Matchday 30: What to know for this weekend’s must-watch matches | MLSSoccer.com

The Eastern Conference Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs race is as tight as the laces on players’ boots as we head into Matchday 30, setting up several impactful matchups.

Finally, Charlotte FC and the New York Red Bulls bring the playoff push to Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire.

D.C. United are looking to scrape themselves off the bottom of the Eastern Conference table as they return home winless in their last 10 matches.

Weiler is already making moves, completing the acquisition of USMNT midfielder Caden Clark from CF Montréal following his debut 1-1 draw against the Canadians last weekend. Might a D.C. debut be in the cards for Clark this weekend?

Meanwhile, the Herons are still competing on all fronts, reaching the Leagues Cup 2025 semifinals mid-week with a 2-1 win over Tigres UANL while remaining in the hunt for the Supporters’ Shield ahead of their ultimate goal of lifting a first MLS Cup presented by Audi.

Miami sit 5th in the East (45 points; 13W-5L-6D record), just outside a home playoff berth, but with three games in hand on each of the four teams above them due to their historic FIFA Club World Cup campaign. If they win all three, it would catapult them to the top of the table, meaning the Herons control their destiny.

Lionel Messi is ruled out after missing Wednesday’s Leagues Cup triumph, while left back Jordi Alba left the Tigres games with an injury of his own. Fortunately, fellow ‘Core Four’ member Luis Suárez stepped up with a two-goal, man-of-the-match performance.

It’s third versus fourth in the East as Nashville host Orlando with serious playoff implications.

The Coyotes have been a sensation in their first full season under head coach B.J. Callaghan, riding the offensive production of 2022 MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar (12g/9a) and MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi contender Sam Surridge (18g/4a) while becoming a top-three defense in the East.

In fact, their current three-game road losing streak is Nashville’s biggest slump of the season. Back at GEODIS Park against Orlando, will they get things back on track?

Eager to leapfrog their Eastern Conference opposition, Orlando are flying high, riding a five-game winning streak in all competitions following their penalty shootout victory over reigning LIGA MX champions Toluca in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals.

Like Nashville, they too have a strong defense and shine going forward with an array of attacking weapons that have combined to score the joint-most goals in the league this season (53). Luis Muriel (8g/7a) has hit form alongside offseason addition Marco Pašalić (11g/4a), while Martín Ojeda (14g/14a) is making his case for Landon Donovan MLS MVP.

All three Designated Players producing is usually a route to success in MLS. Can Orlando continue riding that output into third place in the East with three points in Nashville?

A year to the day since Charlotte FC last hosted the Red Bulls, the Crown welcome New York back to Bank of America Stadium on Sunday Night Soccer for a crucial Eastern Conference clash.

Charlotte have been active in the summer transfer window with both incomings and outgoings. Yet despite sending USMNT striker Patrick Agyemang to Derby County last month, they have put together the longest winning streak of the MLS season at six games.

In large part, that is due to Israeli international Idan Toklamati (7g/3a) taking the No. 9 mantle internally to supplement the attacking returns of Wilfried Zaha (7g/9a) and Pep Biel (10g/12a), although the latter is ruled out due to injury.

With seven matches remaining, Charlotte (44 points; 14W-11L-2D record) are currently seventh in the East following consecutive 1-0 victories at conference-leading FC Cincinnati and at home against Real Salt Lake. They’d love nothing more than to strengthen their grip on a postseason berth by making it seven wins in a row against RBNY.

On the other side, the visitors intend to push themselves into a playoff position in Charlotte.

As it stands, Chicago Fire FC (+6 goal differential) are narrowly leading RBNY (+5) for the ninth and final Wild Card spot, with both on 39 points. Although Chicago have a game in hand, a better result than the Fire this weekend would put the Red Bulls in that final spot.

With seven games to play, RBNY are looking to extend their active North American men’s professional sports record of 15 consecutive postseason berths. Can Emil Forsberg (9g/9a), Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (15g/3a) and Co. make it happen?