Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 14 matches played on the 26th matchday of the 2023 MLS season, Saturday, July 15.
Cincinnati Ties MLS Record as Fastest Club to 50 Points
Ahead of the MLS hiatus for Leagues Cup 2023, FC Cincinnati improved their Supporters’ Shield leading point total to 51 with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Nashville SC.Â
MLS All-Star captain Luciano Acosta registered a penalty-kick goal and an assist in the club’s win and now has 20 goal contributions this season (12 goals, eight assists), the second-most in the league behind only Hany Mukhtar (21 goal contributions).
With the victory, FC Cincinnati tied the 2019 and 2022 LAFC squads as the fastest teams in MLS history to reach 50 points in the regular season, doing so in their 23rd match.
Bou, Gil, and Harkes Power Revolution to 4-0 Victory
Behind two goals from midfielder Ian Harkes, a score from Gustavo Bou, and a pair of assists from MLS All-Star Carles Gil, the New England Revolution continued their strong home form with a 4-0 victory over D.C. United. The Revolution improved to 9-0-3 at Gillette Stadium on the season and are one of only two clubs to remain unblemished at home in 2023.Â
With his first two goals of the 2023 season, Harkes joined his father, John, as just the third father-son duo in MLS history to each record a multi-goal game in the regular season.
Gil, who has a league-high 12 assists, including seven in his last seven matches, reached 60 career assists in his 122nd career match, becoming the third-fastest player in MLS history to reach the milestone. Only Carlos Valderrama (82 games) & Marco Etcheverry (85 games) did so in fewer matches.
Union Continue Home Dominance with 2-1 Win Over NYCFC
The Philadelphia Union continued their winning ways at Subaru Park, as goals from MLS All-Star JosĂ© MartĂnez and Chris Donovan – the first of his MLS career – powered the club to a 2-1 victory over NYCFC.
The Union improved to 8-1-2 at home and became the first team in MLS history (excluding the shootout era) to win 17 home matches in a 20-game span. Philadelphia has lost just one home match since the start of the 2022 season.
Luna, Real Salt Lake Down Red Bulls
Nineteen-year-old midfielder Diego Luna recorded his first career MLS brace, scoring the first two goals for Real Salt Lake in the club’s 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls at America First Field. Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarino also added a goal and an assist in the winning effort.
Luna, who is 19 years and 311 days old, became the youngest player in club history to record a multi-goal match.
Stars of MLS Show Out Ahead of 2023 MLS All-Star Game
With the stage set for the 2023 MLS All-Star Game against Arsenal FC on Wednesday night (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass), standouts who will represent Major League Soccer showed out on Matchday 26.
Five different MLS All-Stars scored on Saturday night, including Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta, Columbus’ Lucas Zelarayán (two goals), Nashville’s Walker Zimmerman, Philadelphia’s JosĂ© MartĂnez, and St. Louis’ Tim Parker. New England’s Carles Gil notched a pair of assists to add to his league-best 12 helpers, while Acosta recorded an assist, their seventh and eighth of the season, respectively.
Two of the three All-Star goalkeepers – Djordje Petrović of the Revolution and Roman Bürki of St. Louis CITY SC – recorded clean sheets in their respective club victories.
The 2023 MLS All-Star Game will feature the MLS All-Stars taking on Arsenal FC, the renowned 13-time English league champions, at Audi Field, home of D.C. United. The MLS All-Star Game and MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T 5G at Audi Field will be available to watch in more than 100 countries and regions in English, Spanish, and French on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
