It's first versus second in the MLS standings as FC Cincinnati host the New England Revolution at TQL Stadium.
A 2-1 victory over Toronto, with goals from Bobby Wood and Giacomo Vrioni, extended New England's unbeaten start at home to ten matches (7-0-3), a new franchise record.
The win also moved the Revolution into second, extended their unbeaten run to six games overall and pulled them to within seven points of Cincinnati for top spot in the league.
The Orange and Blue were defeated 3-0 at D.C. United as Pedro Santos and Derrick Williams struck in the opening 17 minutes and Christian Dajome added a third just before halftime.
Pat Noonan's side are a perfect 10-0-0 at home, just the second team in league history to achieve that mark.
Team news
FC Cincinnati
The Orange and Blue will be without several key players as Brandon Vazquez and Matt Miazga are with the U.S. Men's National Team for the Gold Cup.
Yaya Kubo is again out with an illness, Junior Moreno will again be sidelined with a leg injury and Brenner, awaiting his transfer to Serie A side Udinese, is set to miss out with an ankle issue.
Ian Murphy is suspended after picking up a straight red card last week while Yerson Mosquera missed the win over D.C. United but is set to return and had his loan with the club extended.
DeJuan Jones is away at the Gold Cup with the U.S. Men's National Team while Christian Makoun suffered an injury while with Venezuela.
Noel Buck missed last Saturday's victory but Gustavo Bou trained this week after being replaced at halftime last Saturday with muscle discomfort.
Dylan Borrero (ACL), Nacho Gil (right leg), Henry Kessler (hamstring), Maciel (Achilles), and Tommy McNamara (left leg) all remain out.
Predicted lineups
FC Cincinnati: Celentaro; Powell, Hagglund, Mosquera; Arias, Nwobodo, Angulo, Barreal; Acosta; Kubo, Ordonez
New England Revolution: Petrovic; Bye, Farrell, Romney, Spaulding; Blessing, Polster, Boateng; Gil; Wood, Bou
Ones to watch
Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati)
The Orange and Blue midfielder has had an MVP-like season so far with nine goals and four assists in 18 appearances with eight of those goals coming since May.
Acosta leads Cincinnati with 44 goal scoring attempts as well as total attacking assists (41). A goal and assist in the victory over Toronto FC saw him become the eighth active MLS player to hit 50 career goals and 50 assists.
Carles Gil (New England Revolution)
Gil is in top form, tallying five goals and five assists in his last eight outings and he's set to surpass 10,000 career minutes when he takes the field for this match.
The Spaniard is joint-top of the league with nine assists and tops the Revolution with 38 goalscoring attempts, a key to unlocking a Cincinnati defense that has recorded 11 clean sheets in all competitions.
Previous meetings
In April, the two sides played to a 1-1 draw as Emmanuel Boateng cancelled out Mosquera's opener.
This was the match where Borrero suffered his knee injury that is currently keeping him out when he tried to make a play in the defensive midfield in the 16th minute.
Cincinnati struck first just after the half-hour mark, Mosquera rising highest to head home a corner kick past Djordje Petrovic, who had saved a penalty by Acosta three minutes earlier.
In first-half stoppage time Brandon Bye sent in a lovely cross to Boateng, who beat Roman Celentano to level the match.
How to watch
The match will be streamed nationally on Apple TV + with Jake Zivin as the play-by-play announcer and Taylor Twellman as the analyst.
Kickoff is set for 7:30pm Eastern time.