MLS Match Week 8: Western Conf. Preview | OneFootball

Sixteen MLS teams played midweek in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Another four competed in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Which left ten getting some valuable rest, particularly as the league scheduled Match Week 9 for next Wednesday. Below are the five West vs. West matches, plus two very interesting cross-conference ties.

All games are streaming on AppleTV+

Toronto FC vs. Austin FC

Kickoff: 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT BMO Field, Toronto, Canada

This is one of the three cross-conference matches this weekend, and a really curious one at that. Toronto FC have bucked the stats this season. Their xG is a paltry 0.8, but they’re scoring 1.4 goals per game. With 3W 2D 2L they’re sitting in 5th place in the East. This time last season they had yet to win a game. So kudos to the coaching staff who have the most out of their relatively quiet transfer window, and are maxxing what they have. Signing Josh Sargent hasn’t hurt either.

Which brings us to Austin FC. Poor, poor, Austin. On Tuesday they suffered the indignity of losing 2-1 to the USL Championship’s Louisville City in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Round of 32. That cupset marked their fifth straight match without a win (though they did draw both LAFC and Inter Miami). I don’t see a path out of the doldrums for them this week. I believe they’ll be competitive and, yet again, fall short.

Colorado Rapids vs. Inter Miami CF

Kickoff: 4:30pm ET / 1:30pm PT Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

Midweek the Rapids barely managed to scrape past Union Omaha, a USL League 1 team with a proud history of giant killing, by a score of 1-0. Of course, the score doesn’t really reflect the Rapids performance, which overall was quite comfortable. They put six shots on frame, and the Union keeper Rashid Nuhu kept his team in the game with five saves. Colorado also rested their entire starting defensive line, which had to be a tactical move considering they host Lionel Messi & co. this week.

Inter Miami may be level on points (12), but they are still the heavy favorite in this fixture. Frankly this may not be deserved, as the Herons have been mighty anemic the past month, drawing four of their last five games. Their 13 goals may put them in the upper quarter of the East, but it’s a figure dwarfed by the Rapids’ 19 scores. 

With Colorado at home, the elevation, and their defensive line fully rested, you have to like the Rapids chances to at least grab a point. The midweek drama around Macherano’s sudden departure has to have distracted Miami as well.

FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy

Kickoff: 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas

Dallas did not play midweek, as they do not participate in the U.S. Open Cup this season. So they are fully rested and ready to pounce on LA. The visitors were thoroughly embarrassed on Wednesday, losing 3-0 to Toluca at home in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals. The aggregate score was 7-2. Ouch.

The best thing you can say about the Galaxy this season is they’re not as piss poor as 2025. In fact, their average xG is nearly identical to Dallas’ (1.33 vs. 1.31). Of course, Dallas have scored five more goals, but that’s mostly due to Petar Musa, their deadly and on-form striker from Czechia.

Minnesota United FC vs. Portland Timbers

Kickoff: 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT Allianz Field, Saint Paul, Minnesota

It took twelve rounds of penalty kicks after 120+ minutes of soccer for Minnesota to dispatch Sacramento Republic last Wednesday. After taking five points from the first five games, the Loons won their next two before that epic, but exhausting, Open Cup win. Most of those starters will be benched for this tie against Portland, who benefit from not having a midweek fixture. The Timbers’ season has been disappointing so far. They’ve scored 11, but are very fragile defensively, having conceded 16 goals (second worst in the West).

Real Salt Lake vs. San Diego FC

Kickoff: 9:30pm ET / 6:30pm PT America First Field, Sandy, Utah

This is going to be a banger. These two sides played only three weeks ago to a taut 2-2 draw salvaged by a late goal from RSL’s Victor Olatunji, coming off the bench.

This has been one of Real Salt Lake’s strongest season starts in years. Their young kids stepped up big when three regular starters were injured right before opening day. Now that these veterans have returned, RSL is simply turning it up another notch. They’re also perfect at home, with an impressive 2.1 xG over three games.

San Diego, on the other hand, is showing signs of second season syndrome. They’re dominating the possession, averaging 64% after seven games, but not scoring enough. They also have a major red card problem; their three dismissals is the highest in the West (Cincinnati has four, so they’re not even winning that category either). Their road form is markedly worse than when they’re at Snapdragon, which should give their supporters cause for concern.

Seattle Sounders FC vs. St. Louis CITY SC

Kickoff: 9:30pm ET / 6:30pm PT Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington

Seattle scored eight goals in four Concacaf Champions Cup matches; six in seven MLS matches. Concessions for that same span: four (Cup) and two (league). That’s some dichotomy. Sadly, one of the cup goals came on Wednesday, so despite drawing Tigres 3-3, they were eliminated on the away goal rule. Saturday’s match against St. Louis is only their second MLS home tie; 10 of their 13 points have come on the road.

St. Louis also has only six goals so far (they’ve conceded seven more, though). So do not expect a rollicking goal fest. Wednesday’s 4-0 shellacking of FC Tulsa will give CITY confidence, but if Sounders continue being their usual stubborn selves, St. Louis is in for a long evening on the Pacific coast.

LAFC vs. San Jose Earthquakes

Kickoff: SUNDAY 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT BMO Stadium, Los Angeles, California

This should be a nationally televised event. These two sit cheek-by-jowl in the Supporters Shield standings, 2nd and 3rd respectively. They’ve scored 28 goals between them, and conceded only 4. Offensively they are dynamic, quick, and lethal; defensively they are compact, resilient and gritty.

LAFC certainly has the star power, with Son Heung-Min, Denis Bouanga and Hugo Lloris. San Jose has… well, nobody you’ve probably heard of. Their marquee signing, Timo Werner, has been battling back pain and playing limited minutes. Their goals are coming from journeyman players like Jack Skahan and defender Daniel Munie, or youth prospects such as Niko Tsakaris and Beau Leroux. San Jose has already defeated Vancouver and San Diego. Why not add LAFC onto that list?