After a break for the U.S. Open Cup and Concacaf Champions Cup midweek, MLS is back this weekend and we have 4 games kicking off before the main slate gets started Saturday night. These fixtures feature the best team in the league, the worst team in the league, exciting young talent, and a heated Florida Derby to cap it off.
Let’s get into the matchups.
Toronto FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Kickoff: 1:00pm ET/10:00am PT
BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
Watch on Apple TV
The early Supporters’ Shield leaders San Jose get Matchday 11 underway as they travel to Canada to visit Toronto FC. The Earthquakes are enjoying a dream start to the season, having only lost once and currently on an 8 game win streak. Marquee winter signing Timo Werner has caught fire, scoring 4 goals and providing 3 assists in his last 3 MLS matches. He will be missed after pulling a hamstring midweek against Minnesota. Homegrown attacking midfielder Niko Tsakiris was given the keys to the attack and has flourished, leading the league in key passes with 36. Striker Preston Judd has already tied his career-high MLS goals tally with 6. This team is firing on all cylinders and even though their last league game against St. Louis was their worst of the season, they still found a way to flip a 2-1 deficit to a 3-2 win.
Toronto on the other hand are still figuring things out. Their 2-1 home loss to Atlanta last weekend snapped a 7 game unbeaten run, but 4 of those 7 were draws. Big money signing Josh Sargent has struggled, only scoring twice in his first 7 Toronto appearances and underperforming his xG. Despite scoring a crazy last minute goal against Philadelphia Union to salvage a point for TFC, Luka Gavran has been the 2nd worst goalkeeper in MLS with a Goals Added of -4.15 (per American Soccer Analysis) and has only kept 1 clean sheet to start the season. They sit in a respectable 6th place in the Eastern Conference but have conceded the 2nd most goals of any team currently in a playoff spot.
Prediction: Toronto FC 1-4 San Jose Earthquakes
Sporting Kansas City vs. Seattle Sounders
Kickoff: 2:30pm ET/11:30am PT
Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
Watch on Apple TV or FOX
The first match of the day stars the best team in the league; this one stars the worst. 2026 has been an unmitigated disaster for Sporting Kansas City. They’re currently on a 5 game losing streak in league play and have been outscored 18-3 in those games, the worst goal differential in a 5 game stretch in SKC history. That doesn’t even include the humiliating 3-0 loss to USL Championship side Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the U.S Open Cup.
The only bright spot for SKC has been DP striker Dejan Joveljić, who has scored 4 and assisted 2 of the club’s 7 goals.
Contrast that to the Seattle Sounders and this makes for a potentially ugly scoreline. The Rave Green haven’t lost in MLS since February and can now fully focus on the league after being knocked out of the Concacaf Champions Cup by Liga MX side Tigres. Goalkeeper Andrew Thomas has taken a huge leap this season and is a big part of why Seattle boasts the best defensive record in MLS. Scoring goals has been a bit of an issue but they’ve found the back of the net 9 times in their last 3 matches and now get to face the 2nd worst defense in the league.
Prediction: Sporting Kansas City 0-3 Seattle Sounders
Real Salt Lake vs. Portland Timbers
Kickoff: 4:45pm ET/1:45pm PT
America First Field, Sandy, Utah
Watch on Apple TV or FOX
Real Salt Lake have been one of the most exciting teams to watch this season thanks to 19 year old Zavier Gozo. Despite playing as a wingback, the teenager has scored 2 goals and provided 4 assists, generating USMNT buzz and garnering lots of interest from big European clubs. He’s not the only young player making headlines for RSL. Rookie striker Sergi Solans has scored 5 goals, 18 year old winger Aiden Hezarkhani has earned a starting spot, and of course there’s Diego Luna. However, they’ve now lost 2 games in a row after a 6 game unbeaten run.
Portland Timbers are the polar opposite when it comes to playing homegrown talent. They’re dead last in MLS when it comes to minutes for U23 Americans, and those all came in 1 game when 18 year old midfielder Eric Izoita played the full 90 against Vancouver Whitecaps (he scored their only goal, by the way). Portland started the season with 1 win in their first 6 matches but have since turned the corner, winning 2 of their last 3. Their main problem is the lack of a true goal scorer and I think it will cost them this weekend.
Prediction: Real Salt Lake 2-1 Portland Timbers
Inter Miami vs. Orlando City
Kickoff: 7:15pm ET/4:15pm PT
Nu Stadium, Miami, Florida
Watch on Apple TV or FS1
It’s the first Florida Derby at Inter Miami’s Nu/new Stadium (get it?) and this matchup almost always delivers. These clubs have actually already met this season. Orlando City jumped out to a 2-0 lead at halftime but then capitulated after the break, conceding 4 goals and getting a man sent off in a frustrating loss. That was Inter Miami’s first win of the season and they haven’t lost since, finding themselves in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference thanks to 7 league goals from Lionel Messi. Their attack has been potent as always, scoring the 5th highest goals per match in the league.
Orlando City have not been so lucky, currently sitting 2nd bottom of the East. Their problems have come at the back, conceding a league-high 29 goals in MLS play this season. However, they may have found a silver lining with the emergence of 18 year old striker Justin Ellis. The homegrown product has scored 2 goals and provided 2 assists in his last 3 games for Orlando and just helped them progress to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday. Miami’s defense has been suspect as they’ve only kept 2 clean sheets this season, so look for Ellis to continue his hot streak and get on the scoresheet once again.
Prediction: Inter Miami 3-2 Orlando City
