The top spot in Group A is on the line in this showdown between Eastern Conference foes.

Both clubs enter the match with two wins and six points, highlighted by some balanced play at both ends of the pitch. Philadelphia shut out New York City FC in its opener and followed that up with a victory against Inter Miami.

On the other side, Orlando City has put together a somewhat surprising run at the tournament, defeating the same teams Philadelphia faced heading into this contest.

With that in mind, I am taking a small shot at the game ending in a draw at a ripe number. These teams have drawn in two of the last three contests, including a 2-2 stalemate in their most recent meeting. I can’t see either side doing anything too risky in advance of the knockout stage of the competition, which makes the tie very enticing to say the least.

Staying healthy is more important that winning the group, so this game could be similar to the scoreless draw between Minnesota United and Real Salt Lake, where the teams combined for just five shots on target and five corner kicks during the entire match.

The Crew have been near perfect thus far, picking up shutout victories against FC Cincinnati and the New York Red Bulls in Orlando.

Striker Gyasi Zardes has been impressive leading the line, proving to be a handful for opposing defenses. Speaking of defenses, Columbus has been brilliant in the back and will look to build on that strength in its final group-stage match.

In contrast, Atlanta has had a tournament to forget thus far and very few expected them to struggle this much entering the competition. The Eastern Conference powerhouse suffered back-to-back 1-0 defeats at the hands of the New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati, putting the club in a terrible position with one group match to play.

The loss of standout striker Josef Martinez has absolutely crushed Atlanta’s typical juggernaut of an offense so far this season, which means the franchise must find alternative players to produce in his absence.

If Atlanta continues down this path, it is going to be a long campaign for the 2018 MLS Cup champion.

As previously stated, Atlanta has been the definition of stagnant on its attack and I don’t see that changing against a stingy Columbus defense.

Another pair of Eastern Conference clubs go at it in the nightcap in Group C action, with D.C. United looking to secure a berth in the knockout round with a positive result against a struggling Montreal side.

D.C. United comes in with two points via draws against Toronto FC and New England. Manager Ben Olsen has to be pleased with his club’s momentum coming into this match, having put together decent efforts against both conference foes.

As for Montreal, things could not be going any worse for manager Thierry Henry and the club in Orlando. Losses against New England and Canadian rival Toronto FC have greatly diminished Montreal’s chances of advancing to the knockout stage of the competition, so they will be looking for that much-needed win.

With the belief this is going to be an offensive-oriented affair, I recommend playing both teams to score as well.

The New York Red Bulls face FC Cincinnati under the lights in the opener, with second place in Group E on the line. A draw would send both clubs into the knockout stage of the competition, so there is everything to play for in this showdown.

New York started the tournament strong, capturing a 1-0 shutout win against Atlanta United, before suffering a 2-0 loss against group winner Columbus.

On the other side, FC Cincinnati has put itself in prime position to advance after its shocking 1-0 victory against Atlanta in its most recent contest. That effort was quite the reversal of form, considering the Orange and Blue struggled in its first game of the tournament and dropped a 4-0 decision against Columbus on debut.

This is a match where experience is going to weigh heavily on the outcome and that has led me to back RBNY to pick up the win and all three points.

Also, the Red Bulls have owned the series, boasting a 4-0 record against one of the league’s newest clubs. New York holds a 9-4 edge in goals during those meetings and I think that domination will continue at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

This should be a low-scoring affair, so I am going to play the total staying under the number as well. Both sides will likely come out with conservative approaches, leading to a chess match of sorts on the pitch.

Surprising Minnesota carries an unbeaten record into its final Group D fixture against winless Colorado.

The Loons have been stellar thus far, earning a 2-1 victory against Sporting Kansas City in their opener before settling for a scoreless draw against Real Salt Lake.

In contrast, the Rapids are hoping to exit the tournament on a positive note after two disappointing losses in group action.

Minnesota has everything to play for in this contest, with first place in the group on the line. Manager Adrian Heath has his club in fine form and I expect another solid outing from the Western Conference franchise against a Colorado team still searching for an identity.

Four of the last five meetings between these sides have finished with two goals or less, including three matches that ended with 1-0 results.

Things come to a close Thursday in the opening part of the MLS is Back tournament, with Group F teams going at it in Orlando.

Without question, the marquee showdown of the evening schedule features Portland taking on Los Angeles Football Club, with first place in the group on the line.

Portland, one of our dark horses to win it all at the start of the competition, comes into this match with a perfect 2-0 record and has already secured a spot in the knockout round. The Timbers earned identical 2-1 wins against the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston in their previous games, en route to the full six points to put them atop the group table.

On the other side, LAFC silenced all the critics in its 6-2 trashing of the Galaxy in its most recent contest. Standout Diego Rossi scored four goals in that blowout victory and ignited an offense playing without star Carlos Vela, who opted to not travel to Florida to participate in the tournament due to concerns with the global pandemic. That impressive display came after a come-from-behind 3-3 draw against Houston.

With both powerhouses through to the next stage, I fully expect another open affair. These teams do not know what it’s like to play a slower, passive style and will want to secure all three points to win the group.

The opening match of the evening pits the Dynamo, which has a shot at making the knockout stage, against a Galaxy team looking for answers all over the field.

Houston is coming off a hard-fought 2-1 loss against Portland and needs to win here to have any chance of advancing in the competition. The Dynamo should have probably walked away with a win and all three points in its opener, but squandered a 3-1 lead and settled for a 3-3 draw against LAFC in one of the tournament’s most exciting games.

As for Los Angeles, things could not be going any worse for the club. The Galaxy, minus star Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, suffered that blowout defeat at the hands of LAFC in its most recent outing. That debacle came after the setback against Portland in its group-stage debut.

Historically, goals have not been hard to come by during recent matches between these sides, with the two combining for a whopping 27 goals in their last six meetings. Both clubs scored at least once in those contests and four of the games featured five or more goals.