Cascadia Rivaling to Win the Western Conference: This Week in MLS

Cascadia Rivaling to Win the West
Seattle Sounders FC and the Portland Timbers are now tied for points atop the Western Conference standings, with the pressure turning all the way up for Thursday’s Pacific Northwest duel, featuring two of the league’s most bitter rivals at CenturyLink Field (10:30 p.m. ET, FS1 / FOX Deportes).  
Seattle has had a lock on No. 1 in the Western Conference since Sept. 10, with forward Jordan Morris keeping the club in pole position with eight goals and seven assists. The 25-year-old academy product’s 15 combined goals and assists are tied for third-most in the league this season, and midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro continues to thrive in Seattle, producing five goals and eight assists, the third-most helpers in MLS this season.
Meanwhile, the tables could be turning in favor of the Portland Timbers, who have been in the better run of form with only one loss in their last eight games. The Timbers are the only MLS club with four players scoring at least five goals, as frontman Jeremy Ebobisse’s club-leading eight scores have Portland netting the second-most goals (38) in league play this season.
Will Seattle’s strength remain steady, or will the Timbers take over the top spot?
LAFC’s 16-Year-Old Torres Latest Teen Sensation to Score
Los Angeles Football Club 16-year-old Homegrown forward
Christian Torres
scored a crucial game-tying goal
in the final moments during a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers on Sunday, becoming the fifth youngest player in league history to score a goal. LAFC’s investment in its academy has begun to pay dividends in only its fourth season as Torres was one of three MLS academy products to star for the club this week along with 16-year-old defender
Erik Dueñas
and 19-year-old midfielder
Bryce Duke
.
Torres joins FC Dallas 17-year-old forward
Ricardo Pepi
, San Jose Earthquakes 17-year-old forward
Cade Cowell
and New York Red Bulls 17-year-old midfielder
Caden Clark
in scoring their first career MLS goals this season, each ranking among the top 20 youngest goalscorers in league history.
22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR coming to MLSsoccer.com this week
MLSsoccer.com's annual ranking showcasing the top young players in MLS returns on Wednesday. The series will once again count down the top 22 players under the age of 22, as voted on by an expert panel.
The top 22 players in MLS under the age of 22 as of the end of the 2020 regular season (i.e. 21 or younger before November 8), will be revealed on Wednesday on Twitter starting at noon ET (Nos. 11-22), and continue Thursday (Nos. 1-10). The top 10 reveal on Thursday will come at 12 pm ET.
Fans have the chance to vote on who they think are the best players under the age of 22 on Twitter and Instagram.
Several notable international stars and domestic academy products have topped the rankings in previous years including in LAFC’s Diego Rossi (2019), former Vancouver Whitecaps FC star Alphonso Davies (2018) and former Atlanta United midfielder Miguel Almirón (2017).
MLS Regular Season: Week 20 Game Notes
Tuesday, Oct. 20
Nashville SC vs. FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m. (FS1; TSN)

• Nashville SC gained a fifth result in the last six matches, rolling to a 3-1 win against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Stadium on Oct. 14. Hany Mukhtar netted a pair of goals, the first two-goal game in the club’s MLS history, one coming directly from an immaculate free kick, as Nashville scored three goals in the opening 23 minutes.
  
• FC Dallas returned to victory for the first time in five matches, getting the game’s only goal for a win against Sporting Kansas City on Oct. 14 at Toyota Stadium. Ryan Hollingshead scored the lone goal just before the halftime interval, his second of the season.
  
• The teams are meeting for the third time this season. David Accam scored the game’s only goal to give Nashville SC the club’s first win in its MLS history on Aug. 12, then the teams reached a goalless draw on Aug. 16, as the teams met twice in four days at Toyota Stadium in the first matches in the continuation of play in the 2020 MLS season.
  

Thursday, Oct. 22
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers, 10:30 p.m. (FS1)

• Sounders FC rebounded from a first loss in four games, playing to a goalless draw with the San Jose Earthquakes at Earthquakes Stadium on Sunday evening.
  
