This week brings the New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas a chance to ease pressure in a busy time, while the Portland Timbers are fighting for their CCL lives.

In some respects, the pressure is off MLS teams in the CONCACAF Champiosn League this time around. Sure, the league is desperate for one of its teams to lift the trophy and send a MLS team to the Club World Cup for the first time. But there will be no bigger embarrassment in the group stage than Monterrey losing twice to Arabe Unido, an upstart team from Panama, and crashing out at this stage.

The Vancouver Whitecaps are already through, seeing off fellow MLS side Sporting Kansas City and Central FC from Trinidad and Tobago, but the other three teams still haven't secured passage to the quarterfinals. Two of the trio have matches this week that can make things much easier as the league race tightens and all remaining teams are still looking to pick up points both in the domestic race and internationally.

The New York Red Bulls go into the Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala needing just a draw to secure qualification. Otherwise, it's a nervous wait with eliminated Salvadoran side Alianza needing to get points. The Red Bulls, the league's reigning Supporters' Shield champion, could lift that trophy again if FC Dallas drops a few points. The Red Bulls have a big advantage over their fellow MLS teams in that not only can they clinch Tuesday night, they also don't have to play another game in this tournament and can turn their attention completely to MLS play, ideally for them after advancing in CCL.

"We have to make sure that in all ways we enjoy this tonight but that we prepare ourselves for Tuesday, knowing that it won't be easy going down there and that we have to find a way to advance," coach Jesse Marsch said at a news conference after his team's 1-0 win over Montreal on Saturday. "So it would be a big week. It would be a big week for our club if we could make the playoffs and solidify our quarterfinal in the Champions League. So that's our goal."

Whether or not the Red Bulls achieve that goal, they can move on from the CCL after Tuesday. The other teams don't have that luxury. FC Dallas can neither clinch nor be eliminated Wednesday when it welcomes Suchitepequez with a trip to face the Guatemalan side coming Oct. 20. That trips comes just four days after the Seattle Sounders come to town and three days before visiting the LA Galaxy. Those games could decide the Supporters' Shield, so FCD needs to do everything necessary to get a victory, which would mean that only a draw would be needed in Central America. Suchitepequez has been struggling a bit in domestic play, coming in off a defeat and currently sitting three spots from the bottom in the Liga Nacional.

Bringing on Carlos Ruiz, the 37-year-old Guatemala legend, helped FCD extend its forward depth but also won't hurt with scouting. Ruiz's Municipal topped Suchitepequez 3-2 the last time he played against the Venedos. Playmaker Maruo Diaz could be more influential. The Argentine is red hot and closing in on a club record for assists.

While FCD could drop points, that's not an option for the Portland Timbers. They coped relatively well with Dragon in the home match, but the Salvadoran side was able to hold group leader Saprissa to a draw. That has opened the door for the Timbers to advance with a win Tuesday and then a win over Saprissa in Portland on Oct. 19. Dragon also is struggling in league play, but lately has seen an uptick after some early turmoil, winning the last time out and getting a point from a draw the round before that.

All in all, it's an important round of matches for MLS and its teams who are looking to avoid the same fate that befell three-time champion Monterrey. The task is not monumental for any of the trio, but as Arabe Unido showed the smaller teams in the CCL are overlooked at the bigger teams' peril.