🔮 A preview of the MLS Cup conference finals, now that there are four teams left

The phrase “business side” has never been more appropriate for where we are in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

With only four teams left, two from each conference, and a trip to the MLS Cup final on the line, this weekend is going to be a rollercoaster.

Let’s dive deeper into the key talking points from both conference finals.

Orlando City vs New York Red Bulls

With Inter Miami, Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati all dropping out in the opening round, the Eastern Conference Finals final between Orlando City and New York Red Bulls features two underdogs.

Although Orlando entered the postseason as one of the hottest teams in MLS, their solidity and balance from back to front was a joy to watch from the first ball kicked in the playoffs.

In the conference semi-final against Atlanta United last weekend, Óscar Pareja had the luxury of bringing Duncan McGuire, Luis Muriel and MLS great Nico Lodeiro off the bench in the second half. City have quietly become one of the deepest teams in the play-offs.

For the Red Bulls, on the other hand, an away win against your bitter crosstown rivals in the playoffs is the kind of momentum that leads to championships. However, they will depend on a few stars to win them the conference finals.

If Dante Vanzeir, Lewis Morgan and Emil Forsberg have a night, this Red Bulls team can beat anyone in MLS.

As has been clear to everyone so far during the playoffs, seeding means nothing. Things should be tight in Orlando.

LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders

The Sounders must be tired of seeing LAX; it seems like they play Los Angeles again and again every week. But they won’t get tired of taking out the big boys in the MLS Cup Playoffs, that’s for sure.

They will have to do that again as the Galaxy enter the weekend in torrid form after scoring 15 goals in their three play-off games so far.

The attacking fivesome of Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, Joseph Painstil, Marco Reus and Dejan Joveljić have proven to be the unstoppable force in the postseason, terrorizing opposition defenses since their playoff opener against Colorado. However, they may be heading for a collision with the immovable object.

The Sounders will look to counter that red-hot offense with their stingy defensive unit. After conceding the fewest goals of any MLS team in the regular season, they’ve carried that into the playoffs by conceding just two goals from open play so far.

While Pedro de la Vega has struggled to find his feet in a Sounders kit since making a big-money move from Argentina, the emergence of Georgi Minoungou from Seattle’s youth ranks has helped provide an attacking threat alongside Jordan Morris.

The equation is simple: If the Galaxy can continue to light up the scoresheet, they will blow Seattle out of the water. But if the Sounders can keep it going on the road, they’re always in for a stunning result in Carson.

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