• The Timbers bounced back from a first loss in seven games, reaching a 1-1 draw with Los Angeles Football Club on Sunday evening. Jeremy Ebobisse netted his eighth goal of the season, now tied for fourth place in the MLS Golden Boot standings.
  
• The teams are meeting for the fourth time this season. Yimmi Chará scored the game’s only goal as the Timbers won the last meeting, Sept. 23 at Providence Park. Eryk Williamson scored the opener and set up the late winner as the Timbers took a 2-1 win at CenturyLink Field on Sept. 6; Raúl Ruidíaz scored two goals and set up a third as Sounders FC hit for a late three-goal blitz in 14 minutes on their way to a 3-0 win Aug. 23 at Providence Park.
  

• The Timbers win in the last meeting ended a six-game winning streak by the visiting team in the series. Sounders FC had won the previous three regular-season matchups at Providence Park, the win in 2018 their first win in Portland since 2014. When the Timbers took a 4-1 win on June 28, 2015, the three-goal victory equaled Portland’s largest margin of victory against the Sounders since 1977.
  
• The Timbers have won the last three meetings at CenturyLink Field – their only wins ever in Seattle in MLS regular season games (Sounders FC were 7-0-3 leading up to that match), though the Timbers won at home in the MLS Cup Playoffs meeting between the clubs.
  
• The teams met in 2018 in the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Timbers winning in a dramatic penalty shootout in the Western Conference Quarterfinals after ending 4-4 on aggregate. The Timbers won the first leg 2-1 at Providence Park, then Sounders FC won 3-2 in extra time, sending the tie to the decider. It was a second win in a playoff series for the Timbers, also winning the 2013 Western Conference Semifinals.
  
• The Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers have met 110 times in all competitions, the most between two U.S.-based clubs, the second-most in U.S./Canadian soccer history. Since their first meeting in 1975 in the old North American Soccer League, Seattle has won 54 times and Portland has won 42, with 14 draws. In MLS league play, Sounders FC have won 12 matches, the Timbers have won 10, and six have been draws.
  

Friday, Oct. 23
Nashville SC vs. New England Revolution, 8:30 p.m.

• The Revolution had their two-game winning streak put to an end to open the week, falling 2-1 to the Philadelphia Union at Gillette Stadium on Monday evening. Tajon Buchanan scored the Revs’ goal, his second of the season and the second of his MLS career.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season and in their histories. They reached a goalless draw Oct. 3 at Gillette Stadium.
  

Saturday, Oct. 24
Inter Miami CF vs. Orlando City SC, 3:30 p.m. (Univision / TUDN)

• Inter Miami saw their three-game undefeated run come to an end, falling 2-1 to the Montréal Impact at Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening. Brek Shea scored his fourth goal of the season, a second consecutive game with a goal.
  
• Orlando City SC qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in club history, playing to a 1-1 draw with the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on Sunday evening.
  
• The teams are meeting for the fourth time in Inter Miami’s inaugural season. In the last meeting, Orlando City won for the second time as Mauricio Pereyra scored the second-half game-winner for a 2-1 win Sept. 12 at Exploria Stadium. They kicked off the MLS is Back Tournament against each other at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on July 8, as Nani netted the game-winner well into stoppage time to give OCSC the 2-1 win. Then on Aug. 22 at Inter Miami CF Stadium, Julian Carranza netted a pair of goals in the first half and Inter Miami held out for the first win in the club’s history, a 3-2 decision.
  

Atlanta United vs. D.C. United, 4 p.m.

• Atlanta United went down to a loss by the game’s only goal vs. Toronto FC at Rentschler Field on Sunday evening.
  
