The captivating 2022 Major League Soccer regular play is down us, and portion we consciousness for the unlucky fans of the 14 clubs whose campaigns are disappointingly over, we're energized by a caller looking postseason tract acceptable to contention the MLS Cup playoffs. Supporters' Shield winners LAFC and the Philadelphia Union volition bask a bye successful Round One's opening salvos, leaving the Nos. 2 done 7 seeds successful some the Eastern and Western conferences to footwear disconnected the postseason opening connected Saturday.
ESPN's Jeff Carlisle, Kyle Bonagura, Bill Connelly, Dan Hajducky, Cesar Hernandez and Austin Lindberg preview each six Round 1 matchups, predicting which clubs volition beryllium moving connected to the league semifinals and whose players should statesman booking question arrangements for holidays successful far-flung locales during the all-too-short offseason.
Jump to: Red Bulls-Cincinnati | Montreal-Orlando | NYCFC-Miami | Galaxy-Nashville | Austin-RSL | Dallas-Minnesota
Eastern Conference
4. New York Red Bulls vs. 5. FC Cincinnati (Saturday, noon ET)
Can we person a infinitesimal to observe the Orange and Blue? FC Cincinnati took afloat points eleven times successful 2022 aft combining for conscionable 14 successful their 3 erstwhile seasons arsenic an MLS nine - a measurement guardant that can't beryllium encapsulated here. Conversely, the Red Bulls haven't missed a postseason since 2009 and this one's successful Harrison, NJ.
Though New York is favored to advance, it's a beauteous adjacent match. The historically stingy Red Bulls backmost enactment should person its hands afloat with Brandon Vazquez, Young Player of the Year finalist Brenner and an FC Cincy discourtesy that finished 3rd successful the league successful goals scored (64). But it truly comes down to a fewer cardinal factors:
Who concedes first? Cincinnati won 1 of 12 games erstwhile doing so; the Red Bulls are tied for 5th successful wins aft going down.
Who forces the astir errors? New York led the league successful fouls committed. Although Cincinnati weren't peculiarly adept astatine drafting fouls, a costly mistake could loom large.
Who pushes the pace? Both New York (1.91, 1st) and Cincy (1.63, 6th) are successful the six fastest teams - connected a meters-per-second ground - successful MLS. This 1 volition beryllium fought directly, with frenetic gait astatine goal, and precise small crossing play from the flanks.
If anyone's poised to thrust retired a necktie done other clip and creation connected by the tegument of their teeth, it's Cincy. -- Hajducky
Predictions:
The question present is: How disfigured tin the Red Bulls marque this crippled successful bid to thwart Cincy's attack? The reply is plenty, but extracurricular of Lewis Morgan, New York's onslaught isn't that compelling, portion Cincinnati's is. Look for FCC to get a roadworthy triumph here. -- Carlisle
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Cincinnati's quality to alteration from historically atrocious to playoff squad successful 1 twelvemonth speaks to 1 of the champion aspects of the MLS structure. I'm not of the caput that playoff acquisition needfully matters, either, and similar FCC to triumph a low-scoring game. -- Bonagura
Two regular-season draws hint astatine the evenness of the matchup, and Cincinnati person been putting up immoderate gaudy extremity totals of late. But if playoff acquisition is worthy thing (even atrocious playoff experience), the Red Bulls clasp the slightest of edges. -- Connelly
I'm a sucker for an underdog arc. Think the combo of Brenner and Vazquez up beforehand overpowers New York. On march the Orange and Blue. -- Hajducky
There's a batch to similar astir the FCC onslaught that features standouts similar Vazquez, Acosta and Brenner. If the defence doesn't collapse, Cincinnati tin flight with a triumph present successful their first-ever MLS playoff game. -- Hernandez
The Red Bulls boast the second-stingiest defence successful the Eastern Conference, but Brenner is demonstrating wherefore helium was truthful highly touted coming retired of Brazil, Brandon Vazquez is scoring goals the USMNT sorely deficiency from their No. 9s and Luciano Acosta is 1 of the league's premier playmakers erstwhile again. Cincy conscionable person excessively overmuch firepower for New York to support up. -- Lindberg
2. CF Montreal vs. 7. Orlando City SC (Sunday, 8 p.m. ET, stream unrecorded connected ESPN)
The hottest squad successful MLS implicit the season's last 3 months came conscionable 2 points shy of the apical effect successful the Eastern Conference. Montreal person mislaid conscionable erstwhile since July 9, and they clasp astir of the edges implicit No. 7 effect Orlando unless the gods of single-elimination playoff determine to beryllium peculiarly fickle.
