempt in a Wild Card victory over the San Jose Earthquakes. St. Louis looks to their creative duo of Eduard Löwen (six goals, 14 assists) and João Klauss (10 goals, four assists) to even the series at 1-1 and extend their sensational debut MLS season.
No. 2 Seattle Sounders FC at No. 7 FC Dallas
SEA leads series 1-0
- Game 1: Seattle Sounders FC 2-0 FC Dallas
- Game 2: Saturday, November 4 (9 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
- Game 3 (if necessary): Friday, November 10 (10 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
One of the hottest teams in MLS, the Seattle Sounders are unbeaten across their last 10 matches, including a 2-0 victory in Game 1 against FC Dallas, and are hitting their stride at the right time. Sounders midfielder Nico Lodeiro continues to grow his name in club lore, as his 11 career playoff assists – including a helper on Game 1 – are the fifth-most in Audi MLS Cup Playoffs history. FC Dallas will turn to star striker Jesús Ferreira to keep their season alive, as the club is 8-1-0 in 2023 when Ferreira scores.
No. 3 LAFC at No. 6 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
LAFC leads series 1-0
- Game 1: LAFC 5-2 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Game 2: Sunday, November 5 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass / FS1 / FS2)
- Game 3 (if necessary): Thursday, November 9 (10 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
The defending MLS Cup champion, LAFC, sits one game shy of advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals, thanks to the goal-scoring efforts of Golden Boot presented by Audi winner Dénis Bouanga and Ryan Hollingshead, who both scored twice in their Game 1 victory. The Vancouver Whitecaps , however, will not go down easily, as they are unbeaten against LAFC at BC Place in MLS play since the 2019 season (4-0-1), including a 1-1 draw on Decision Day 2023. The Vancouver crowd is expected to be raucous, as the club will open the upper bowl at BC Place for the first time in the team’s MLS history.
No. 4 Houston Dynamo FC at No. 5 Real Salt Lake
HOU leads series 1-0
- Game 1: Houston Dynamo FC 2-1 Real Salt Lake
- Game 2: Monday, November 6 (9 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
- Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, November 11 (4 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass)
After securing a Game 1 win at home, Houston Dynamo FC hits the road for a stiff challenge against a Real Salt Lake team looking to prolong their postseason. Houston, alongside the New England Revolution, carried the biggest difference in home wins (12) and away wins (three) in MLS during regular-season play in 2023 but will aim to wrap up the set at RSL’s America First Field. Meanwhile, Real Salt Lake hopes for the return of a healthy Chicho Arango and Justen Glad, who would give a huge boost to a team battling for their playoff lives.
Players to Watch
With sensational performances across the league impacting the Round One Best-of-3 series, these three players will be looked upon to help bring their respective teams even in the series while avoiding an early exit from the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Tomás Chancalay (NE): Since arriving in New England in July 2023, Chancalay has been instrumental to the club’s offense, scoring six goals in 11 matches and recording a club-high 45 shots since his MLS debut on August 26. Chancalay will be looked upon to deliver in a must-win setting for the Revolution, particularly in the event that teammate Carles Gil, who left Game 1 with an injury, is limited in any fashion.
- Bernard Kamungo (DAL): After coming off the bench in the club’s Game 1 loss in Seattle, Kamungo is expected to play a bigger role for FC Dallas in Game 2 and will do so in front of a special set of spectators. Kamungo, who has experienced an incredible rise from a Tanzanian refugee camp to professional stardom in MLS, will have the chance to play in front of his parents in person for the first time in his career (Watch Here ). The 21-year-old striker will also be looked upon to help replace the production of Alan Velasco, the No 1 player on the 2023 22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR list who left Game 1 with an injury. For more on Kamungo and his path to MLS, click here.
- Roman Bürki (STL): In the lone upset of the Round One Best-of-3 Game 1s, Sporting Kansas City stunned the home crowd at St. Louis CITY SC’s CITYPARK with a 4-1 victory. Following the result, Bürki, a finalist for the 2023 Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year award, did not pull his punches, stating that the team was “just not deadly enough” in Game 1. Bürki will be looked upon to stop a red-hot Kansas City offense that led the Western Conference in goals scored since May 1 and keep the expansion club’s record-setting first season alive.
