Philly, Seattle, KC favored to nab Cup
Major League Soccer’s 18-team playoffs kick off Friday and will culminate with MLS Cup on Dec. 12, We surveyed USA TODAY Network’s team of soccer experts for their predictions on which teams could reach MLS Cup, which teams are dark horse contenders and the biggest X-factors.
Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer
MLS Cup: Philadelphia Union over Portland Timbers. The Timbers showed at the MLS is Back Tournament they can survive knockout play with style and skill. Even without injured Sebastian Blanco and Jaroslaw Niezgoda, Portland should emerge from the topheavy Western Conference. When the dust settled on Decision Day, Philadelphia Union won the Supporters’ Shield with room to spare. Front to back, they are a complete team. They have playoff experience, didn’t drop a single point at Subaru Park this season and proved on Decision Day they can deliver a trophy when the pressure’ on. There’s so much to like about Philadelphia’s case for pulling off the domestic “double.”
Dark horse candidate: Nashville SC. Nashville is a club that has quality, knows its strengths and weaknesses, and plays within itself. They aren’t flashy but get results, including on the road. This team is tough to break down (22 goals allowed) and is perfectly capable of taking a sledgehammer to the Eastern side of the playoff tournament.
Playoff X-factors: Diego Valeri and Diego Chara, Portland Timbers. My bet on Portland to advance to MLS Cup is essentially a bet on Valeri’s and Chara’s combined ability to steer the Timbers around the injuries to the aforementioned Blanco and Niezgoda. Valeri and Chara can help Portland overcome those personnel losses, but if they fall short it’s possible the club doesn’t stick around very long this postseason.
Drake Hills, The Tennessean
MLS Cup: Philadelphia Union over Seattle Sounders. The Union has the juice, and its 4-2 record against playoffbound opponents in the last month of the regular season is favorable with home-field advantage. Having done the heavy lifting in Round 1 against LAFC, the Sounders will score late to get past Sporting Kansas City in the Western final for a repeat MLS Cup appearance.
Dark horse candidate: New York City FC. NYCFC is not comfortable with the spotlight. The No. 1 seed in the East last year was a jinx. In 2020 it’s tough to see another conference foe matching the form of Valentín Castellanos, Jesús Medina and Maxi Moralez. The key is when can the club get Alexander Callens back after international duty with Peru?
Playoff X-factor: NYCFC’s back line. From Orlando City’s Daryl Dike and Chris Mueller, to the Union’s Sergio Santos and Kacper Przybylko, to Toronto’s Alejandro Pozuelo and Ayo Akinola – there are attacking duos in New York City’s playoff path that require Callens, Maxime Chanot, Ronald Matarrita and Anton Tinnerholm to be at the top of their game. Late goals conceded will lead to an early exit.
Jacob Myers, Columbus Dispatch
MLS Cup: Seattle Sounders over Philadelphia Union. At full strength, Seattle has arguably the top attacking trio in MLS with Nico Lodeiro, Jordan Morris and Raul Ruidiaz and has allowed the fewest goals in an offenseheavy West. Philadelphia has had a special season with some of the top players in MLS at each position, but there’s something about having been at this stage that will put Seattle to its second consecutive championship.
Dark horse candidate: Los Angeles FC. Though I think Seattle will win MLS Cup, it’s a bit unfortunate they’ll play an LAFC side that is at full strength as the No. 7 seed. After missing nearly the entire season, 2019 MVP Carlos Vela returned in time to lead his club on a redemption tour toward an MLS Cup that slipped through their grasps last year.
Playoff X-factors: Darlington Nagbe and Lucas Zelarayan. Either Nagbe or Zelarayan could be considered the X-factor for Columbus, but their effectiveness together will determine how far the Crew advance. When the midfield duo have started together, the Crew are 6-1-2 with two wins against Philly.
Nate Scott, For the Win
MLS Cup: Sporting Kansas City over Toronto FC. Peter Vermes rebuilt his Sporting KC side by stiffening up the middle of the park, and they’re arguably the hottest team in MLS, ending the season on a 6-1-1 run. Add in goal scoring from now-healthy Alan Pulido, and this team has what it needs to see out the tournament. In the East, I predict Philly’s dream season comes to an end thanks to a tougher-than-you-think Toronto FC side.
Dark horse candidate: Los Angeles FC. A weird, bumpy year has LAFC entering the tournament as a 7 seed, but with Carlos Vela getting back to full health after an MCL sprain, there’s enough talent here to beat anybody. I see them knocking off a good Seattle side and possibly making a run all the way to an MLS Cup final.
Playoff X-factor: Carlos Vela. If Vela is truly healthy, the reigning MLS MVP completely shakes up what you’d expect out of the Western Conference.
Jim Reineking, USA TODAY
MLS Cup: Seattle Sounders over Philadelphia Union. Coach Brian Schmetzer’s Sounders team is veteranladen, playoff-tested and fully capable of reaching its fourth MLS Cup in five years. Just like in the 2014 U.S. Open Cup final, the Sounders will stroll into Chester, Pennsylvania, and spoil all the fun for the Union..
Dark horse candidate: Orlando City. Coach Oscar Pareja turned this perpetual non-factor into a contender in his first year, with his team having its coming-of-age moment at the MLS is Back Tournament, where it reached the final. That experience should benefit Orlando in its first-ever playoff appearance.
Playoff X-factor: Matt Freese. The Philadelphia Union’s Andre Blake, one of the league’s top goalkeepers, could miss playoff games after suffering a broken hand in late October. Enter Freese, a homegrown player who made his first and only start of 2020 in the regularseason finale, in which he had a clean sheet as the Union secured their firstever trophy. He’ll need to replicate that performance if Blake misses games.