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CF Montreal's Zachary Brault-Guillard scores from a pugnacious space to enactment his squad up 4-1.
Montreal boast 1 of the league's astir prolific attacks. They make high-quality looks from adjacent scope -- they had the league's highest percent of shots from the container -- and the operation of Eredivisie-bound creator and Djordje Mihailovic and seasoned forwards Romell Quioto and Kei Kamara has been particularly effective. The trio combined for 33 goals and 19 assists from 104 chances created successful the regular season. The onslaught is rubric worthy, portion the defence has been hardly playoff worthy.
Orlando were 1 changeless crippled twist successful 2022. Oscar Pareja's squad won 4 successful a enactment successful August to bolt comfortably into the playoff speech and, for bully measure, won the U.S. Open Cup successful aboriginal September aft a peculiarly melodramatic run. But they mislaid 4 of their last six regular-season matches and didn't unafraid a playoff bid until Facundo Torres' 84th-minute punishment gave them a 2-1 triumph implicit Columbus connected Sunday. The prolific Torres and chap newcomer Ercan Kara combined for 20 goals and 13 assists from 60 chances created.
Montreal won their lone conflict with Orlando this season, turning a 2-1 pb into a 4-1 romp with precocious goals from Joaquin Torres and Zachary Brault-Guillard successful May. Both of these teams privation to person the shot and power the tempo, and some person fixed up high-quality chances astatine times. Montreal person been amended this season, but it would lone instrumentality 1 parry from Torres and Kara to marque things interesting. -- Connelly
Predictions:
Montreal person been softly going astir their concern each twelvemonth with a ruthless efficiency. Orlando person been a spot each implicit the place, adjacent portion winning the U.S. Open Cup. In the playoffs each of this matters little, but inactive look for CFM to get the triumph implicit Orlando. -- Carlisle
For the shot nine formerly known arsenic the Impact, this has been without question the champion play of their MLS existence, and I'm expecting a tally to the league final. -- Bonagura
Aside from NYCFC, determination isn't a bigger first-round betting favourite than Montreal, and the reasons are beauteous obvious. Orlando upset Philadelphia and won 2 shootouts connected the mode to the U.S. Open Cup final, but we'll accidental they've maxed retired their play quota. -- Connelly
Let's not overthink it: No squad tallied much points aft May 1 than Montreal and Orlando City marches to the Great White North with, per FiveThirtyEight, a 20% accidental to advance. Montreal mightiness look past Orlando City toward a fearsome Philadelphia Union squad, but it feels unlikely. -- Hajducky
Their way to the 2022 U.S. Open Cup highlighted that Orlando and Pareja tin thrive successful knockout situations. Gutsy and susceptible of closing retired games successful their favor, Orlando volition astatine the precise slightest marque things hard for Montreal. -- Hernandez
Cesar Araujo's accomplishment successful Orlando past wintertime flew nether the radar amid the high-profile signings of Torres and Kara, yet he's the 1 who volition find whether the Lions tin beforehand from this matchup, and it comes down to his quality to chaperone Mihailovic. I don't similar his odds. -- Lindberg
3. New York City FC vs. 6. Inter Miami CF (Monday, 7 p.m. ET)
After a disastrous agelong from August into September that saw NYCFC, the defending MLS Cup champions, suffer 7 of 9 matches, 3 consecutive wins to adjacent the regular play look to person somewhat righted the ship. Still, arsenic a effect of injuries and departures, this squad hardly resembles the radical that won the Cup past year. The availability of Talles Magno, Tayvon Gray and Alfredo Morales -- each of whom were forced disconnected with knocks successful the regular-season finale -- looms ample successful a crippled that volition beryllium played astatine Citi Field.
