Messi’s Miami opens playoffs as MLS Cup favorites, although historical past is not on their aspect

The 2024 MLS Cup playoffs kick off on Tuesday following a marathon common season, with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami the clear favorites to win the title.

Messi and Miami will meet the winner of Tuesday’s single elimination Jap Convention wildcard between CF Montreal and Atlanta United. The Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers will contest the West’s play-in on Wednesday, with the very best of three sport Spherical 1 collection starting with the Oct. 25 opener between the Herons and Atlanta/Montreal. All matches can be found on Apple TV.

Messi simply led Miami to the best common season in MLS’s 29-year historical past; the GOAT scored an 11-minute hat trick in Saturday’s campaign-ending comeback win over the New England Revolution, a victory that gave the Herons a league file 74 factors.

The Supporters Defend triumph implies that Miami will take pleasure in residence area benefit all through the postseason. It additionally certified Tata Martino’s squad for the 2025 Membership World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino introduced on the Chase Stadium area following Saturday’s victory. Infantino additionally revealed that the Herons will host the opening match of the match at 65,000-capacity Laborious Rock Stadium.

FIFA’s resolution wasn’t with out controversy, although, for good purpose: MLS Cup is the league’s most prestigious award, one which has for nearly three a long time now decided the champion of the U.S. and Canada’s prime league. The Supporters Defend would not.

But whereas the industrial enchantment of getting Miami take part in its expanded Membership World Cup is clear, it’s not as if Marino’s crew — one rounded out by Messi’s former Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez — isn’t a greater than worthy consultant for MLS.

Miami could make FIFA’s resolution moot by successful MLS Cup, in fact. Simpler stated than carried out.

Ending first over the eight-month, 34 sport common season has hardly ever been a predictor of what occurs within the fall. Solely eight Supporters Defend holders have gone on to assert the double since MLS’s inception in 1996. Simply 5 have carried out it this century.

Given the best way that Messi and associates have dominated all MLS comers in 2024, it will shock no one if Miami turned the sixth double winner on Dec. 7. They’ll face stiff competitors even to achieve the championship match, although, with the defending champion Columbus Crew a possible foe within the one-game East last.

Out West, the 2 Los Angeles powerhouses took the highest seeds. The LA Galaxy squandered their shot on the prime spot by shedding their common season finale Saturday on a last-gasp objective in Houston. Meantime, 2022 champs LAFC eked previous their crosstown rivals by beating the hapless San Jose Earthquakes.

Listed below are the Spherical 1 matchups.

Jap Convention

Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United or CF Montreal

There might be storylines aplenty regardless of which crew emerges to face the No. 1 seed. Martino led Atlanta to the 2018 MLS Cup title. His star performer with the 5 Stripes? Former Miami striker Josef Martinez, who left for Montreal final winter and helped the Bleu-Blanc-Noir punch their postseason ticket with a Determination Day win over New York Metropolis. 

Orlando Metropolis vs. Charlotte FC

Orlando dropped its final match to Atlanta however had been in wonderful kind beforehand, going 6-1 of their earlier seven video games. A kind of was a decisive 2-0 win over Charlotte on Sept. 18. The Lions and the Crown tied in North Carolina in June of their solely different assembly in 2024. The collection begins on Sunday in Central Florida (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV).

FC Cincinnati vs. NYCFC

Final yr’s Supporters Defend winners managed simply three wins over their final dozen video games to complete fifth total. However regardless of the lack of key defenders Nick Hagglund and Matt Miazga to season-ending accidents, FCC nonetheless boasts an elite roster led by 2023 MLS MVP Lucho Acosta. And whereas the Pigeons took the newest encounter earlier this month, Cincy beat NYCFC twice at residence to take the season collection. Their playoff slate opens at TQL Stadium on Oct. 28 (6:45 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV).

Columbus Crew vs. New York Pink Bulls

After successful all of it final December, Wilfried Nancy’s aspect is poised for an additional deep run this fall. The Crew already hosted one piece of silverware in 2024 — the Leagues Cup — and misplaced within the Concacaf Champions Cup last.

They shouldn’t have an excessive amount of hassle outlasting the Pink Bulls, which have made the playoffs for 15 straight seasons with out one MLS Cup look to point out for it. The Ohio capital hosts the opener on Oct. 29 (6:45 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV).

Western Convention

LAFC vs. Portland Timbers or Vancouver Whitecaps

Final yr’s runner up LAFC opens its playoff slate on Sunday (9:45 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV) with excessive hopes of returning to the ultimate for the third yr working. Throughout the common season, LAFC was unbeaten in 4 video games versus the Timbers and Caps, beating the latter each at residence and north of the border.

Seattle Sounders vs. Houston Dynamo

The Sounders are all the time a tricky out this time of yr. And with a file of 18W-6L-8T in opposition to the Dynamo, they’ve owned the all-time collection. Final month, Seattle beat Houston at Lumen Area, which hosts the rematch subsequent Monday (9 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV). The 2 groups performed to a 2-2 tie in Texas in June.

Actual Salt Lake vs. Minnesota United

Successful MLS Cup is commonly about getting sizzling when it counts. Minnesota enters the playoffs   scorching, the Loons having received six of their last eight video games.

Alternatively, RSL has been constant all yr, ending sixth total. Choosing a winner isn’t simple; the groups drew each instances they met in 2024.  The ultimate Spherical 1 opener kicks off on Oct. 29 (9:00 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes/Apple TV).

LA Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids

The Galaxy should be kicking themselves after final weekend’s loss; the Rapids, below first yr coach Chris Armas, are one of many league’s most improved squads this time period. However Colorado was dealt a merciless damage blow on Determination Day, as star playmaker Djordje Mihailović was stretchered off the sector with a sprained ankle. Whether or not Mihailović is ready to return later within the collection is unclear.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports activities. A former employees author with ESPN and Yahoo Sports activities, he has lined U.S. males’s and ladies’s nationwide groups at FIFA World Cups on 5 continents. Comply with him @ByDougMcIntyre.

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