Thanksgiving is finished, the leftover turkey refrigerated, those dirty dishes all (hopefully) cleaned and dried and stacked away. Now it’s time to get on with the MLS Cup playoff semifinals.
Last weekend’s quarters were epic.
In the Eastern Conference, Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami made short work of FC Cincinnati, dispatching the higher seed with ease. U.S. men’s national team starter Matt Freese backstopped New York City FC to an upset of the Philadelphia Union, which won the Supporters Shield as the league’s regular season champion.
Out West, the Vancouver Whitecaps somehow survived the momentum shift wrought by Son’s dramatic last gasp free kick, beating LAFC on penalties in front of 54,000 fans north of the border. And San Diego FC’s dream expansion campaign continued on Monday, when they eliminated Minnesota United on a late goal by Danish star and MLS MVP finalist Anders Dreyer.
That sets up Saturday’s final four. Here’s how the semis shape up, and who we see advancing to the MLS Cup final on Dec. 6 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX/FOX One/FOX Deportes and AppleTV).
Inter Miami vs. New York City FC
(Photo by Joe Robbins/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
When: Saturday Nov. 29, 6 p.m. ET (AppleTV)
Where: Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Messi looks likes he’s on a mission this fall, both to claim his first MLS title since arriving in mid 2023 — thereby proving his move from Europe to South Florida a success — and to send retiring teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets off into the sunset as winners.
That’s bad news for the Pigeons. If there’s a silver lining for the visitors, it’s that they’re playing with house money in this match. The pressure is all on the Herons, who fell short in last year’s first round and in Concacaf play in both 2024 and 2025. Miami also lost the Leagues Cup final in Seattle in August.
MLS Cup is the trophy they covet the most, however. Miami is now just two victories away from redemption. They’ll also host the final if they get there – adding to the incentive this weekend. And while NYCFC won’t be an easy out, it’s hard to bet against Messi & Co. in this one.
Prediction: Miami 3, NYCFC 1
San Diego FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
(Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
When: Saturday Nov. 29, 9 p.m. ET (AppleTV)
Where: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, California
We’ve been waiting all season for the clock to strike midnight on San Diego’s Cinderella run. Hasn’t happened. The squad assembled by GM/sporting director Tyler Heaps and coached by former USMNT interim boss Mikey Varas is the real deal. That they’ve proven to be even with Mexican national team forward Hirving “Chucky” Lozano playing a supporting role during the postseason is even more impressive.
This match still has upset written all over it. Like Miami, Vancouver also feels like a team of destiny. They reached the Concacaf final last spring — besting Messi’s Herons over two games — and have only improved since adding German World Cup winner and Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller in the summer.
The Caps also won’t be fazed by playing away from home, even with MLS defender of the year award winner Triston Blackmon suspended for the contest after getting sent off late in the match versus LAFC, and even though San Diego narrowly took the season series with a June win at BC Place.
It’s worth mentioning that heart-and-soul midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and striker Brian White were on Gold Cup duty with the USMNT then. When both were back in coach Jesper Sørensen’s lineup for the rematch in Southern California the following month, it ended 1-1.
Prediction: Vancouver 2, San Diego 1
Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.
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