For Miami, Gonzalo Higuain's unthinkable tally of signifier to extremity the play -- 14 goals successful 16 matches -- has been 1 of the league's champion storylines during the 2nd fractional of the year. His play has been the astir important azygous origin that allowed the nine to rebound from past year's nonaccomplishment and bash truthful with astir an wholly reconstructed roster.
The teams divided their 2 matches during the regular play with NYCFC winning 2-0 astatine location earlier Miami took their location lucifer 3-2. Miami's triumph was their archetypal ever successful the bid aft NYCFC won 5 consecutive aft the Herons entered the league successful 2020. -- Bonagura
Predictions:
NYCFC haven't looked the aforesaid since manager Ronny Deila left, and are having to play this crippled astatine Citi Field, but Miami could beryllium missing Alejandro Pozuelo and Leonardo Campana, which could extremity up leaving red-hot Higuain isolated. -- Carlisle
The thought of Higuain's last nonrecreational crippled taking spot connected a Monday nighttime astatine Citi Field conscionable feels wrong. I deliberation helium finds the victor and prolongs things for different round. -- Bonagura
NYCFC were intelligibly the amended squad implicit the afloat season, but Inter person been the amended squad implicit the past 2 months. There are ever surprises successful the MLS Cup playoffs, truthful let's get weird: Miami instrumentality down the champs and Higuain's vocation lasts a spot longer. -- Connelly
Will the impending status of Gonzalo Higuain propel Inter Miami past reigning MLS Cup champs NYCFC? It seems unlikely, but the circumstances are there: NYCFC was 1 of lone 2 MLS clubs to suffer 7 games from August 6th connected - a implicit 180 from the archetypal 2 thirds of the season, erstwhile they were apical 3 successful some wins and extremity differential. -- Hajducky
After announcing helium volition discontinue astatine the extremity of 2022, Higuain is closing retired his vocation successful a thrilling tally of signifier and should beryllium a cardinal origin against an NYCFC broadside that nary longer person respective of the decisive figures that carried them to a rubric past year. -- Hernandez
The location comforts of Citi Field couldn't support the Mets from making an aboriginal postseason exit, but NYCFC person mislaid connected a shot diamond conscionable 3 times this season, and the taxable of the venue is intelligibly connected Miami manager Phil Neville's mind. -- Lindberg
Western Conference
4. LA Galaxy vs. 5. Nashville SC (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET)
This is 1 of those games wherever each squad is contented with their opponent's style. The Galaxy are each astir possession, and utilizing the likes of Ricard Puig, Douglas Costa and Samuel Grandsir to unsettle defenses and acceptable up Javier Hernandez. That suits Nashville conscionable fine, arsenic Gary Smith's broadside is contented astatine being defensively sound, absorbing unit and utilizing the brilliance of Hany Mukhtar to punish teams connected the break.
It was the summertime arrivals of Puig and Gaston Brugman that pushed the Galaxy into the playoffs, with LA losing conscionable erstwhile since Puig made his debut. In spite of the Galaxy's attacking prowess, though, Nashville are a notoriously hard squad to interruption down. While the Yotes suffered immoderate ups and downs during the season, Nashville person conceded conscionable 5 goals successful their past 8 games.
For Nashville, the bigger question is volition Mukhtar get immoderate help? C.J. Sapong hasn't scored since May, but links good with Mukhtar. Teal Bunbury has scored arsenic galore goals, five, successful astir a 4th of the minutes, but doesn't harvester arsenic well.
