Two sides with their sights set on the playoffs will square off when Atlanta United host CF Montreal on Saturday.

Atlanta (12-8-10, 46 points) is sixth in the Eastern Conference table, two points out of third place and can clinch a playoff spot with a win.

“They know the importance of (Saturday’s) match,” coach Gonzalo Pineda said. “You can feel like that might be coming soon, clinching playoffs. I hope we can do it this weekend. But after that, of course, we want to really pursue the main goal for the regular season, being top four, we need those three points.”

Atlanta is unbeaten in its past three matches, with a win between a pair of draws. The club is 9-3-3 on their home pitch this season but has alternated wins with either a draw or a loss over its past 10 home matches dating back to mid-May, going 5-3-2 in that stretch.

“We were frustrated with dropping points against Dallas (2-2 draw) when we were winning that game and controlling that game, and the same thing against D.C. (United, 1-1 draw),” midfielder Matheus Rossetto said. “But all the players believe in what we’re doing. We’re just focused on this next game and the mentality is good.”

Midfielder Saba Lobjanidze, who made his MLS debut on Aug. 26, has contributed to five goals in his five league matches, scoring three times and adding two assists. He’s been directly involved with each of Atlanta’s last three goals (one goal, two assists).

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan did not train Friday as he was feeling under the weather, but the team is optimistic he’ll be available to play.

Montreal (11-14-4, 37 points) remains in eighth place in the Eastern Conference after settling for draws in each of its past two matches. The club is one point up on D.C. United, who hold the last playoff spot, and three ahead of New York City FC, who are just below the line.

The Canadian side came close to securing the three points against league-leading FC Cincinnati, maintaining a 1-0 lead from early in the second half into the final minute of stoppage time before Cincinnati leveled it on a penalty kick.

“We have to look at the positive, the fact that we were very competitive against the best team in the league,” coach Hernan Losada said. “We could have won right up until the last minute, but now we have to concentrate on the rest of the season.

Kwadwo Opoku has been a solid addition since Montreal acquired him from Los Angeles FC in July. The 22-year-old forward has scored two of his three goals in the past three matches, bringing him within one of the team lead despite playing just 614 minutes.

–Field Level Media

Two teams in much different spots will cross paths Saturday night when Eastern Conference-leading FC Cincinnati welcome visiting Charlotte FC.

FC Cincinnati (17-4-8, 59 points) lead Orlando City by nine points in the standings, while Charlotte (7-9-12, 33 points) is on the outside looking in regarding the playoff picture. Charlotte sits in 12th place, with D.C. United three points ahead in the ninth and final playoff spot. New York City FC and the Chicago Fire also stand between those teams, meaning Charlotte FC’s final six fixtures all hold weight.

Charlotte FC are unbeaten over its five MLS matches since returning from Leagues Cup play, but their last four results have been draws born out of late hiccups.

“We need to overcome this mental block in the final five minutes when we are ahead in games,” captain Ashley Westwood said.

Forward Karol Swiderski paces Charlotte FC with eight goals, while Kerwin Vargas, Justin Meram and Jaylin Lindsey have all dished out five assists.

Dating back to June of last year, FC Cincinnati haven’t made it at all easy on visitors.

Over their last 25 home matches, the club has only been defeated twice. In that same time, it has earned 16 wins and seven draws.

Midfielder Luciano Acosta, whose name is in the mix for MLS MVP, has totaled 14 goals and 11 assists in 27 matches for FC Cincinnati. Acosta was inked to an extension through 2026 on Friday. He’s the team’s all-time leader in goals and assists in MLS competition.

“Lucho is a tremendously important player for our team and our club,” FC Cincinnati general manager Chris Albright said. “He’s clearly one of the best players in our league, capable of producing the spectacular moments that win you games.”

These squads battled to a 2-2 draw on July 8 in Charlotte.

–Field Level Media

The Philadelphia Union will try to solve the puzzle that is Los Angeles FC on Saturday when the teams meet in a 2022 MLS Cup rematch at Chester, Pa.

The Union (14-8-6, 48 points) dropped a thriller to host LAFC on penalty kicks in last year’s title match after the score was tied 3-3 in regulation time.

The sides met for the first time this year on April 26 in CONCACAF Champions League play, with the host Union giving up a goal in second-half stoppage time for a 1-1 draw. Six days later at Los Angeles, LAFC earned a convincing 3-0 victory in MLS play.

LAFC have never lost in the all-time series, winning five times with two ties in MLS play. The two meetings hosted by the Union have ended in ties.

