Matchday 36
A final Wednesday slate for you as the regular season begins to come to a close. Take a look at the full schedule here.
Inter Miami sign Miller to contract extension
Inter Miami CF have signed Canadian international defender Kamal Miller to a contract extension through the 2026 MLS season with an option for 2027. The move follows Miller joining Miami in an April 2023 trade with CF Montréal. Speculation ensued that the 26-year-old defender would head to Europe this winter, but he instead remains with the Herons.
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We made it. The final midweek slate of the year. The occasion, of course, calls for a Watchgridometer.
The Plusometer is a scientific way to quantify the potential watchability of any given game on Apple TV - MLS Season Pass, but can and will also be used for all other channels. Using the elements of "Potential for very good/entertainingly bad soccer," "Chances created," "Narrative," "Aesthetics" and "Totally subjective bonus points," I assign each element a score out of 10 and each game a score out of 50. Twenty-five is average potential. Fifty is greatest game of all-time potential. Yes, I do calculate each game. No, I don't know why.
We also add a “Playoffocity” value to each game. The closer to 50, the closer it is to a winner gets in/loser goes home game on Decision Day. The closer a game’s total score is to 100, the closer it is to being basically last year’s MLS Cup.
Charlotte FC vs. Toronto FC
WATCH: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass** | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 18/50 | Playoffocity: 5/50
Charlotte are mostly dead at this point. They need to close a four-point gap and jump five teams over their last four games. Two of those games come against Inter Miami.
Then again, Miami look far from invincible right now, Toronto are Toronto and Chicago are the game after this one. All isn’t lost.
FC Cincinnati vs. New York Red Bulls
WATCH: **Apple TV - Free** | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 21/50 | Playoffocity: 10/50
The newly-crowned Supporters' Shield winners have exactly zero reason to go out and subject themselves to Energy Drink Soccer for an hour and a half. I’d imagine they rotate a little and don’t worry at all about the result. That said, the biggest question for Cincy now is how they manage what’s essentially a month off. There’s always the chance they let off the gas a little too much before the playoffs. I’d guess they save their energy for this one and prepare to try and keep Inter Miami out of the Wild Card game on Saturday.
Oh, and the Red Bulls are playing too. They can technically still make the playoffs. That would require them closing a three-point gap over the final three games, jumping three teams, holding off two others and finally learning how to score. They do get a post-Shield Cincy, Toronto and Nashville to close the year though. Two of those are pretty winnable.
Austin FC vs. D.C. United
WATCH: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass** | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 13/50 | Playoffocity: 21/50
D.C. really need to take advantage of an Austin team that seems to have packed up camp for the season. They’re equal on points with ninth-place Montréal, but have played an extra game. They need six points to close the season, and even that may not be enough.
FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids
WATCH: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass** | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 23/50 | Playoffocity: 25/50
The Rapids may already be eliminated from postseason contention, but FC Dallas have everything to play for. Five draws in their last six have left FCD clinging to the West’s ninth-and-final playoff spot. A home match against a down-and-out Colorado provides the perfect chance to leap out of the Wild Card spots, but anything other than a win will put their playoff hopes in grave danger.
CF Montréal vs. Houston Dynamo FC
WATCH: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass** | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 28/50 | Playoffocity: 40/50
Montréal are on the verge of throwing a spot in the Wild Card game out the window. They’re in ninth place for now, but the Dynamo are rolling as of late. Houston can climb into second place in the West by the end of the night. Unfortunately for Houston, Montréal are a whole different animal at home. CFM have nine wins at home this season and just four losses.
Chicago Fire FC vs. Inter Miami CF
WATCH: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass** | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 29/50 | Playoffocity: 35/50
A sold-out Soldier Field crowd may not get the Messi Experience they were hoping for, but they will get a meaningful game regardless. Chicago could end the night in eighth place with a win and can potentially push Inter Miami underwater in the process. Basically, they need to do something extremely not Chicago Fire FC. If they’re going to vanquish some demons, it’s time to do it tonight.