The cardinal to the crippled volition beryllium the play of Brugman. If helium tin enactment disciplined, not get sucked excessively acold guardant and bash his spot to contradict Mukhtar service, the Galaxy should beryllium capable to transportation the day. But specified is Mukhtar's ratio -- his xG was 20.46 against his 23 goals scored -- that each it takes is for him to person 1 accidental and the crippled tin beryllium turned upside down. -- Carlisle
Predictions:
As defensively stout arsenic Nashville are, look for Puig's creativity to transportation the time successful beforehand of a partisan Galaxy crowd. -- Carlisle
The Galaxy are peaking astatine the close clip with lone 1 nonaccomplishment implicit their last 11 matches to gain a location playoff match. Puig's accomplishment has been cardinal and it volition beryllium against Nashville, too. -- Bonagura
These teams are precise similar, from their instauration of high-quality shots to their occasional antiaircraft breakdowns. It makes sense, then, that their past lucifer was a testy 1-1 gully successful Nashville, but backmost successful California, we'll accidental the location squad has the edge. -- Connelly
From Aug. 21 done season's end, lone Montreal tallied much points than Nashville and lone Philadelphia had a amended extremity differential crossed the league. The Boys successful Gold adjacent edged MLS Cup favorites LAFC past Sunday. The Galaxy person lone mislaid erstwhile successful league play going backmost to the archetypal week of August, but expect 2022 Golden Boot victor Hany Mukhtar to publication their summons backmost to Carson, CA. -- Hajducky
As agelong arsenic they aren't missing immoderate important penalties, the attacking operation betwixt Chicharito and Puig should beryllium capable to transportation the Galaxy implicit the line. Chicharito seems particularly motivated with 4 goals successful his past 4 appearances. -- Hernandez
Puig has been a revelation and Chicharito has nary occupation uncovering the backmost of the net, but bash the Galaxy person idiosyncratic to make thing from thing if a stalemate drags connected and the location assemblage grows restless? Because Nashville bash successful Mukhtar. -- Lindberg
2. Austin FC vs. 7. Real Salt Lake (Sunday astatine 3 p.m. ET, stream unrecorded connected ABC)
A less-than-thrilling debut play successful 2021 laid the groundwork for a imagination 2022 and an upcoming first-ever playoff quality for Austin. Led by MVP campaigner Sebastian Driussi and his 22 goals, the Verde rocketed up the Western Conference standings, yet finishing 2nd successful the table. In beforehand of what should beryllium different raucous assemblage astatine Q2 Stadium -- tickets for Sunday's crippled sold retired "in minutes" -- Austin volition person an invaluable accidental to determination 1 measurement person to a title successful conscionable their 2nd year.
But volition RSL spoil the party? Head manager Pablo Mastroeni and his men closed retired the play connected an emphatic enactment with a 3-1 triumph implicit the Portland Timbers, portion Austin slumped to their 3rd lucifer successful a enactment without a triumph aft a 1-1 gully with the Colorado Rapids. Let's not hide what RSL did successful past year's playoff run, either. From the aforesaid seventh seed, RSL stunned rubric contenders Seattle successful the archetypal circular of the playoffs done a triumph connected penalties, aboriginal making their mode to the Western Conference final.
Austin are the favorites present and should locomotion distant with a convincing result, but that said, Mastroeni and a halfway of RSL's 2021 roster stay successful the nine that won't beryllium lacking assurance aft what happened past year. -- Hernandez
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Moussa Djitte's 60th infinitesimal extremity puts Austin FC connected the committee first.
Predictions:
RSL person been punching supra their value for what seems similar forever, and Austin haven't been playing that large of late, with conscionable 1 triumph successful their past seven, but immoderate squad with Driussi successful it figures to person capable to triumph a location playoff crippled -- adjacent against a broadside arsenic gritty arsenic RSL. -- Carlisle
RSL's tally to the league last past twelvemonth is grounds capable that you constitute them disconnected astatine your ain peril, but this Austin squad has excessively overmuch firepower to expect an upset here. -- Bonagura
Austin intelligibly aren't the aforesaid smoking-hot squad they were earlier this season, and Salt Lake clasp the borderline successful playoff experience, but Austin's 3-0 head-to-head triumph isn't that acold successful the rearview reflector and it makes it hard to prime against them. -- Connelly
Hard to ideate the once-red-hot Austin going retired this early... but since their 4-1 drubbing of LAFC astatine the tail-end of August, they lone took afloat points successful 1 of seven. But there's a crushed Sebastian Driussi is an MLS MVP finalist; the Verde volition travel unneurotic down their person and dispatch Real Salt Lake. -- Hajducky
Driussi has been 1 of the much awesome game-changers successful MLS this year, and adjacent if helium and the remainder of the frontline aren't astatine their best, goalkeeper Brad Stuver should beryllium capable to support RSL quiet. Also, with the location assemblage down them, Austin person lone mislaid 3 times astatine Q2 Stadium each season. -- Hernandez
Six minutes aft tickets for this crippled went connected merchantability astatine Q2 Stadium, they were sold out. The Texas superior has been waiting for a infinitesimal similar this, and Los Verde are primed to provender disconnected what volition beryllium 1 of the astir electrical crowds of the postseason. -- Lindberg
3. FC Dallas vs. 6. Minnesota United (Monday, 9:30 p.m. ET)
These teams divided their meetings this year: the Loons winning successful Frisco successful May 2-1 and Dallas coming to Allianz Field and earning a 3-0 triumph successful September. The xG tally illustrates conscionable however small separated these sides implicit those 2 games: Dallas' 2.2 to Minnesota's 2.01.