Since Leagues Cup play was completed, Philadelphia has earned points in four of five matches (2-1-2) and sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with six contests remaining. They already have qualified for the playoffs with Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at Charlotte FC.

Daniel Gazdag, who leads the Union with 13 goals, tied it from the penalty spot in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time.

“With six games left to be already in the playoffs now is a good thing,” Union head coach Jim Curtin said. “But this group obviously wants more. We want to finish top-four and push as we can to get as many home games as possible.”

LAFC (12-9-8, 44 points) have looked less dominating than in previous seasons but appear to be finding their playoff form. They earned a 4-2 win against the rival Los Angeles Galaxy last Saturday and had a standout defensive performance in a scoreless draw at first-place St. Louis FC on Wednesday.

Before those results, the defending champions were on a three-match losing streak.

Denis Bouanga scored a pair of goals in the victory over the Galaxy and leads LAFC with 14 goals this season.

The Union are 9-1-3 at home this season, while LAFC are 0-4-2 in their last six road games.

“Both teams know each other very well and there shouldn’t be any surprises,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said of Saturday’s match. “It will be a hard game; it always is against them. … We will field a team that is energetic and hungry to win on the road.”

–Field Level Media

Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino confirmed Friday that star forward Lionel Messi will miss Sunday’s match at Orlando City as he deals with a scar tissue issue from an injury with the Argentina national team.

Messi, 36, and defender Jordi Alba did not practice Friday after they both exited in the first half of Wednesday’s 4-0 win over visiting Toronto FC due to what Martino called muscle fatigue.

“It’s bothersome,” Martino said Friday about Messi’s scar issue. “I don’t know if it hurts. I can’t really explain as it’s more a medical topic.

“It’s probable it bothers him to the point, including mentally, that he isn’t able to play freely.”

Martino was not sure of the two players’ availability for Inter Miami’s match against the Houston Dynamo in the U.S. Open Cup final on Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The club already captured the Leagues Cup since Messi and others joined the roster.

Miami is 8-0-4 in all competitions with Messi in the lineup, including 3-0-1 in MLS regular-season matches and now sports a 9-15-4 mark with 31 points. He has 11 goals and eight assists in all competitions (regular-season play, U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup).

Both Messi and Alba sat out Miami’s MLS contest on Sept. 16 at Atlanta United and won’t play Sunday. Midfielder Sergio Busquets also missed practice Friday, while midfielder Jean Mota returned to training after being sidelined since April with an LCL injury.

Another midfielder, Diego Gomez, has been unavailable because of a muscular injury.

–Field Level Media

FC Cincinnati signed captain Luciano Acosta to an extension through the 2026 MLS season.

The deal announced Friday for the 29-year-old forward includes an option for 2027. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Acosta is enjoying an MVP-caliber campaign with 14 goals and 11 assists through 27 matches (25 starts) for the Eastern Conference leaders.

FC Cincinnati (17-4-8, 59 points) enter the weekend with a nine-point lead in the Supporters’ Shield race.

“Lucho is a tremendously important player for our team and our club,” FC Cincinnati general manager Chris Albright said in a release.

“He’s clearly one of the best players in our league, capable of producing the spectacular moments that win you games. His winning mentality, along with his continued growth as a leader and a captain, have allowed Lucho to become the best version of himself. It’s apparent how connected he feels to our city and community, and we’re proud to have Lucho representing FC Cincinnati.”

Acosta has recorded 31 goals and 40 assists in 88 MLS matches (83 starts) since joining FCC in 2021 following four seasons with D.C. United. He was an MLS All-Star in 2022 and 2023 and made the MLS Best XI in 2018 and 2022.

“This club is very special, it’s my family,” Acosta said. “Every time I go out on the field, I give my life for this city, for these fans, for these colors, for this club. That is what makes it so special for me, because they are my family.

“I hope to win many things with this team, with this city, and give back the joy that the fans give us all the time, every weekend, every day and return that love with a title.”

Acosta is Cincinnati’s all-time leader in goals and assists in MLS competition.

–Field Level Media

New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir will miss the rest of the regular season after sustaining a lumbar spine injury on Wednesday against Austin FC, the club announced Friday.

Vanzeir, 25, started eight of his 19 games for the Red Bulls this season and collected two goals and one assist.

The native of Belgium played in 24 games across all competitions and scored five goals, including two in the team’s 2-1 win over Atletico de San Luis on July 30 in the 2023 Leagues Cup.

The Red Bulls (7-12-10, 31 points) played to a 1-1 draw against Austin FC. New York visits D.C. United on Saturday.

–Field Level Media