TEST: NAPvsJUV ( Does a playoff berth await your team? Here's who must step up )

Orlando City are pretty darn close to being playoff locks at this point. But a strong final three games from Facundo Torres would go a long way towards sealing the deal, wouldn’t it? 

Per Second Spectrum, the Uruguayan winger is in just the 52nd percentile for open-play expected goals per 90 minutes among midfielders and forwards with at least 1,000 minutes. Torres finding more dangerous scoring positions and shooting for double-digit goals this year would be huge for Orlando.

Defending is going to be key for Pat Noonan’s team as they close out 2022. According to Second Spectrum, Cincinnati allow the ninth-most goals in the league on a per-90-minute basis heading into the middle of August. 

Things have improved significantly since Matt Miazga joined the team from Chelsea at the close of the Secondary Transfer Window. Since Miazga’s debut, Cincy are allowing the third-fewest goals per 90. More of that, please.

Inter Miami are going to battle with some extremely dangerous attacks, including Toronto FC and CF Montréal, over the next two weeks. That means goalkeeper Drake Callender is going to be thrust into some difficult moments. Callender has allowed two more goals than expected this year, per FBref, so he may need to tighten his shot-stopping ahead of this weekend.

Don’t look now, but Cucho Hernandez has cooled off over the last month, only scoring one goal since August 21. That follows the Crew’s club-record signing and Colombian international scoring eight goals in his first eight appearances for the club.

Columbus are 14th in non-penalty goals per 90 and all the way down in 23rd in non-penalty xG per 90 this year, according to Second Spectrum. If Cucho gets hot and helps them boost those numbers, Columbus can hop above the playoff line.