• D.C. United put an end to a nine-game winless run with their first victory since Sept. 2, defeating FC Cincinnati 2-1 at Nippert Stadium on Sunday evening. Four days after scoring his first MLS goal, Donovan Pines netted a second to send United on their way; Chris Odoi-Atsem scored the game-winner for his first goal in his fourth MLS season.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Jon Gallagher scored a pair of goals and Brooks Lennon hit for another and added two assists as Atlanta United rolled to a 4-0 win Oct. 3 at Audi Field.
  

• Home form had ruled in the last two seasons, each winning 2-0 on their home ground last season, and winning by 3-1 scorelines on their own ground in 2018 in three meetings overall (two in Atlanta). D.C. United took all three meetings in ATLUTD’s expansion season, winning 3-1 at Bobby Dodd Stadium on April 30 before taking the next two at RFK Stadium.
  

Chicago Fire FC vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.

• Fire FC gained a second result in a row, playing to a 2-2 draw with Sporting Kansas City at Soldier Field on Saturday afternoon. Robert Berić scored his eighth goal of the season, tied for fourth place in the MLS Golden Boot standings, and Djordje Mihailović hit for the equalizer five minutes into second-half stoppage time for his second goal.
  
• The Red Bulls extended their undefeated run to three games, reaching a 1-1 draw with Orlando City SC at Red Bull Arena on Sunday evening. Brian White scored the equalizer five minutes into second-half stoppage time for his second goal of the year.
  
• The home team won both matchups when the clubs met a year ago. An own goal was the only score as the Fire took the victory, March 30 at SeatGeek Stadium; the Red Bulls returned the favor with a 3-1 win at Red Bull Arena on June 28.
  

• The Fire win in the first meeting last year ended a four-game winless streak in the series on their home ground (0-2-2). When the Red Bulls started the streak with a win Oct. 25, 2015, it was their first win ever in Bridgeview. The Red Bulls’ last away win against Chicago had come May 14, 2005, a 3-0 win at Soldier Field; in between, the Fire were unbeaten in 14 home games in the league series (9-0-5).
  

• The Red Bulls have won four of the last five meetings in Harrison, the Fire win in that span coming April 21, 2018 in a 2-1 win, their first victory overall vs. the Red Bulls since Aug. 26, 2015
  

FC Cincinnati vs. Minnesota United FC, 7:30 p.m.

• FC Cincinnati weren’t able to build upon a first victory in six matches, falling 2-1 to D.C. United at Nippert Stadium on Sunday evening. Brandon Vazquez scored his second goal of the season.
  
• Minnesota United FC made it four games without loss, reaching a 2-2 draw with the Houston Dynamo at Allianz Field on Sunday evening. Ethan Finlay scored both MNUFC goals, the eighth two-goal game of his MLS career.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Kei Kamara scored his first goal after joining MNUFC and Kevin Molino added one late as the Loons claimed a 2-0 win Oct. 3 at Allianz Field.
  
• The teams met once during FC Cincinnati’s inaugural season. Ike Opara scored a pair of goals, while Jan Gregus collected three assists, one shy of the MLS all-time single-game record, as Minnesota United FC became the then-seventh team in MLS history to score seven goals or more in an MLS league game in a 7-1 win June 29 at Allianz Field
  

New York City FC vs. Montreal Impact, 7:30 p.m. (TSN; TVA Sports)

• NYCFC went down to defeat on the road, falling 3-1 to Columbus Crew SC at Mapfre Stadium on Sunday evening. Valentin Castellanos netted his second goal in four games.
  
• The Impact put an end to a two-game losing skid, coming back for a late 2-1 win against Inter Miami CF at Red Bull Arena. Bojan Krkić scored his third goal of the season – all coming in the last six games – and also added an assist on Maximiliano Urruti’s game-winner.
  
• NYCFC has a four-year and eight-game undefeated streak alive in the series, with four wins and four draws over that time. The lone Impact victory in 11 meetings all-time between the teams came Aug. 1, 2015, a 3-2 win at Yankee Stadium.
  
