MLS playoffs first round preview: Players to watch, TV and streaming info, betting odds

It took many years for Major League Soccer to get its playoff format right, but in recent years, it finally has. Seven teams from each conference, a bye for the first-place finisher, and four one-game rounds to crown a champion. And this year’s postseason could be especially good.

There’s a healthy mix of big names, young prospects, playoff veterans and newcomers. The top seeds, the Union in the East and Los Angeles FC in the West, have been their conferences’ best teams for months — but there’s plenty of serious competition in the field.

Here’s a preview of the games in the first round, TV and streaming info, and the betting odds.

» READ MORE: MLS Cup playoff predictions; our picks for the first round of games

Saturday, 12:08 p.m.

How to watch: UniMás, TUDN and TUDN.com in Spanish (Luis Omar Tapia, Raúl Guzmán, Marcelo Balboa and Xavi Sol), MLSSoccer.com in English (Phil Blacker and Matt Jackson)

Players to know: New York winger Lewis Morgan helped the Red Bulls earn a 13th straight playoff berth, centerback Aaron Long will likely be on the U.S. World Cup team, and goalkeeper Carlos Miguel Coronel used to play for the Union.

Cincinnati strikers Brandon Vázquez and Brenner each scored 18 goals this year, helping a team that was MLS’s worst for the last three seasons — Cincinnati’s entire history in MLS — make the playoffs for the first time. Their teammates include Union fan favorites Ray Gaddis and Sergio Santos, their manager is former Union assistant Pat Noonan, and their general manager is former Union front office No. 2 Chris Albright.

So it only makes sense that the winner of this game will play the Union at Subaru Park in the next round.

Odds: New York -110, Cincinnati +250, tie in regulation +240

» READ MORE: Who should make the U.S. men’s national team roster for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar? Our writers give their wish lists.

Sunday, 8:18 p.m.

How to watch: ESPN in English (Adrian Healey and Brian Dunseth), ESPN Deportes in Spanish (Kenneth Garay and Hernán Pereyra), ESPN.com/watch for both online

Players to know: Montreal’s Djordje Mihailovic is a great young American playmaker who was robbed of a shot at the World Cup team by a summer injury. The 23-year-old is headed to Dutch club AZ Alkmaar after the MLS season in a $6 million deal. Kei Kamara and Romell Quioto are veteran forwards with lots of MLS experience.

But the guy to really know is Ismaël Koné, a 20-year-old Canadian born in Côte d’Ivoire. He pulls the strings in midfield, and is a rising star who’s been courted by multiple English clubs this year.

Orlando has big-money forwards in Ercan Kara and Facundo Torres, but they scored just 11 and nine goals respectively this year. The Lions needed a late-game win over Columbus on the last day of the season to get the East’s last playoff spot.

Odds: Montréal -135, Orlando +310, tie in regulation +270

Monday, 7:20 p.m.

How to watch: FS1 in English (Keith Costigan and Warren Barton), Fox Deportes in Spanish (Rodolfo Landeros, Martin Zuñiga and Alvaro Izquierdo), FoxSports.com for both online

Players to know: Maxi Moralez, Talles Magno and Héber lead reigning champion NYCFC against Inter Miami’s red-hot Gonzalo Higuaín. Yes, the Argentine star is finally playing well after two years of disappointment. He’s got 16 goals this year, including seven in Miami’s last six games.

But the decisive players could come from under the radar: New York’s stalwart centerback Alexander Callens and Miami’s impressive young striker Leo Camapana.

The game will be played at Citi Field because Yankee Stadium isn’t available, and NYCFC didn’t want to play at Red Bull Arena. Will the Pigeons fly into the Mets’ karma, or show why the champs have a chance to repeat?

Odds: New York -180, Miami +400, tie in regulation +300

» READ MORE: The Union celebrate breaking Major League Soccer’s decade-old record for the stingiest defense

Saturday, 3:08 p.m.

How to watch: Univision 65, TUDN and TUDN.com in Spanish (Jose Hernandez, Ramses Sandoval, Diego Balado, Marcelo Balboa and Michele Giannone), MLSSoccer.com in English (Jonathan Beck and Adam Virgo)

Players to know: L.A.’s Mexican superstar Javier “Chicharito” Hernández put the team on his back down the stretch, scoring 11 goals in the Galaxy’s last 12 games. He’s backstopped by playmaker Riqui Puig, a product of Spanish giant Barcelona’s legendary academy.

Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar won this year’s Golden Boot with 23 goals, a whopping 44% of his team’s total tallies. He also dished out seven assists, and had three goals and one assist in U.S. Open Cup games.

This game could have plenty of fireworks. Fans will hope so, Univision will obviously hope so, and No. 1 seed LAFC won’t mind either. But the Supporters’ Shield winners will really want a Nashville win, so they avoid an El Tráfico rivalry clash next Thursday.

Odds: Los Angeles -125, Nashville +290, tie in regulation +260

Sunday, 3:18 p.m.

How to watch: 6abc in English (Jon Champion, Taylor Twellman and Jillian Sakovits), ESPN Deportes in Spanish (Richard Méndez and Herculez Gomez), ESPN.com/watch for both online

Players to know: Sebastián Driussi is Austin’s talisman, leading the second-year club to its first playoff berth with 22 goals and five assists. RSL had no double-digit scorers this year: Sergio Córdova had nine goals, and Jefferson Savarino had seven. Beyond Driussi, the spectacle will come from Austin’s vibrant fan base getting its first taste of the postseason.

Odds: Austin -120, Salt Lake +260, tie in regulation +270

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Monday, 9:38 p.m.

How to watch: FS1 in English (John Strong and Stuart Holden), Fox Deportes in Spanish (Rodolfo Landeros, Martin Zuñiga and Alvaro Izquierdo), FoxSports.com for both online

Players to know: If you follow the U.S. national team, you know Jesús Ferreira is Gregg Berhalter’s favorite striker. Though Ferreira hasn’t always delivered the goods for his country this year, he certainly has for his club, with 18 goals and six assists. Dallas winger Paul Arriola will also be in the spotlight as he fights for one of the last World Cup roster spots.

Minnesota has a good midfield playmaker in Emanuel Reynoso, who tallied 10 goals and six assists this year. The bench includes Jonathan González, a Mexican-American midfielder who a few years ago was the subject of a high-profile recruiting battle between the nations. Mexico won his allegiance, but he has only played three times for El Tri — and not at all since October 2019.

Odds: Dallas -105, Minnesota +230, tie in regulation +250

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