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Your Thursday Kickoff: How can closing teams force a Game 3?

Your Thursday Kickoff: How can closing teams force a Game 3?

Some teams will need more than others if they want to force a Game 3 in their best-of-three first-round series. Here’s what needs to go well for each team on the brink.

CHARLOTTE FORCE GAME 3 VS ORLANDO…

If losing Pep Biel is actually for the best (or at least doesn’t matter)

Charlotte’s DP attacker Pep Biel received a red card in injury time of the 2-0 loss to Orlando in Game 1. The Crown was outclassed, and losing a DP before Game 2 isn’t usually a recipe for turning things around. But what if it works out for the best? Someone needs to step into Charlotte’s front four in place of Biel.

That’s either Kerwin Vargas (6g/1a in 34 games) or Patrick Agyemang (10g/5a in 32 games). It’s most likely Vargas, but it doesn’t seem like a big leap to think that Agyemang and Karol Swiderksi could find a way to coexist for 60 minutes or so in a must-win game. At least it would be something different for Orlando to deal with. We’re at the point where it feels like Charlotte needs to make a change.

Either way, Vargas or Agyemang will provide something different than Biel did in Game 1. Maybe Orlando will have trouble adjusting. Charlotte better hope they do it anyway.

If not, it all depends on Swiderski’s ability to change the game regardless of personnel. He’s been great since returning – 6g/2a in 11 games – and Charlotte will be relying on him to salvage the season.

COLORADO FORCE GAME 3 VS LA…

If…uh…everything has to go well at this point, but we’ll say, “If they find a second wind.”

The Rapids were completely overwhelmed in Game 1. Their 5-0 loss in LA put them on the brink of elimination and has pretty much everyone thinking it’s inevitable. Frankly, it seems the only chance of winning this series is to go back in time and somehow stop third place in the League Cup. Since then they have seemed completely exhausted, especially on defense.

Colorado needs a sudden burst of energy to keep up with the galaxy. I’m not sure how or why this happens. However, MLS does happen.

NEW YORK CITY FORCE GAME 3 VERSUS CINCINNATI…

When the home advantage is extremely advantageous

The Galaxy had the most one-sided result of the first few games, but their biggest defeat may have come in Cincinnati. Yes, it only ended 1-0. It could have been much worse. Cincy averaged 3.9 xG on 22 shots, compared to just 0.4 xG on six shots for NYCFC. Even when the score was 1-0, they were never really in a good position in this game.

However, now they are going back to New York City. And as always, NYCFC’s home advantage is one of the most effective in the league. Only Inter Miami won more home games in the Eastern Conference this year. NYCFC won six more games at home than away, the largest imbalance in the conference. Citi Field will have to make a huge difference to turn this series around, but it could happen.

ATLANTA FORCE GAME 3 VS MIAMI…

When they wake up feeling refreshed after a nap

As impressive as it was to see Atlanta make a game out of last Friday’s encounter, it easily could have ended 6-1 (not 2-1). It took a heroic effort from Brad Guzan to keep things from getting completely out of hand. For Atlanta, however, this is completely understandable. They played their third absolutely winning away game in six days. Nobody gets away cleanly against Inter Miami.

They now had a week to recover. That doesn’t suddenly make them more talented than Inter Miami, nor does it mean they’ll win. It just means they’ll get back on their feet, buoyed by an audience that’s likely to swell to 70,000 fans. If they create excitement, that goes a long way toward creating something crazy.

You basically need 110% effort and lots of breaks. And remember: This team seems to be at its best against Miami for some reason. It’s not impossible.

RSL FORCE GAME 3 VS MINNESOTA…

When one of their stars gets up from the deck

Did we mention that it’s been about four months since Chicho Arango scored a goal? That seems impossible considering he finished the season with 17 goals. And yet here we are. I’m still waiting. He didn’t make it through Game 1. Neither does anyone else at RSL. And a 0-0 draw went to penalties for Minnesota.

It’s as simple as it can be, but you have to score to win. RSL doesn’t get that from Arango and they didn’t get that from Diego Luna, Diogo Gonçalves or anyone else in Game 1. As understandable as it was, the transfer of Andrés Goméz continues to feel season-defining for this team.

COLUMBUS FORCE GAME 3 AGAINST NEW YORK…

If they can find a way around RBNY’s tactics in Game 1

The consensus after the Red Bulls’ surprise upset win in Game 1 is…

  1. Missing Diego Rossi is a big deal
  2. New York had an excellent game plan
  3. New York executed it perfectly

Rossi should be back for Game 2 and New York won’t surprise anyone. So the question becomes how repeatable the Game 1 result is now that Columbus has had time to adjust.

The gut call here… not quite as reproducible. The crew has earned its reputation and so have the Red Bulls. Basically, all Columbus has to do is look like them and they’ll be fine. There’s always a chance the Red Bulls have something else up their sleeves. On the other hand, their setup in Game 1 – effectively forcing the crew to build up, retreating into a compact cauldron in their own third and finding counterattack moments via Emil Forsberg and Lewis Morgan – worked so well that they might just think about running it back and closing see what happens. Normally you would expect the Crew to find a way around this, but after Game 1 everything seems to be on the table.

HOUSTON FORCE GAME 3 VS SEATTLE…

When literally someone scores

One goal is probably enough to be honest. The problem is that they have to find a way to score without Coco Carrasquilla, who picked up a red card in Game 1. They…er…probably won’t find a way to score.

If so, they should feel pretty good. It’s just a goal. How hard can it be, right?*

VANCOUVER FORCE GAME 3 AGAINST LAFC….

When the same team that beat Portland shows up

Vancouver played its best game of the year with a 5-0 wild card win over Portland. They weren’t nearly as effective in Game 1 against LAFC. They need to play their absolute best game of the year (again) if they want to survive. There aren’t many people who expect that.

Good luck out there. The spooky season is just around the corner.