MLS Playoffs: Wild Card Round Preview

The MLS Playoffs are here and we start with the two Wild Card Games featuring the 8th and 9th seeds playing in a one-off match. This reporter will preview the match between CF Montreal and Atlanta United while Amy Norris presents a preview of the Western Wild Card match between Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers which has a last-minute venue change.

#8-CF MONTREAL (11-13-10) vs. #9-ATLANTA UNITED (10-14-10), Stade Saputo, Tuesday at 7:30pm ET on Apple TV (by Dan Gaichas):

Both teams got the win they needed to get to this point, the latter also needing a DC United loss which they got on Decision Day. CF Montreal come in winning five of their last seven league matches. That includes a 2-1 win over Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 2nd. Caden Clark has lifted Montreal with four goals and four assists in nine matches since joining from Minnesota United and they appear to be hitting their stride. Meanwhile, Atlanta United have won just four league matches since the calendar turned to July (4-6-4), but won their last two matches to have a shot at a the playoffs and now do so. This is despite selling Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis and changing coaches and front office personnel midseason. Saba Lobjanidze is now pulling the strings in the Five Stripes’ attack and will be relied on to get them to a best-of-three series with top seed Inter Miami starting on Friday.

#8-VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (13-13-8) vs. #9-PORTLAND TIMBERS (12-11-11), Providence Park, Wednesday at 7:30pm PT, Apple TV (By Amy Norris):

The Portland Timbers will host the Vancouver Whitecaps in the wild card game Wednesday night. The Timbers will have the advantage of playing in front of the Timbers Army despite finishing No. 9 in the Western Conference, one seed below Vancouver in 8th place. BC Place, the Whitecaps’ home stadium, will be hosting the 2024 FIM World Supercross Championship Wednesday and there are no other venues of size available in Vancouver. Portland and Vancouver have played three times this season resulting in a draw, Portland win, and Vancouver win. Portland’s +1 goal differential gave them the advantage over Vancouver and crowned them the Kings of Cascadia in the 2024 Cascadia Cup after their draw in Seattle on Saturday. The only other time these two teams have met in the playoffs was in the 2015 semi finals. Portland won 2-0 in Vancouver to advance and eventually take home the cup.

As mentioned, the winner of the Eastern Conference Wild Card game will face Inter Miami while the winner of the Western Wild Card game will take on LAFC.