Red Bulls take on Union and New York City face Atlanta as MLS play-offs get underway
The MLS Cup play-offs are finally here as 12 of the 14 best sides in the league enter the first round.
The New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference and the Colorado Rapids in the Western Conference have byes this weekend and will make their post season start next week in the conference semi-finals.
Round one of the play-offs is spread across five days and it begins on Saturday with two much-anticipated fixtures.
Rivals reunited as Union take on Red Bulls
The play-offs get started Saturday afternoon as number two seed Philadelphia Union host seventh seed New York Red Bulls. This season the teams met three times with the last two encounters ending in 1-1 draws. Union won 1-0 at home back in May while both of the draws came at the Red Bull Arena.
Jack Elliott and Jakob Glesnes anchored the defense in 39 of the 40 games this season and Jamaican keeper Andre Blake returns after some big saves in his nation's 1-1 draw against the United States on Tuesday.
According to Planet Sport Bet, the Union are 11/10 to win while New York Red Bulls are 12/5.
Goals galore potential in New York
After playing home games in multiple places again this season, New York City FC get to return to Yankee Stadium for the play-offs. They have made the stadium their fortress with just six losses in their last 70 games at the world-famous baseball venue.
New coach Gonzalo Pineda switched Atlanta to a back three and deployed wing backs which allowed United to find their offense after struggling under Gabriel Heinze early in the season.