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FC Dallas gets an ain extremity past 2 goals from Alan Velasco and Jesus Ferreira arsenic they get the triumph implicit Minnesota United.
Perhaps tellingly, the 3 goals that FCD scored themselves (Michael Boxall conceded an own-goal successful the September game) each came from incredibly mobile attackers Jesus Ferreira, Paul Arriola and Alan Velasco. With Sebastian Lletget pulling the strings from the midfield (registering 2 assists successful that September win), Dallas airs sizeable menace successful transition, with potent quick-strike capability. That whitethorn beryllium problematic for United.
Minnesota are without 2 first-choice defenders successful right-back Romain Metanire and center-back Bakaye Dibassy, and Opening Day midfielder Hassani Dotson is besides missing with a torn ACL. Neither Boxall nor Dibassy's stand-in Brent Kallman are peculiarly mobile, midfield shield Wil Trapp can't number agility oregon quickness among his strongest assets either, and his expected spouse successful the motor country is Robin Lod, a converted winger. The Loons look peculiarly exposed to the menace posed by Dallas' fluid attack.
With truthful small to abstracted these teams, this crippled could good travel down to moments of idiosyncratic brilliance, and determination is an statement to beryllium made that nary 1 connected the tract travel Monday nighttime has a lengthier item reel successful 2022 than Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair. Only Andre Blake and Dorde Petrovic prevented less goals this season, according to TruMedia, and if the All-Star Game MVP is to person overmuch anticipation of reaching the league semifinals, he'll request to enactment connected a amusement erstwhile more. -- Lindberg
Predictions:
Of the 2 teams, Dallas is the in-form side, arsenic the Loons stumbled down the stretch. And portion Minnesota's Emanuel Reynoso tin triumph games by himself, Dallas' beforehand 3 of Velasco, Ferreira and Arriola should transportation the day. -- Carlisle
Dallas had a beardown inclination to play to the level of their opponents, with lone 3 matches decided by much than 1 extremity implicit the 2nd fractional of the season. One of those was a 3-0 triumph astatine Minnesota, which is capable to marque FCD the prime here. -- Bonagura
It's been a portion since Dallas made a large playoff run. We'll accidental they're due. They showed conscionable capable finishing prowess down the stretch, and they'll support it going connected Monday night. -- Connelly
After Philadelphia, nary 1 conceded less goals than Dallas. Jesús Ferreira, not 22 until December, netted 18 goals this season. With a World Cup roster telephone likely, helium could travel - and ideally amended upon - Ricardo Pepi's European exodus. Look for this MLS Cup to beryllium a saccharine kiss-off. -- Hajducky
Outside of LAFC, nary playoff squad successful the West claimed much points astatine location than Dallas. Coupled with the intriguing attacking trio of Ferreira, Arriola and Velasco (if healthy), they should beryllium capable to cruise to a triumph here. -- Hernandez
Dallas has excessively overmuch gait and excessively galore threats from excessively galore antithetic areas of the transportation for Minnesota's midfield and defence to contain. Ferreira mightiness not person overmuch amusive successful a 90-minute carnal confrontation with Boxall, but Arriola and Velasco should find joyousness successful the channels and betwixt the lines. -- Lindberg
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