MLS Rivalry Week is back and there's several intriguing matchups on deck
MLS Rivalry week is underway. A midweek Matchday 13 slate saw things kick off with St. Louis CITY SC and Sporting Kansas City going head-to-head to begin the festivities, playing out to a 2-2 draw, but the main event is lined up for this weekend.
El Trafico returns, as the reigning MLS Champions LA Galaxy search for their FIRST victory of the season against a red-hot crosstown rival in LAFC. Can Greg Vanney's men come together to stun their rivals in front of their home fans? Or, will the continue to pile on the Galaxy's misery to begin the campaign?
Up the coastline into the Pacific Northwest, the Portland Timbers host the Seattle Sounders in the two historic clubs first meeting of the season. Both in relatively fantastic form of late, one of MLS' most historic rivalries is taking center-stage in the Western Conference.
In the East, the league's fastest-developing rivalry between the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati, arrives in the Hell is Real Derby. It's a clash between No. 1 and No. 3 in the East, and one that is set to highlight two of the league's best teams to start 2025.
As Matchday 14 kicks off, these fixtures promise to deliver some of the most exciting action yet this season.
GOAL dives into all that and more in The Kickoff, a weekly preview of each MLS Matchday.
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportHell is Real arrives
Wilfried Nancy's Crew and Pat Noonan's FC Cincinnati have continued to be members of MLS's elite over the past three seasons, and no change from that has arrived in 2025. Two of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference, Cincy sits atop the league standings with 28 points, while the Crew sit beneath it in fourth in the race for the Supporters' Shield – but just two total points separate them at the moment. They're both incredibly talented sides, and seeing them go head-to-head in the Hell is Real derby this weekend will be nothing short of a blockbuster.
Columbus will play host to the first meeting of the season between the two Ohio rivals, searching for their first win in the meeting between the two clubs since the 2023 MLS postseason. In 2024, FCC claimed a 2-1 victory early on in the campaign, and two followed it up with a 0-0 draw in September as the season neared a close.
Columbus, spearheaded by new $4 million man Daniel Gazdag and 2025 MLS MVP candidate Diego Rossi, will clash with FCC's star duo Evander and Kevin Denkey – both of whom arrived for eight-figure transfer fees ahead of the start of the 2025 MLS campaign. It's a match that draws out some of the best fans in MLS, but also, a contest that puts some of the best players in the league on the pitch against each other – as a fan, you couldn't ask for anything more.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportEl Trafico – the Galaxy's big chance?
The Galaxy were so, so close to earning their first win of the season midweek. They went up 2-0, but conceded three unanswered – including a stoppage-time dagger to lose – against the Union on Wednesday. As a result, the reigning champions are 13 Matchday's without a win still, and it's becoming rather astounding to watch it develop.
LAFC, meanwhile, are six unbeaten and coming off a 4-0 thumping of Seattle midweek, and are riding their best form of the 2025 campaign so far.
El Trafico, the rivalry between the two, is a storied one. From playoff meetings to Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal, it's become the must-watch affair each season for viewers around the world as the league's most storied team in the Galaxy meet their star-studded crosstown rivals.
Following Wednesday's defeat, Galaxy manager Greg Vanney said that both Designated Players Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec are expected to be available for selection in the match – handing LA a massive boost ahead of the match. But with the current state of their results, and the form LAFC is in, can they really pull off a potentially stunning result? Or, will their dread continue?
Getty Images SportThe battle for Cascadia
The No. 4 ranked Timbers host the No. 6 ranked Sounders in one of the MLS' most historic and exciting rivalries this weekend. Just three points separate the two sides in the Western Conference table, and this match is slating up to be nothing short of exciting.
The first meeting between them this season in the fight for the Cascadia Cup, the Western Conference foes are set to clash in a heated fixture that has long brought infamous matches to the big screen.
The Sounders had a midweek hiccup, with a heavily-rotated roster getting dismantled by LAFC 4-0. However, with legs rested, they will be back to their best against the timbers this weekend as they look to make it six results in seven. The Timbers, meanwhile, were held to a 0-0 draw by Real Salt Lake and have only scored two total goals in their last three matches.
Portland has dropped points three times at home this season, while the Sounders have found results in four of their eight on the road – and with their similar table positions – this is one of the games to watch this weekend.
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+ Following a brace on Matchday 13 against the LA Galaxy, Philadelphia Union forward Tai Baribo has taken the lead in the race for the MLS Golden Boot with 10 goals. However, San Jose Earthquakes striker Chicho Arango is not far behind with nine, and if he scores this weekend against the New England Revolution, he would become the seventh player in MLS history to score 10 or more goals in a single season for three different clubs.
+ On Matchday 13, Orlando City recorded their 10th-straight match without a loss, achieving the feat for just the second time in club history. A win or draw against Inter Miami on sunday would extend their streak to 11, just one shy of their club record as they look to make team history over the next few weeks.