MLS Cup Playoffs preview: Round One, Game 3 | OneFootball

We’re two weeks into the MLS Cup Playoffs and things are starting to heat up. Philadelphia Union, Vancouver Whitecaps, LAFC and New York City FC have all booked their places in the Conference Semi-finals, but who will join them?

This weekend brings a flurry of perfectly-poised Game 3 match-ups to be played across Saturday and Sunday. For the eight teams involved there is no margin for error; the winners go on, the losers go home.

Here’s a look ahead at the remaining four games from Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs…

Minnesota United vs Seattle Sounders

Saturday, November 8 @4:00pm ETAllianz Field, Saint Paul, MN

Seattle were left to rue a penalty shootout loss in Game 1 but made no mistake in Game 2, putting together a dominant performance for a 4-2 win. There was an eye-catching brace from young midfielder Obed Vargas but this victory was all about the older heads in this Seattle team.

Now in the tenth season under head coach Brian Schmetzer, the Sounders have made it to the Conference Finals in five of the previous nine. There’s been two MLS Cup triumphs in that time, too, and enough big-game experience to think that Seattle could add a third this year. Stefan Frei, Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris were key pieces of both the 2016 and 2019 championships and they remain cornerstones of the team to this day. 

Minnesota will have the benefit of home advantage for Game 3 and they boast one of the strongest defensive units in the entire league. But they remain a little short of genuine match-winners and lack the postseason experience needed to see them through.

Prediction: Seattle Sounders advance.

FC Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew

Saturday, November 8 @ 6:00pm ETTQL Stadium, Columbus, OH

The Hell is Real Derby is always a treat. Cincinnati and Columbus boast a regional rivalry that ranks among the very best in MLS and a Game 3 postseason meeting between the two teams promises real fireworks.

The series is level at 1-1 but that does not tell the full story. Cincy took a narrow 1-0 win in Game 1 before suffering a 4-0 collapse on the road in Game 2. Perhaps most alarming for Cincinnati was the red card for Yuya Kubo, ruling him out of Saturday’s decider back at TQL Stadium. The talismanic Evander has struggled to influence games so far in this series and the Cincy offense looks worryingly blunt without his presence.

Columbus are not the same team that swaggered to MLS Cup in 2023 and they lack a consistent goalscorer without the injured Wessam Abou Ali. But there is still enough quality in this Columbus team to suggest that they can raise their levels for the big occasion. On Saturday, I think they might.

Prediction: Columbus Crew advance.

Inter Miami vs Nashville SC

Saturday, November 8 @ 8:00pm ETChase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL

It couldn’t happen again, could it? One year ago Inter Miami cruised through the regular season and secured a comfortable Game 1 victory in the playoffs. But what followed was a road defeat to Atlanta United and a Game 3 collapse, resulting in a shock Miami exit at the first hurdle. So far, this year’s Round One series against Nashville has followed the same pattern and Miami once again go into Game 3 with everything on the line.

This year they will be doing so without Luis Suárez after the veteran striker picked up a one-game suspension for a crafty kick at Andy Najar. Without him Miami will likely opt for the erratic Tadeo Allende up front, complicating the task at hand.

After a bleak Game 1 showing, Nashville came out swinging on home turf and caused Miami real problems. A hard-fought 2-1 victory was deserved and B. J. Callaghan’s side can make things very difficult for the Herons on Saturday night. Miami should have enough to get through, but they won’t have it all their own way.

Prediction: Inter Miami advance.

San Diego FC vs Portland Timbers

Sunday, November 9 @ 9:00pm ETSnapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA

In the playoffs, momentum is king. With that in mind, you wonder what impact last weekend’s drama in Portland will have had on this remarkable San Diego story. The expansion team appeared to be cruising to a 2-0 series victory until a 98th minute Gage Guerra goal leveled the scores and sent Game 2 to penalties. Portland triumphed from 12 yards to leave the series tied at 1-1 heading into Game 3 on Sunday.

So what next? San Diego will hope that they can recapture the form that saw them finish top of the Western Conference. They are, quite comfortably, a better team than the Timbers.

But the manner of that Game 2 defeat has dented the momentum that San Diego spent the last nine months building. The quality of Anders Dreyer and the recently-reintroduced Hirving Lozano should be enough to see San Diego advance but it will be a real test against a resurgent Timbers.

Prediction: San Diego advance.