LAFC vs. Minnesota United FC
WATCH: **Apple TV - Free**, FS1 | Wednesday, 10:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 33/50 | Playoffocity: 38/50
Minnesota are on the road, so they actually have a chance here. They most likely need to win to stay alive in the playoff race, and, fortunately for them, they’re catching LAFC at a great time. It’s been a struggle for LAFC as of late and they’re in genuine danger of falling out of a top-four spot in the West. They could end the night as high as second and as low as sixth in the conference.
Seattle Sounders FC vs. LA Galaxy
WATCH: **Apple TV - Free** | Wednesday, 10:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 24/50 | Playoffocity: 27/50
Seattle are another big bad in the West clinging onto a top-four spot for dear life. Like LAFC, they could end the night as high as second or as low as sixth. They need three points here. And they’ll have to earn them against a Galaxy team with their backs all the way against the wall. A loss here and the Galaxy are done. Not technically, but practically.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. St. Louis CITY SC
WATCH: **Apple TV - Free** | Wednesday, 10:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 39/50 | Playoffocity: 34/50
St. Louis have a lot in common with Cincinnati the rest of the way. How do you approach a final month where you have very little to play for? However, while Cincy have clinched everything they can clinch, St. Louis still have one more task on the table. The Still Haven’t Seen A Good Nickname For Thems are competing with the non-Cincy teams in the East for potential home-field advantage in MLS Cup. They’re two points ahead of Orlando City coming into tonight, however they’ve played an extra game. There’s still reason to take this one seriously.
That’s bad news for the Whitecaps. But we know Vancouver have their moments where they put everything together and look like a bonafide contender. If they can put out that version of themselves tonight, they can pick up a huge win that could potentially push them as high as third in the West.
New England Revolution vs. Columbus Crew
WATCH: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass** | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 41/50 | Playoffocity: 45/50
The Revs are about to hit a fascinating stretch. They have the Crew, Orlando, Nashville and Philadelphia to close the season. That’s a stark contrast to their last seven games. They’ve faced just one playoff team in that span, and it was ninth-place Montréal. They lost.
For now, they’re third in the East. A New England loss could put them out of a top-four spot by the end of the night and fighting an uphill battle against some of the best teams in the league the rest of the way. A Crew win would be a huge (and needed) step towards a top-four finish with a trip to Atlanta and a home game against Montréal to close the season.
Philadelphia Union vs. Atlanta United
WATCH: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass** | Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 47/50 | Playoffocity: 45/50
A playoff preview, a playoff spot decider and, quietly, a bit of an on-field rivalry all in one. These two teams don’t care for each other much. Atlanta fans have a particular distaste for Jim Curtin after his “driver's license” comments this offseason and seem to dislike Jose Martinez more than any other fan base. That’s a remarkable accomplishment when you think about it.
It all stems from the fact the Union seem to relish beating up on Atlanta the last few years. The Five Stripes got the better of Philadelphia earlier this season, though. And that came before their excellent Secondary Transfer Window revitalized the team. Atlanta may have a chance at taking a point or three out of a league trip to Subaru Park for the first time since July 2018. If they can’t, that might be the end of their top-four hopes.
Nashville SC vs. Orlando City SC
WATCH: **Apple TV - Free**, FS1 | Wednesday, 8:30 pm ET
Plusometer Score: 40/50 | Playoffocity: 44/50
If y’all haven’t noticed, we’ve got a bit of mini-playoff going on in the East. Orlando are probably safe as far as top four goes, but maybe not so safe as far as finishing in the top two goes. Nashville have a game in hand on all the folks they’re chasing and can still put together something close to a miracle run and earn a top-four spot. Either way, you could absolutely be seeing this one again shortly. Or even further down the line. Both teams are Cup contenders.
Messi "day to day" as Inter Miami visit Chicago Fire: The uncertainty surrounding Lionel Messi's availability remains . Three games (all competitions) and almost two weeks since Messi last suited up for the Herons, head coach Gerard Martino once again said the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is “day to day."
- Matt Doyle’s Tuesday column is up and good.
- Here’s who can clinch a playoff spot or be eliminated in Matchday 36.
- Take a look at the 2023 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi tracker.
- Here are six MLS teams with everything to prove this week.
- Charles Boehm spoke with Chicago Fire coach Frank Klopas.
- Power Rankings.
Good luck out there. Lend a hand when ya can.
