Your Friday Kickoff: Portland & Seattle battle for Cascadia Cup glory | MLSSoccer.com (2024)

Colombia call in Cucho for World Cup qualifiers

Colombia manager Néstor Lorenzo . Cucho has two goals in four caps for Colombia, last appearing in a December 2023 friendly vs. Mexico. Now, he joins stars James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz after they were Copa América runners-up this summer to Lionel Messi's Argentina.

All MLS games are worth watching. Some are worth watching more. The Watchgridometer is back to help you plan your first MLS weekend in a month by giving each game a potential watchability score. A 50/50 game has “best game of all time” potential. Games are ranked in order relative to their time slot.

Columbus Crew vs. New York City FC
WATCH: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass** | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 46/50

It’s not likely the Crew can catch up to Inter Miami in the Shield race but it’s not impossible. Winning out over their final 10 games would probably do the trick. Would you even be surprised?

Ok, maybe a little surprised in this case. They don’t have an easy run down the stretch and it starts tomorrow against a good New York City FC side. After that, it’s Seattle and Cincy. But counting out Columbus hasn’t paid off for anyone in a while.

Meanwhile, NYCFC are trying to set themselves up for success in the playoffs. They’re in a scrap for the final home playoff spot in the East with Charlotte and the Red Bulls. A win over the best team in the league would go a long way to pushing them over the line.

Either way, there will be a ton of attacking talent on the field here. You know about the Crew at this point, but don’t sleep on NYCFC’s trio of Alonso Martinez, Santi Rodriguez and Hannes Wolf. The trio has accounted for 23 goals and 18 assists on the season and seems to be getting better as the campaign goes along.

Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders FC
WATCH: **Apple TV - MLS Season Pass** | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 44/50

The league’s most historic rivalry will add another chapter with playoff stakes on the line. Seattle has been running over every team that isn’t LAFC lately and is up to fifth in the West, just one point out of a home playoff spot. The Timbers have been, at the very least, scoring a ton and are just three points behind Seattle.

Both sides have come a long way from their first meeting this year. That one felt more like mud-wrestling. This one feels more like a prize fight.

With Inter Miami too far in front to catch, Cincy’s goal for the rest of the year is to hold off Columbus while figuring out how to get their reworked backline to gel. In addition to new center back transfer Chidozie Awaziem, they’re adding former Houston Dynamo FC DP Teenage Hadebe into the mix too. They have eight games to find a groove defensively. If they don’t take a step in the right direction against a Montréal side coming off a 5-0 loss to New England, it might be time to worry a bit.

Charlotte missed a big opportunity last week against Red Bulls but still has plenty of time to catch up to the New York teams in the race for the last home playoff spot in the East. Taking care of business against a struggling Atlanta side would help. They’ll have to slow down the Five Stripes’ new DP Alexey Miranchuk to do it, though. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the summer window’s most expensive signing make his first start.

Dallas looks like a new team under interim manager Peter Luccin. They’ve found a little confidence on the ball and it’s helped them move up to within one point of the playoff line. They’ll have to be more than a little confident against the Rapids, though. Colorado just wrapped up a third-place finish in Leagues Cup and they’re holding onto fourth in the West with third place in reach.

Chicago Fire FC vs. Inter Miami
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 31/50

The Fire still have dreams. Yes, they’re 13th in the East but they’re also only two points below the playoff line. This could happen. All they have to do first is take down an Inter Miami side that’s been blessed by the soccer gods. They pulled it off last year though, right? Seems like they could do it again.

Austin FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 8:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 30/50

Austin are clinging to the final playoff spot in the East, while Vancouver are still within touching distance of a home playoff spot. It may not be the best game of the week, but it is a meaningful one.

Real Salt Lake vs. New England Revolution
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 9:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 32/50

Are we worrying about RSL yet? We already had some concerns after Andrés Goméz left in the summer window. Then, in their first match post-Leagues Cup, Chicho Arango left early with a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, the Revs are finding a bit of a groove. They’re getting healthier and exchanged a few pieces, bringing some new perspectives into the team. I don’t know if that makes them more talented, but it at least makes things different. Sometimes a change in scenery can do everyone good.

LAFC vs. Houston Dynamo FC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 39/50

This one is a bonafide playoff preview. It could have been even further up the Watchgridometer if Houston hadn’t stepped on a rake against Toronto last weekend. Maybe that 1-0 loss provided a wake-up call for Houston’s supposedly revamped attack. We need to see proof of concept from them sooner rather than later if we’re going to buy into the Dynamo as real contenders.

St. Louis CITY SC vs. LA Galaxy
WATCH: Apple TV - Free, FOX | Sunday, 2:45 pm ET
Watchability Score: 30/50

The Galaxy are pushing for the top spot in the West and St. Lous have tended to get into high-scoring affairs lately. They’ve allowed three or more goals in five of their last nine games. Expect goals.

New York Red Bulls vs. Philadelphia Union
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 28/50

These are two pretty decent teams and they both have playoff stakes riding on this one. But we’ve seen these two matchup too many times over the past few years to recommend watching this one closely as a neutral who enjoys the beauty of this sport.

But as a Daily Kickoff reader…I don’t know seems like something y’all might enjoy.

Orlando City vs. Nashville SC
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 23/50

Both teams are kind of a slog to watch but at least Orlando is earning points right now. Nashville can’t even say that.

Toronto FC vs. D.C. United
WATCH: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 7:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 20/50

The most “definitely a soccer game” game of the week.

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Minnesota United
WATCH: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 24/50

The second most “definitely a soccer game” game of the week. At least in this one, you get to check out Minnesota’s new DPs.

Good luck out there. Keep good company.