The scramble is on for playoff berths in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.
Seven teams are in a logjam between seventh and 13th place, separated by just six points as they battle for the bottom three postseason slots in the East.
Two of the clubs meet on Saturday when Orlando City take on visiting D.C. United.
With a win, seventh-place Orlando (11-13-5, 38 points) can take a giant step toward qualifying. Meanwhile, there is more urgency for D.C. (7-9-12, 33 points), which sits three points shy of the playoff cut line.
D.C. United got a much-needed win on Wednesday, topping the New York Red Bulls, 2-1. It was just the second win for D.C. in its last 11 matches and ended its five-game home winless streak against New York.
Tai Baribo scored his 15th goal and notched his first assist of the season, but the night belonged to 16-year-old midfielder Oscar Avilez, who had a remarkable performance in his MLS debut.
“Expectations weren’t so high, but he did really well,” D.C. coach Rene Weiler said. “He was involved in both goals. He defended well. For me, great first performance.”
With six matches left, all against teams in the playoff scramble, D.C. United will have a lot to say about which teams reach the postseason.
Saturday presents a challenge as Orlando City enter on a four-game home winning streak behind Martin Ojeda (14 goals, three assists) and Antoine Griezmann (10 goals, six assists).
In the last eight matches in which Griezmann has played, the Lions have gone 5-1-2 with the 35-year-old Frenchman scoring nine goals.
On Saturday, the Lions will be without Tyrese Spicer (six goals, two assists), who has undergone foot surgery, and could be without Justin Ellis (team-high 10 assists), who was sidelined by an illness on Wednesday as Orlando played to a 3-3 draw at Toronto FC.
Orlando, which has surrendered more goals (69) than any team in the East, will get a boost on defense from the expected return of Marco Pasalic, who missed the Toronto match because of yellow-card accumulation.
“I think at the end of the day, we concede goals that cost us too much and force mistakes,” interim coach Martin Perelman said. “Maybe we need to improve there.”
D.C. and FC Cincinnati have played one fewer game than the rest of the teams in the Eastern Conference, but they have a rescheduled match against one another on Oct. 21 to get back on track.
-Field Level Media
–Field Level Media
