The 24th week of the Major League Soccer regular season sets up perfectly for Sporting Kansas City fans.
At 9:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Manager Peter Vermes' men will take the field at Banc of California Stadium for their inaugural meeting with expansion side Los Angeles Football Club. The teams are tied for third place in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, boasting identical 10-6-6 records, and a victory for either club could prove decisive as the playoff picture takes shape.
Following Saturday's late encounter on FOX Sports Kansas City and FOX Sports Midwest Plus, supporters will then be treated to a star-studded tripleheader on Sunday, with two Eastern Conference clashes followed by a pivotal battle between FC Dallas and Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field. We give a quick rundown of each nationally televised fixture in the space below.
Toronto FC vs. New York City FC | 3 p.m. CT, ESPN
Don't look now, but Toronto FC (6-11-5, 23 points) are showing signs of a reclaiming the championship form that propelled them to the treble in 2017. The Reds are 2-0-1 in their last three games and sit just six points below the playoff line in the East. Their home test on Sunday will be far from easy, however, as New York City FC (13-5-5, 44 points) is a genuine contender for the MLS Supporters' Shield with one of the league's most balanced attacks. A whopping 21 points separate these teams in the standings, yet the fixture feels like a resurgent Toronto's to win.
D.C. United vs. Orlando City SC | 7 p.m. CT, FS1
Orlando's season has spiraled into a nightmare since mid-May, with the Lions (7-14-2, 23 points) collecting just four of a possible 42 points over their last 14 matches. No team has conceded more goals than Orlando's 54, and it will be up to D.C. United (4-9-6, 18 points) to take advantage against a feeble opponent at their new home in Audi Field. D.C. still has anywhere from three to five games in hand on their Eastern Conference counterparts, but they'll have to start racking up points quickly in order to climb into the playoff picture.
Seattle Sounders FC vs. FC Dallas | 9 p.m. CT, FS1
Now here's the game Sporting KC fans should be watching closely. First-place FC Dallas (12-4-6, 42 points) has a five-point cushion at the top, but Seattle (8-9-5, 29 points) enters the weekend on a four-game winning streak and unbeaten in seven since the start of July. FC Dallas has shown great resolve on their travels this season, amassing a 5-3-2 away record, but knocking off a red-hot Seattle side at CenturyLink Field will be a gargantuan task. This fixture ranks up there with LAFC vs. Sporting KC as one of the best in the West this weekend.
