A grain of salt. Perhaps the perfect idiom for MLS Matchweek 5. As teams traversed the FIFA-recognized international break, it became abundantly clear that some squads were better at handling life without their superstars than others. This imbalance made for some surprising results, but overall, a thoroughly entertaining week of games. 

And so it begins. The newness has worn off and we're fully back into the thick of it. Matchweek 2 of the 2023 MLS Season saw quite a few surprising results that help fans gauge what to expect from each team. Seattle showed its class once again, Inter Miami put together a statement win over Philadelphia, but most importantly, Apple TV made considerable strides with its MLS 360 coverage. Unfortunately, the commercials appear to be here to stay.

The 2023 MLS season is finally underway and we've already learned a great deal from the league's opening fixtures. From the on-field play to the coverage and other adjacent news surrounding kick-off, MLS fans will certainly have lots to talk about before the match week has even finished. 

The Leagues Cup this summer featuring Liga MX and MLS teams will be a historic tournament and crossover between the two leagues. For the first time every team from both leagues will compete in the same tournament at the same time.

Usually, the only time an MLS and Liga MX team faced off was in the Concacaf Champions League for just a select few. Now every team is involved and guaranteed to play at least one opponent from the rival league.

Wondering who your favorite team will play? Let’s look at the Leagues Cup draw that happened on Friday.

It's only Decision Day but the MLS Cup Playoffs have started in mind, body and spirit with the Eastern Conference picture now clear.

In a remarkable winner-take-all showdown between Orlando City and Columbus Crew at Exploria Stadium on Sunday, the Crew — needing only a league-leading 17th draw to qualify for the playoffs — threw away a 1-0 lead to crash out of the main event.

Andre Shinyashiki scored in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time for a 2-2 tie against visiting Columbus on Wednesday, but Charlotte FC were still eliminated from playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte trailed 2-0 in the second half.

The Crew (10-7-16, 46 points) currently hold the seventh and final playoff spot in the East. Inter Miami previously sat below Columbus, but they defeated Orlando 4-1 later Wednesday night and now sit at fifth in the conference. Cincinnati, which also has 46 points, sits at sixth.

The business end of the MLS season is upon us, and with the MLS playoffs kicking off in just under a month, every game matters. Only six sides have officially been eliminated from playoff contention going into the international break and the race for the Supporter’s Shield is very much alive. Following Match Week 32, let’s break down what every team is playing for from here on out.

MLS Playoffs Picture Going into Matchweek 33

Eastern Conference

1. Philadelphia Union: 64 Points

Remaining Opponents: Charlotte FC, Toronto FC