Soccer <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Conference bottom-dwellers D.C. United<\/a> host Inter Miami CF<\/a> to open the weekend.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Level on points, Orlando City<\/a> travel to face Nashville SC<\/a> in a battle of top-four contenders.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Finally, Charlotte FC<\/a> and the New York Red Bulls<\/a> bring the playoff push to Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n 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.<\/p>\n After parting ways with former head coach Troy Lesesne<\/a> last month, the Black-and-Red have entered a new era under the leadership of experienced manager Ren\u00e9 Weiler<\/a>, who will be taking charge of his first match at Audi Field.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Weiler is already making moves, completing the acquisition<\/a> of USMNT<\/a> midfielder Caden Clark<\/a> from CF Montr\u00e9al<\/a> following his debut 1-1 draw<\/a> against the Canadians last weekend. Might a D.C. debut be in the cards for Clark this weekend?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Meanwhile, the Herons are still competing on all fronts, reaching the Leagues Cup<\/a> 2025 semifinals mid-week with a 2-1 win over Tigres UANL<\/a> while remaining in the hunt for the Supporters’ Shield ahead of their ultimate goal of lifting a first MLS Cup presented by Audi.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> campaign. If they win all three, it would catapult them to the top of the table, meaning the Herons control their destiny.<\/p>\n Lionel Messi<\/a> is ruled out after missing Wednesday’s Leagues Cup triumph, while left back Jordi Alba<\/a> left the Tigres games with an injury of his own. Fortunately, fellow ‘Core Four’ member Luis Su\u00e1rez<\/a> stepped up with a two-goal, man-of-the-match performance.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It’s third versus fourth in the East as Nashville host Orlando with serious playoff implications.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> (12g\/9a) and MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi contender Sam Surridge<\/a> (18g\/4a) while becoming a top-three defense in the East.<\/p>\n 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?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n 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<\/a> over reigning LIGA MX champions Toluca in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> (8g\/7a) has hit form alongside offseason addition Marco Pa\u0161ali\u0107<\/a> (11g\/4a), while Mart\u00edn Ojeda<\/a> (14g\/14a) is making his case for Landon Donovan MLS MVP.<\/p>\n 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?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n 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.<\/p>\n Charlotte have been active in the summer transfer window with both incomings and outgoings. Yet despite sending USMNT striker Patrick Agyemang to Derby County<\/a> last month, they have put together the longest winning streak of the MLS season at six games.<\/p>\n In large part, that is due to Israeli international Idan Toklamati<\/a> (7g\/3a) taking the No. 9 mantle internally to supplement the attacking returns of Wilfried Zaha<\/a> (7g\/9a) and Pep Biel<\/a> (10g\/12a), although the latter is ruled out due to injury.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> and at home against Real Salt Lake<\/a>. They’d love nothing more than to strengthen their grip on a postseason berth by making it seven wins in a row against RBNY.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n On the other side, the visitors intend to push themselves into a playoff position in Charlotte.<\/p>\n As it stands, Chicago Fire FC<\/a> (+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.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> (9g\/9a), Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting<\/a> (15g\/3a) and Co. make it happen?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
\n