MLS Cup Playoffs - Play In Game Previews

The 2024 MLS season has come to a close. 14 clubs across the league have qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs and an additional 4 have made their way into the play-in games. It has been a long journey for all of these clubs to make it here today. Over the last 8 months each one of these MLS clubs have fought their way into the spots that they’ve finished at below:

Eastern Conference:
1. Inter Miami CF

2. Columbus Crew SC

3. FC Cincinnati

4. Orlando City SC

5. Charlotte FC

6. New York City FC

7. New York Red Bulls

8. CF Montreal

9. Atlanta United FC

Western Conference:

1. Los Angeles FC

2. Los Angeles Galaxy

3. Real Salt Lake

4. Seattle Sounders

5. Houston Dynamo FC

6. Minnesota United FC

7. Colorado Rapids

8. Vancouver Whitecaps

9. Portland Timbers

For today’s article, I am going to be taking a better look at those 8 and 9 seeds in each conference. The MLS Play-In games are a relatively new addition to the MLS Cup Playoffs as they were introduced last season. In both games, the 8 seeds were able to win and move on to face their respective 1 seeds. Last season, we even saw the 8 seed Sporting Kansas City take down the 1 seed St. Louis City in a 3 game series before losing to the Houston Dynamo. It’s the MLS Cup Playoffs… anything can happen, but let’s take a look at this year’s play-in games.

Eastern Conference:

#8 CF Montreal hosting #9 Atlanta United FC

This season, Montreal has Atlanta’s number winning both matchups. Montreal hosted Atlanta back in July, winning 1-0 and then went on the road taking down Atlanta 2-1 in early October. The game back in July saw a red card for Atlanta and DP attacker Aleksey Miranchuk was not acclimated into the team yet after the departure of Thiago Almada. The win in the midsummer also saw the game winner come from Ruan, who is no longer with the club. The game in October saw Josef Martinez as the difference maker with 2 goals back in Mercedes Benz Stadium. 

Montreal in their last 5 games are: 4 wins, 0 draws, and 1 loss. Their wins have come over New York City, Atlanta, San Jose, and Chicago while their 1 loss came to Charlotte. In Atlanta’s last 5 games they are: 2 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss. Their wins came against Orlando and the Red Bulls, their draws against Philadelphia and the Red Bulls, and their 1 loss against Montreal. Montreal clearly have been in the better form as of late and that is thanks in due to their three headed attack of Josef Martinez, Caden Clark, and Bryce Duke who have a combined 9 goals and 5 assists in the club’s last 5 games. For Atlanta, the combination of Aleksey Miranchuk, Saba Lobzhanidze, and Pedro Amador have pushed them back into the playoffs as those 3 have combined for 4 goals and 4 assists.

Montreal have been very good at home this season, picking up 8 wins in their 17 games. They are also undefeated in their last 4 games at home. Though Atlanta has played decently to get into this spot, I don’t think you can deny Montreal is the better side. My pick here is Montreal to get the honor of taking on Inter Miami. The duo of Josef Martinez and Caden Clark has looked really good in this last little stretch of the season. Pairing that duo with Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, George Campbell, and Raheem Edwards who’ve all played large roles lately… I have faith on Montreal to get it done. 

Western Conference:

#9 Portland Timbers hosting #8 Vancouver Whitecaps

You read that right… the lower seed is hosting the higher seed here. The Whitecaps are unable to host the Timbers for the play-in matchup due to BC Place being double booked. MLS is going to MLS right?

The 2024 Canadian Championship winning Vancouver Whitecaps have not looked like a championship winning side since raising that trophy. In the Whitecaps 5 games since beating Toronto FC in that final, the club has 0 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses. The club has only scored 3 goals in that stretch, 1 of which was an own goal in their LAFC matchup. The Timbers haven’t been much better in their own right over their last 5 games; 0 wins, 4 draws, and 1 loss. However, it hasn’t been due to a lack of scoring as Evander, Jonathan Rodriguez, and Antony have a combined 6 goal contributions in that time. These Cascadia rivals have split their three matchups this season; each club picking up a win at home and a draw in Vancouver in late September. 

Even with both clubs desperately trying to find a win in recent weeks, one club has at least looked effective on one side of the field. The Timbers are doing what they’ve done all 2024, score a ton of goals. Yes, they are allowing a lot of goals but with the Whitecaps inability to create and score, I think this plays right into Phil Neville’s hands. Especially with this game being moved from Vancouver to Portland… Providence Park is going to be LOUD! My pick? Timbers win and move on to face LAFC.