MLS, USL Championship, Canadian Championship & USL Jägermeister Cup previews, May 29

The introduction of the pointless Leagues Cup into the MLS schedule has meant more midweek games this season and last, and there's an almost full programme of matches tonight, beginning with five 0.30am (all times BST) kick-offs. To say CF Montréal are in poor form is an understatement, with no wins in nine games including a two-legged Canadian Championship defeat to Canadian Premier League outfit Forge FC and just one win at Stade Saputo all season. They go into tonight's game with DC United with a Schroedinger's Cat level of pressure on them as they simultaneously desperately need a win but are not expected to get one against a United side who have travelled well this season and who have Christian Benteke in good goalscoring form. FC Cincinnati welcome Nashville SC to TQL Stadium on the back of a seven-win streak and you'd not bet against them extending that run, especially as the Coyotes are steadying their ship in the wake of Gary Smith's firing three weeks ago. Inter Miami were heavily booed by a Vancouver crowd that paid to see their Galacticos and got none of them at the weekend but it's expected that Sergio Busquets, Lionel Messi, and Luis Suarez will return to the line-up against Atlanta United, despite their stand-ins producing an away win in Canada. United are not playing well despite a wealth of talent, and Gonzalo Pineda is being talked about as the next possible managerial casualty; he'll no doubt hope that the Herons' fleet of limousines gets lost on its way to the stadium...

Although they are a horrible franchise outfit, it's been fun to see the revival at New York Red Bulls this season, especially as it's been driven by some likeable characters in Emil Forsberg, Lewis Morgan, and John Tolkin, rather than the racist Belgian. They host Charlotte FC at Red Bull Arena on Wednesday and will hope to finally be the team that ends Kristijan Kahlina's run of 450 minutes without conceding a goal. Philadelphia Union were unable to find a way past Kahlina at the weekend, leaving North Carolina with a 0-0 draw, and will be looking to get back to goalscoring ways when Toronto FC come to town, in full knowledge that the Reds conceded four against FC Cincinnati at the weekend. Unfortunately for the Union, Toronto also scored three and so it should be something of a goalfest at Subaru Park if the soccer gods are smiling. The first of four 1.30am kick-offs sees Austin FC entertain the unpredictable Portland Timbers at Q2 Stadium, fresh off the news that they're about to sign Ghanaian winger Osman Bukari from Red Star Belgrade to replace Emiliano Rigoni. Austin's form seems to be connected to how talisman Sebastian Driussi performs, with Timbers experiencing much the same thing with Evander; Wednesday's result will depend on these mercurial talents.

How Frank Klopas hasn't been fired by Chicago Fire already is anyone's guess, but there can't be too many who are excited about the visit of Orlando City on Wednesday in either the stands or the locker room. There again, the Lions are having a seasons of ups and downs themselves, with more downs than ups, and if there was ever a team to break a run of eight matches without a win, it's this one. Hector Herrera's return to the Houston Dynamo midfield has made them a more creative team, but they're still not firing on all cylinders and will eye Colorado Rapids with some wariness when the teams clash at Shell Energy Stadium tonight. Rapids are performing way beyond meagre expectations this season but are not unbeatable, especially if you can cause some chaos at the back, where goalkeeper Zack Steffen is too often called upon as a last resort. The disappointment felt by Vancouver Whitecaps fans at the weekend will have been enhanced by the result of the game, the Caps meekly surrendering to an Inter Miami side shorn of its stars. They travel to Sporting Kansas City tonight to face a home side that hasn't won a league match since March 30th and who look short on confidence when they're not playing lower division opposition.

Wednesday's final three games come from the West Coast, where Los Angeles Galaxy will look to follow up Saturday's win over Houston Dynamo - their first in five games - with a quick double over Texan opposition as they host FC Dallas in a 3.30am kick-off. The Toros surrendered a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with FC Cincinnati at the weekend, a result that sums up a season which has been marked by great performances from both goalkeeper Maarten Paes and striker Petar Musa. After completing that comeback, Real Salt Lake travel to Seattle Sounders tonight, hoping to find the version of the Sounders that is simple to break down, rather than the version that scores on the break. Another 3.30am kick-off, it looks like a game that should have goals in it, which is why it's strange that tonight's TV game (and consequently free on AppleTV rather than through MLS Season Pass) is Los Angeles FC versus Minnesota United. Still, this clash - a 3.45 am kick-off for TV reasons - should still provide plenty of incident, with both teams able to turn on the goals when they feel like it, with the Black and Gold scoring twelve in their last five games (with just two conceded), and the Loons having Jeong Sang-bin and Tani Oluwaseyi in good goalscoring form.

There are two games in the USL Championship tonight, both featuring sides who could very well be in the reckoning for the title come the end of the season. First up, at half-past-midnight, is Louisville City versus Detroit City, a game that a month ago would have had mouths watering, but for which the visitors' recent stumbles has dimmed the spotlight somewhat. Still, Louisville are a formidable outfit and it will be a watershed moment for Danny Dichio's Michiganders. The second game comes from Seaside, California, where Frank Yallop's Monterey Bay FC host a Charleston Battery that saw their unbeaten start to the season come crashing down at home to El Paso Locomotive at the weekend. Still, Battery will take that blow in their stride and look to get back on the horse, with Union's recent record of six games without a win providing ample room for a comeback win.

The final game in the Canadian Championship quarterfinals also takes place night, with Atletico Ottawa looking to repeat their league victory at Pacific FC two weeks ago when they travel to Vancouver Island after a goalless first leg in Ontario. Atletico sit top of the Canadian Premier League having followed up that win over Pacific by beating Forge FC at the weekend, but the Tridents have the possibility of a local derby with Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS dangling in front of them and will use that as extra motivation, not that they should need it against their CPL rivals. The draw for the semi-finals takes place immediately after the game, with Toronto FC, Forge FC, and Whitecaps already in the hat.

Wednesday also sees the last game in round three of the inaugural USL Jägermeister Cup as Jermaine Jones's Central Valley Fuego travel to Nebraska to face one of the USL League One's stronger sides this year in Union Omaha. The two sides could not be enjoying more different season, as Fuego have won just two games all season (with one of those coming against amateur opponents in the US Open Cup), while the Owls haven't lost a game in ninety minutes since July 2023. Still, the Jägermeister Cup often allows coaches to experiment and it's surely only a matter of time before Jones finds a winning formula in Fresno.