Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco make up the top forward pairing in MLS. Altidore has been red-hot for TFC over the past three months, scoring 14 goals in his last 17 games, while Giovinco should have been collecting his second straight Landon Donovan MLS MVP award on Dec. 6.

Nelson Valdez has assumed the role of starting striker for the Sounders. That is a phrase that most Sounders fans would’ve dreaded at most points of the season. The Paraguayan international has scored just one goal in 1,313 minutes over his MLS regular season career, but he has come alive during these playoffs, scoring two goals in just 303 minutes, including the game-winner in the Knockout Round. He will look to continue that run of good form against one of the strongest defenses in MLS history.

Probable Starting XI: Stefan Frei; Tyrone Mears, Roman Torres, Chad Marshall, Joevin Jones; Osvaldo Alonso, Cristian Roldan; Nicolas Lodeiro, Andreas Ivanschitz, Jordan Morris; Nelson Haedo Valdez

The younger Bradley, who helped Toronto FC advance to the MLS Cup final on Wednesday, has been linked to a possible move to the Premier League club since his father was hired in October.

Peterson didn't immediately respond to a request for an interview. An attempt to reach Papadakis was unsuccessful.

Stefan Frei isn’t one of the flashiest ‘keepers in MLS, but he’s certainly one of the steadiest. The former Toronto FC draft pick has started 98 of 102 games for the Sounders since joining the club prior to the 2014 season. Sounders fans have had little to worry about with Frei in between the pipes.

Johnson started for Chicago from 2011-15 and after the losing the starting job to Matt Lampson at the start of this season, won it again and made 22 starts.

Among the standards for determining whether a league is Division II or Division III are number of teams, the geographic distribution of the teams, and size of the markets for the teams involved. The USL has been aiming to see the USSF declare it as Division II.

"There would be so many parts of that discussion, it's not something that in the moment has been discussed at all."

Brian McBride discusses the ins and outs of the perils facing NASL as league meetings open. The NASL's Board of Governors completed two days of crisis meetings on Wednesday, but there appeared to be no resolution as to the league's immediate future.

Atlanta already has young goalkeeper Alexander Tambakis, whom the club signed as its first-ever player in January.

All-Time in Toronto (5 meetings)

"Generally, when Sunil does this, neither party is happy at the end of the day, but that's usually the sign of a good compromise."

All-Time Playoff (0 meetings)

Johnson, who was born and raised in the Atlanta suburbs, would be the second goalkeeper acquired by Atlanta. The club signed 23-year-old Alexander Tambakis as their first-ever player in January. Tambakis, who had made only five career first-team appearances before joining Atlanta, allowed 22 goals in 21 games while on loan this year with the Charleston Battery, Atlanta’s USL affiliate.