Ranking this week’s MLS games from best to worst.
NYCFC (13-7-4) at New York Red Bulls (12-10-2), 7 p.m. Friday. NYCFC pulled out a late win over New England last week and must win to try to keep Toronto in the same frame. The Red Bulls need a win to ahead of the pack trying to secure the final three playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto (14-3-8) at Montreal (10-8-6), 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Toronto is the best team in MLS this season, Montreal has won four consecutive and need to keep winning to strengthen its odds of making the playoffs, and you have the whole "Best team in Canada" thing going in a matchup of last year's Eastern Conference finalists.
Portland (10-9-7) at Seattle (10-7-7), 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Houston (10-8-7) at Dallas (9-6-8), 8 p.m. Wednesday. Dallas is winless in four, while Houston has just one win in its past four. Both need a win to keep pace with Sporting KC and Seattle in the race to win the Western Conference. Games features Atlantans Walker Zimmerman and Ricardo Clark.
Sporting KC (10-5-10) at Houston (10-8-7), 9 p.m. Saturday. Sporting KC has just one loss in its past 11 games. It has just three wins in that stretch, but it's a team that has proven itself hard to beat.
Seattle (10-7-7) at Vancouver (10-9-4), 10 p.m. Wednesday. The Cascadia rivalry continues. Seattle hasn't been beaten in eight games and has five wins in that stretch. Vancouver is good at posting back-to-back wins. It has a chance to do so again here.
Atlanta United (10-7-5) at D.C. United (6-15-4), 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Five Stripes are in seventh in the East, but have games in hand against most of the teams it is challenging. It should also have almost a full roster to choose from in trying to beat D.C. United, which has already taken six points from them this season.
Atlanta United (10-7-5) at Philadelphia (8-11-6), 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Atlanta United will finish its back-to-back road games, get another week-plus off, and then start a massive road stretch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Dallas (9-6-8) at Columbus (11-12-3), 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Crew are one of the teams that Atlanta United is trying to chase down for a playoff spot.
Vancouver (10-9-4) at Orlando City (8-10-7), 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Lions have posted just two wins since April 30. Two. Yet, if it can get hot again it still has a slim chance of making the playoffs. A draw or loss here though …
Los Angeles Galaxy (6-12-5) at Columbus (11-12-3), 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. This game is this high up the list only because Columbus needs to keep getting points, so it should attack, attack, attack.
Philadelphia (8-11-6) at Toronto (14-3-8), 8 p.m. Wednesday. Why is this game this high up the list? Because I want to see if Toronto can stretch its unbeaten streak to eight games.
San Jose (9-10-6) at Real Salt Lake (8-13-5), 10 p.m. Wednesday.
Colorado (6-13-4) at Portland (10-9-4), 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Minnesota United (6-13-4) at Chicago (12-8-5), 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
San Jose (9-10-6) at L.A. Galaxy (6-12-5), 7 p.m. Sunday.
Colorado (6-13-4) at Real Salt Lake (8-13-5), 10 p.m. Saturday.
New England (8-10-5) at D.C. United (6-15-4), 7 p.m. Saturday.
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