• NYCFC has won just once in the series in The Bronx over the last four seasons. The teams reached a draw there last April 6. NYCFC won 2-0 at Stade Saputo in the last meeting between the clubs, last May 4; the Impact have never won at home in the series.
  

Philadelphia Union vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m. (TSN)

• The Union extended their undefeated streak to four games with a third win in that time, defeating the New England Revolution 2-1 at Gillette Stadium on Monday evening. Anthony Fontana scored the decider, his second consecutive game with a goal and his sixth goal of the season, all coming in the last nine games (since Sept. 12).
  
• Toronto FC extended the club’s undefeated streak to nine games, defeating Atlanta United by the game’s only goal at Rentschler Field on Sunday evening. Pablo Piatti hit for the game-winner in the 89th minute.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Ayo Akinola and Alejandro Pozuelo scored second-half goals to overcome an early Sergio Santos strike as TFC took a 2-1 win at Rentschler Field on Oct. 3.
  
• The Union had won the previous meeting between the teams, a 2-1 win May 11, 2019 at BMO Field, which ended a five-year long TFC undefeated streak in the league series, also snapping a four-game Toronto FC winning streak. The last Union victory vs. Toronto FC had come on Sept. 6, 2014, a 2-0 win at BMO Field. TFC won eight of the 10 matches in between, with two draws. The Union’s goal in the last meeting in Chester, a 3-1 win last March 2, also ended a 360-minute goalless streak vs. Toronto FC.
  

Houston Dynamo vs. Columbus Crew SC, 8 p.m.

• The Dynamo snapped a two-game losing slide, reaching a 2-2 draw with Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field on Sunday evening. Niko Hansen netted the late equalizer for his second goal of the season; Darwin Quintero gained his ninth assist, second-most in MLS, one behind Toronto’s Alejandro Pozuelo.
  
• Crew SC secured their place in the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, defeating New York City FC 3-1 at Mapfre Stadium. Artur scored the first goal of his MLS career, in his 104th career league appearance; Gyasi Zardes sealed the win with his 11th goal of the season, one behind LAFC’s Diego Rossi for the lead in the MLS Golden Boot standings.
  
• The Dynamo won the lone meeting between the teams a season ago, a 2-0 victory on April 27 at BBVA Stadium.
  
• The road team has not won in the series since 2011, when Crew SC claimed a 2-0 victory at Robertson Stadium in Houston. It is one of just two wins for the away team all-time in 25 meetings between the clubs.
  
• Crew SC have not lost to the Dynamo in Columbus since June 10, 2007, a 2-1 Houston victory. Since then, Crew SC have won seven of the 10 meetings at home, with three draws. The Dynamo have won five of the past seven meetings in Houston, with two draws.
  

Sporting Kansas City vs. Colorado Rapids, 8:30 p.m.

• Sporting rebounded from a first defeat in four matches, playing to a 2-2 draw with Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field on Saturday evening. Gadi Kinda set up one goal then netted Sporting’s second late.
  
• In their last game, on Sept. 23, the Rapids won a second consecutive game and a third in the last four in another big offensive explosion, rolling to a 5-0 win against the San Jose Earthquakes at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
  
• The five-goal victory was the second in four games for the Rapids, after defeating Real Salt Lake 5-0 on Sept. 12 – the largest margin of victory in the club’s 25-year history, coming twice in four matches after 773 league games.
  
• The teams are meeting for the third time this season. A pair of teenagers, Colorado’s Cole Bassett and KC’s Gianluca Busio, netted the goals as the teams reached a 1-1 draw Aug. 29 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The teams also met during group play in the MLS is Back Tournament, Graham Zusi scoring the game-winner in second-half stoppage time to give Sporting a dramatic 3-2 win on July 17.
  
• The Rapids have a seven-game undefeated streak at home in the series, Sporting’s last win in Commerce City coming in 2014 in the lone meeting between the teams. The Rapids win in the last meeting at Children’s Mercy Park last Sept. 21, was their first in the series overall since May 27, 2017, a span of three matches (two of those draws).
  

