The Pitch: Miami and Columbus Set for Epic Supporters' Shield Clash

Wednesday night’s blockbuster between the Columbus Crew and Inter Miami CF (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / FS1) has the makings of one of the most exciting regular season games in MLS history. Entering Lower.com Field will be Miami, who, with a win, would clinch their first-ever Supporters’ Shield title at the hands of the reigning MLS Cup presented by Audi champion Crew.

The Crew are not just playing spoilers in this scenario – with a win, Columbus would move just five points behind Miami with a game in-hand heading down the final stretch. What seemed like a formality for Miami mere weeks ago would instead turn into a down-to-the-wire Supporters’ Shield race, as the Crew have back-to-back home games before Decision Day on Oct. 19. Columbus will take confidence from the fact that their most recent meeting against Miami – a 3-2 win in the Leagues Cup Round of 16 – saw them come back from two goals down knock out a Lionel Messi-less Miami.

Arguably the greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi can add another trophy to his stacked cabinet. The Landon Donovan MLS MVP candidate has won 45 different major trophies in his career and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield would be his third since joining Inter Miami last summer (2024 Copa América and 2023 Leagues Cup).

Two of the best teams in the league, stars across the pitch, and a trophy in the balance – Wednesday night’s clash in Columbus will be one for the record books.

Battles for Postseason Positioning Heating Up

As the postseason field continues to take shape, clubs who have already qualified for the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs turn their attention to positioning as key Matchday 36 and 37 battles will be instrumental in securing home-field advantage and avoiding an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card spot.

In the East, Orlando City SC (46 points, 13-11-7) currently sits in fourth place in the conference standings and results in a pair of matches against the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) and at FC Cincinnati on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) could help to solidify the highly sought after home-field advantage in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 series.

Similarly, the Colorado Rapids (fourth place, 50 points, 15-11-5) will host a duo of contenders in the Western Conference, as they take on the conference-leading LA Galaxy on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) before a must-win game against Seattle Sounders FC, a club they are hoping to stave off in the race for home-field advantage, on Saturday (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) . A win in either match would greatly benefit Colorado as they enter the postseason, as the Rapids are owners of one of the top home records across MLS in 2024, holding a 10-3-2 record at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

Charlotte FC (seventh place, 42 points, 11-11-9) and CF Montréal (10th place, 37 points, 9-12-10) – face off on Saturday with Charlotte looking to stay above the Wild Card positions while Montréal attempts to climb into them. Montréal will look to move one step closer to the postseason on Wednesday, as they take on an Atlanta United squad (11th place, 34 points, 8-13-10) that is clinging to its postseason hopes. The showdown between Vancouver Whitecaps FC (seventh place, 47 points, 13-9-8) and Minnesota United FC (eighth place, 45 points, 13-12-6) on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) will play a major role in defining the Wild Card match in the Western Conference, with both clubs fighting for automatic qualification to the Round One Best-of-3 Series.

With six teams clinched in the Eastern Conference and seven positions secured in the Western Conference, the final weeks of the 2024 regular season will play a huge role in shaping the postseason picture.

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The MVP Battle Royale is Going Down to the Wire

Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest soccer player ever, has been must-watch in 2024, staking his claim for MLS’s most prestigious player award during Inter Miami CF’s Supporters’ Shield push. Luis Suárez, who leads Miami with 17 goals in his first MLS season, has a history of winning MVP awards wherever he’s played, and he’ll look to make this the fifth different league MVP award of his career.

Reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP and FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano ‘Lucho’ Acosta is looking to become the first back-to-back MVP winner in league history after pulling the strings for a rotating offense and producing a career-best season in the process. Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández is on the verge of a career-best season in his push to be the first player to win the league MVP award after earning the previous season’s MLS Cup presented by Audi MVP accolade.

Portland midfielder Evander was dubbed the best No. 10 in MLS by Timbers head coach Phil Neville ahead of this season, and the Brazilian has backed the faith with a league-leading 33 goal contributions (15 goals, 18 assists) so far this season. Since the inaugural 1996 MLS season, only one player has produced 32 or more goal contributions and has not been named MVP – Zlatan Ibrahimovic (37 in 2019).

Also making their cases out of the Western Conference are the LA Galaxy’s Riqui Puig (11 goals, 14 assists) and LAFC’s Denis Bouanga (18 goals, 10 assists). Puig’s career-best season has powered the Galaxy’s charge for a first-place finish in the West for the first time since 2011, while Bouanga leads second-place LAFC in both goals and assists this season as he looks to become the 12th player in league history to win the MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi and earn MVP honors.

The 2024 MLS NEXT Pro regular season is set up for a dramatic end on Decision Day, Sunday, Oct. 6. In the Western Conference, only one playoff spot remains, as five teams separated by just two points are all vying for the final playoff berth in the West: Real Monarchs, Houston Dynamo 2, Austin FC II, Sporting Kansas City II, and Portland Timbers 2.

In the Eastern Conference, the five remaining playoff spots will be contested by seven teams: Inter Miami CF II, New York City FC II, Crown Legacy FC, Chicago Fire FC II, Carolina Core FC, Chattanooga FC, and Columbus Crew 2. With a difference of just three points separating fourth-place Miami and 10^th-place Crew 2, anything can happen on Decision Day ahead of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs.

The action kicks off on Decision Day at 1 p.m. ET, as the Eastern Conference teams compete in a crowded playoff race. Following the first slate of matches, the Western Conference teams will make their final push for the playoffs at 4 p.m. ET. All Decision Day matches will air live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

To assist in your coverage of the 2024 MLS season, the MLS Communications staff has provided the following media resources, all of which are available on MLSsoccer.com/Media-Resources.