A huge weekend awaits across MLS, as 13 games are poised for Sunday and Decision Day presented by AT&T. As teams make their final preparations, here are some news items and updates from across the league.
ATL's Glass: We know what we're up against
Atlanta United need a win and some help to get into the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs and it won't be easy as they head to Columbus to take on the Crew (3:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info).
"The only thing we can control this weekend is that we go and do everything we can to win the game and see where that gets us," said interim coach Stephen Glass on Friday.
The Crew are also playing for something, a home playoff game, and Glass says he knows what to expect from them.
"They're fairly consistent in the way they play in the same way that Orlando have consistently played a similar pattern every single game that we've faced them [in]. We believe that we'll know what we're up against. We know who their best players are and we know that they're coming in hurting from a game midweek against Orlando where they'll feel they should have won."
No Pulido, Kinda for Sporting
Sporting Kansas City are hoping to clinch the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed on Decision Day, but they’ll need to find a way without several key players.
Speaking with reporters before their match Sunday at Real Salt Lake (6:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info), Peter Vermes rattled off the list of injured players who will miss out. It includes striker Alan Pulido and midfielder Gadi Kinda, most notably, while Graham Zusi and Felipe Gutierrez have been dealing with long-term injuries. Pulido reportedly suffered a sprained knee and was described as "week-to-week."
Sporting have been without Pulido before, as the club-record signing has appeared in 12 of their 20 games this year, missing time through injury and international duty with Mexico. Even still, Pulido has six goals and five assists upon arriving from Chivas de Guadalajara, raising SKC’s level each time he’s on the pitch.
Kinda has been more constant, appearing in 18 matches (16 starts) and registering six goals and four assists. The midfielder is in MLS on a one-year loan, with an option to buy, from Beitar Jerusalem.
Arriola to return
D.C. United need a win and some help to get into the Eastern Conference playoffs, and they could receive a lift from Paul Arriola this Sunday against the Montreal Impact (3:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info).
Arriola has missed the entire year with a torn ACL, but the Designated Player has since returned and interim head coach Chad Ashton expects the midfielder/winger to feature in some capacity.
"He has looked excellent in training,” Ashton said. “We'll see how the game goes, but we fully expect him to play a role in the game and go out there and be a major factor in terms of the result of the game."
D.C. are currently 13th in the East, so they’ll need to leapfrog at least three teams and hope other results break their way. Arriola, who had a combined 13 goals and 10 assists across his two prior seasons, is expected to inject quality.
“Paul, he did a very good job to come back and he’s an important player for us, so we are all happy for him first, but also for the team and for the club,” center back Frederic Brillant said. “We know that when Paul will come in he will give something for the team and with his quality everything is possible. It’s a good thing for us, for him and for the club.”
Gil, Bou back in full training
Good news for New England Revolution fans: Carles Gil and Gustavo Bou are both in full training ahead of their Decision Day match Sunday against the Philadelphia Union (3:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info), according to head coach/sporting director Bruce Arena.
Gil, who returned from a long-term injury ahead of schedule, started and went 70 minutes in their 4-3 win last weekend over D.C. United after making substitute appearances in their previous two matches. Bou, meanwhile, appeared in one of six games before making his return and registering five shots in 45 minutes in the D.C. United victory.
Bou and Gil could team up with their third Designated Player, forward Adam Buksa, who is starting to perform at higher levels. The Polish No. 9 has three goals in their last five games.
But the Revs also have some caution, as Arena labeled outside back DeJuan Jones as “day-to-day.” Jones was subbed out in the 20th minute and replaced by right back Brandon Bye, the same player he won a starting spot from.
Altidore, Osorio could be available
After a hamstring injury has kept Toronto FC's Jozy Altidore off the pitch for the past month, the striker may make his return this weekend in time for their match against the New York Red Bulls on Sunday (3:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info).
“We’re getting healthier, so long as we get through tomorrow and then the guy’s pass everything they need to pass and have no other issues. Jozy’s getting back into the mix, hopefully he might be available for the weekend,” said head coach Greg Vanney.
Even better? Vanney says that Jonathan Osorio could be available as well. He mentioned that others—Justin Morrow, Marky Delgado, and Pablo Piatti—continue to make progress as TFC works towards their goal on Sunday: taking the Supporters' Shield.
"Our approach is to try to get a result on the weekend and hope that the other result goes in our favor and raise another trophy. But the only thing that we can control is ourselves and our performance and hopefully by the end of 90 minutes our performance is good enough to get the win," Vanney said.
Fire know it's win or go home
The Chicago Fire control their own fate on Sunday. A win against NYCFC guarantees them a spot in the playoffs. (A tie or a loss doesn't automatically disqualify them, but would require other clubs to get certain results.)
"It's a must-win to qualify for playoffs. I think everyone is conscious of the fact that we need a good performance," Fire defender Jonathan Bornstein said on Friday.
Chicago host NYCFC (3:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info) at Soldier Field, where the Fire have a six-game unbeaten streak going.
The last time the two sides met on Aug. 29, NYCFC won 3-1.
"We know it's win or go home. So I think this game is gonna be a lot different than the previous encounter against New York City," said Bornstein.
FC Dallas hungry for home-field advantage, Jara and Picault may return
Sitting in 4th place in the Western Conference with 34 points going into Decision Day presented by AT&T, FC Dallas currently have home field advantage for the playoffs. But Minnesota United, who are in 5th place with 31 points, have the opportunity to throw a wrench in those plans when the two clubs go head-to-head at Allianz Field (6:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info).
"We've got to earn that, and it's going to be hard, and Minnesota can also earn that at home. We didn't get to play them here... now we play them in Minnesota, which is not an easy place to get results, so we know that the task is hard. But we're certainly motivated and determined to see this to the end, in terms of the regular season. And we're really hungry to earn another game in front of our fans," Gonzalez said on a Zoom call with media on Friday.
As far as whether or not Franco Jara and Fafa Picault will return this weekend, it's still up in the air.
"It won't be official until match day, but they're both progressing and I'm hopeful they can be available. We'll make some final decisions after tomorrow's training," Gonzalez said.
