5 things we learned in MLS Week 30
There remain just six playoff spots to compete over as the 2016 MLS season inches ever closer to its end, and with the Colorado Rapids and LA Galaxy clinching their berths this weekend, the battle for those last few spots is tighter than ever.
Here's what we learned in Week 30:
Giovinco-less TFC stuttering
Toronto FC had arguably one of the easiest final stretches of the season, with four of its last five games at home and all coming against Eastern Conference opposition below them in the standings.
However, a 1-1 draw with the Philadelphia Union, followed by a 0-0 draw with Orlando City and a 2-1 loss to D.C. United, have Toronto slipping down the standings too.
Without Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC seems incapable of delivering the killer blow to teams it should otherwise be defeating.
No pity in the Rose City
Colorado defeated the Portland Timbers on Saturday to leave the 2015 MLS Cup champions underneath the red line in the Western Conference, and with the Seattle Sounders picking up a pair of victories last week, Portland is in danger of missing out of the playoffs entirely.
If Portland and the Columbus Crew fail to sneak into sixth, it would be the first time that the two MLS Cup finalists both missed the playoffs the following year.
The Timbers have two games left in the 2016 season; the Crew, three.
Alphonso Davies is the real deal
At only 15 years old, Alphonso Davies is already doing more for the Vancouver Whitecaps than people 10 years his senior.
The Liberian-born Alberta native has become something of a star sensation in Canada's west coast club, starting in the last two matches and creating plenty of chances. He tested Stefan Frei a number of times on Sunday in a dominant first half, landing a pair of shots on goal.
While he has yet to score, the fact that he's 15 and starting is simply incredible.
Speaking of Cascadia ...
The Whitecaps, Timbers, and Sounders are all making headlines this week, and with one Cascadia Cup match remaining in the 2016 season, here's how things stand:
| Team | Points | W-L-D | GD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Timbers | 9 | 3-2-0 | +3 |
| Seattle Sounders | 9 | 3-3-0 | -1 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 6 | 2-3-0 | -2 |
There is but one match remaining in the tournament, with the Whitecaps hosting the Timbers on the final matchday of the season. Both teams could still claim the trophy depending on its result.
Red Bulls compensate for glaring weakness
If it seems like the New York Red Bulls are unstoppable, that's because Jesse Marsch's side might very well be, having gone without a loss in 14 straight matches.
Still, while this Red Bulls side seems impossible to defeat, the team has a glaring weakness, having conceded more than two goals in 17 matches.
The Union exposed the Red Bulls' defensive faults twice on Saturday, but while Marsch doesn't seem to have an answer for his backline woes, his team is compensating by outscoring almost every other team in the league.