Real Salt Lake vs. FC Dallas, 9:30 p.m.

• Real put an end to a four-game winless slide last time out, defeating the Portland Timbers 2-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium on Oct. 14. Douglas Martínez scored the first goal of his MLS career; Damir Kreilach netted his eighth goal of the year for the game-winner, now tied for fourth place in the MLS Golden Boot standings.
  
• The teams met twice a season ago. Paxton Pomykal netted a pair of goals and Michael Barrios set up the other two as FC Dallas took a 4-2 win on March 30 at Rio Tinto Stadium; the teams reached a goalless draw July 27 at Toyota Stadium.
  
• FC Dallas have won three of the last six meetings in Sandy, with one draw, dating back to 2015.
  
• The teams have played to draws the last two meetings at Toyota Stadium. RSL is 1-13-4 at FC Dallas all-time in league games between the clubs, FCD undefeated in the last six meetings there. FC Dallas has also won a home game in the MLS Cup Playoffs (in 2010) and a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal (in 2011). The lone RSL win in Frisco came on July 13, 2013, a 3-0 victory.
  

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 10 p.m. (TSN)

• Whitecaps FC saw their two-game winning streak come to an end, falling by the game’s only goal to the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday evening.
  
• The Quakes gained a result for the fifth time in the last six matches, reaching a goalless draw with Seattle Sounders FC at Earthquakes Stadium on Sunday evening.
  
• The teams are meeting for the third time this season. Cristián Espinoza, Andrés Ríos and Paul Marie all scored second-half goals as the Quakes took a 3-0 win Oct. 7 at Earthquakes Stadium. Earlier, Shea Salinas scored the game-winner eight minutes into second-half stoppage time, giving the Quakes a wild 4-3 win during group play at the MLS is Back Tournament on July 15.
  
• The Quakes have won the last four meetings in the series, winning both a season ago, each by a 3-1 scoreline. Chris Wondolowski scored a goal and added an assist in each match, first on July 20 at BC Place, then Aug. 24 at Avaya Stadium.
  
• The Quakes wins ended a five-game Whitecaps FC undefeated streak in the series in league and MLS Cup play in the first meeting, their first win vs. Vancouver since March 11, 2017.
  

Sunday, Oct. 25
Los Angeles Football Club vs. LA Galaxy, 3:30 p.m. (ABC; TSN)

• LAFC gained a third result in four matches, playing to a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers at Providence Park on Sunday evening. Christian Torres netted the equalizer in stoppage time for LAFC; at age 16 years, 186 days, he is the fifth-youngest to score a goal in MLS history.
  
• The Galaxy put an end to their seven-game stretch without a victory, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC by the game’s only goal at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday evening. Kai Koreniuk scored his first career goal in MLS, the 90th-minute game-winner.
  
• The teams are meeting for the fourth time this season. Sebastian Lletget netted a pair of goals and Cristián Pavón had a goal and an assist as the Galaxy cruised to a 3-0 win at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sept. 6.
  
• Earlier, Ethan Zubak and Sebastian Lletget each scored on either side of halftime, giving the Galaxy a 2-0 win Aug. 22 at Banc of California Stadium. The Galaxy have come away with points on all three visits to downtown LA during league play, with a win and two draws.
  
• The teams met in group play in the MLS is Back Tournament – and it was another historic meeting. Diego Rossi scored four goals – the 13th player in league history to net that many in a game – and combined for five goals and assists, as LAFC won 6-2 on July 18. It was the eighth time in MLS history a player had five goals plus assists in a game, Rossi the first player to do it twice. The win marked the first time in league play LAFC defeated the Galaxy.
  
• There have been 45 goals scored in the nine meetings in all competitions between the clubs.
  
• The teams also met last year in the Western Conference Semifinals – and LAFC came away victors, claiming a wild 5-3 victory at Banc of California Stadium on Oct. 24, as Carlos Vela scored two goals and added an assist.