Inter Miami did Inter Miami things, FC Cincinnati did FC Cincinnati things, El Tráfico did El Tráfico things, and some other things happened too. Let’s talk it out.
It didn’t have its most chaotic traits on full display, but El Tráfico still delivered. The first half went to LAFC thanks to a late sequence that saw Kei Kamara sky to head a corner into the back of the net and Denis Bouanga bury a penalty. The Galaxy were fighting an uphill battle afterward, but still nearly found their way back into the game. Gabriel Pec brought them within one and the Galaxy continued to create halfway decent chances throughout the second half. However, LAFC stayed in front and took a three-point lead at the top of the West thanks to their ninth win in their last 10 games.
LAFC showed off so much about what makes them great in this one. Bouanga terrorizing people in transition, Mateusz Bogusz doing whatever’s needed of him, Kamara finding the fountain of youth, and the team as a whole staying in control of the game once they took the lead. Their roster is too strong from top to bottom for most teams in the league to hang with right now. Even a good Galaxy side. LAFC are in a tier of their own in the West.
Patrick Agyemang did everything he could to try and power Charlotte’s attack, but Inter Miami took an early lead thanks to Robert Taylor and then took the lead late thanks to Julian Gressel’s outstanding assist to Benjamin Cremaschi.
Once again, Inter Miami found a way to get the job done despite their opponent having the better chances throughout the match. The final xG tally ended up 1.5 to 0.6 in favor of Charlotte. It’s normally not the best practice to mention the single-game xG, but it feels like Miami do this every other week so it’s worth mentioning this time. In this four-game stretch without Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, Inter Miami have won every game 2-1. They’re the only undefeated team since the international break. They’re also outperforming their expected goal differential by a league-high average of 1.45 goals per game. I have no explanation.
FC Cincinnati have won seven straight on the road. Seven straight! That’s tied for an MLS record. It took a little more work than they would have liked after D.C. got back within one late in the game, but Cincy and their makeshift backline got the job done. Having Miles Robinson back from international duty definitely helped. They’ll need him to be otherworldly to keep up with Miami.
They probably won’t need Pavel Bucha to score a brace a game, but that can’t hurt either. He’s having a solid first year in MLS and has put together three goals and five assists on the season and he’s contributing to a Cincy attack that’s been among the best in the league the last couple of months. The Garys have scored three goals or more in five of their last eight games.
D.C. haven’t won in 10 games. They’ve dropped to last in the East.
The kids showed out for Real Salt Lake. Andres Gómez started things off for RSL and Diego Luna gave them their second goal of the first half. But, in the end, Braian Ojeda’s first MLS goal made the difference for RSL in a bounce-back win. They ended the matchday in second place in the West, three points behind LAFC.
Houston are right in the middle of the second-tier of Western Conference teams that all feel really indistinguishable right now.
An Alonso Martínez brace led the way for New York City FC at Citi Field. He’s up to eight goals and two assists in seven starts this season. It seems like NYCFC finally have a bonafide striker. And that makes that attack very, very scary.
Just a typical Crew win. Christian Ramírez and Diego Rossi found the net, and the Crew put together another solid defensive performance. They’ve quietly been one of the best defensive sides in the league this season and are currently fifth in MLS in expected goals allowed per game. On a related note, they’re up to third in the Eastern Conference now.
Chicago scored three times after the 81st minute to erase and then overtake the Union’s 3-1 lead. Hugo Cuypers led the way with a brace in what ended up being the wildest game of the matchday. And the most disappointing. We can go ahead and call a time of death on this era of the Union if we haven’t already. They’ve lost five straight and are winless in their last eight. They need big changes.
Chicago need to keep doing what they’re doing. They’ve won three of their last five and are only three points below the playoff line.
An early defensive mistake gifted Brian White a goal and the Whitecaps were off and running from there. The Whitecaps have won four of their last six and have snuck their way back up the standings. They’re three points behind fourth-place Colorado with two games in hand. They’re close to being at the very top (of the middle) of the West.
Meanwhile, the Loons have fallen all the way to eighth. It’s been a disastrous couple of months. They’re winless in six and have lost five in a row. Just getting their Canadian internationals back alone isn’t going to fix this.
Giacomo Vrioni casually strolled past Derrick Williams for his first goal and then got on the end of a stellar Noel Buck cross for his second. That’s all the Revs needed to bounce back from their loss to the Crew and take care of business against a Thiago Almada-less Atlanta side.
The Revs have won five of their last six and have at least two games in hand on everyone in front of them. It might be time to start thinking about them as a playoff team. Maybe. I mean I’m still not convinced, but it’s good to be prepared.
Atlanta are in trouble until their new DPs arrive.
Derrick Etienne Jr. put Toronto up early, but it only got worse for the Reds from there. Martín Ojeda equalized and an own goal gave the Lions a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Toronto aren’t in a tailspin, they’re in a nosedive. They’ve lost five in a row and are just barely hanging onto a playoff spot. Their 12 losses are the most in the East.
Things are actually kind of OK for Orlando right now. They’ve won two out of three and are equal on points with Toronto and Atlanta for a Wild Card spot. It could be worse.
Second-half goals from Petar Musa and Nkosi Tafari plus a late own goal from Cristhian Paredes gave Dallas a big win over a red-hot Timbers side despite Evander’s best efforts. The loss ends a three-game winning streak for Portland. Dallas are probably still too far away from a playoff spot to really worry about yet, but they have won three of their last five.
Djordje Mihailovic scored a stoppage-time PK winner as the Rapids survived a scare from Sporting KC. The Rapids are still in fourth in the West and sitting at the top of the West’s middling middle. Sporting KC are not in a playoff spot.
In a battle between teams with interim managers, St. Louis came out on top thanks to Eduard Löwen and Hosei Kijima. St. Louis are six points out of a playoff spot. San Jose are a lot of points out of a playoff spot.
D.C. United acquire Austrian defender Schnegg: D.C. United have acquired left back David Schnegg from Austrian Bundesliga side SK Sturm Graz. The 25-year-old Austrian international defender is under contract through 2026 with an option for 2027.
D.C. United sign MLS veteran Badji: D.C. United have signed forward Dominique Badji. The 31-year-old is under contract through 2026 with an option for 2027. He was a free agent after last playing for Turkish second-division side Bandirmaspor.
- LAFC turned the Rose Bowl into a Black & Gold party.
- Nashville SC's Jacob Shaffelburg is on the rise at Copa América.
Good luck out there. Find a party with a good vibe.
