Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 12 matches played on the ninth matchday of the 2024 MLS regular season on Saturday, April 13.
Matchday 9 action continues today, with two games in an afternoon slate. The Philadelphia Union will travel to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to take on Atlanta United (2:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, FOX, FOX Deportes). St. Louis CITY SC will host Austin FC in the final game of the weekend at CITYPARK. Kickoff is set for 4:45 p.m. ET and will air on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Sporting Kansas City Sets New Club Attendance Record; Inter Miami CF Move to First in the Eastern Conference in 3-2 Thriller
Sporting Kansas City’s Saturday night matchup against Inter Miami CF at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium featured a crowd of 72,610 fans, establishing a new club attendance record. The game topped the previous record of 52,424, which was set by Sporting KC at Arrowhead Stadium in a friendly against Manchester United on July 25, 2010. The game is the fourth largest standalone crowd in MLS history. And was one of three (Atlético de Madrid vs. Girona: 70,000; Bayern Munich vs. Köln: 75,000) games played on Saturday expected to include over 70,000 spectators.
The highly-anticipated game took off to a fiery start, with Sporting KC opening the scoring through Erik Thommy in the sixth minute, followed by the Inter Miami CF equalizer with a goal from Diego Gómez nine minutes later.
Following a 1-1 first half, both teams would go on to add to the scoresheet. Miami’s Lionel Messi scored a rocket golazo just outside the penalty box to tally his fifth goal of the season and sixth of his MLS career. Thommy scored his second goal of the night seven minutes later, but the visiting side found the game-winning goal in the 71st minute through the club’s goal leader Luis Suárez.
With the win, Miami moved to first place in the Eastern Conference standings (15 pts.; 4-2-3 record).
Orlando City SC Overcomes Two Deficits to Earn 3-2 Road Win
Orlando City SC came back from two different deficits scoring late in the second half and again in stoppage time to secure a 3-2 win over D.C. United at Audi Field on Saturday night. The win was the second victory for the Lions who improved to 2-2-3 on the season.
Duncan McGuire on a counter-attack scored the game-winning goal for Orlando City in the 91st minute. It was his third goal of the season and his 19th goal with Orlando, tying him with former Lions Daryl Dike and Benji Michel for eighth all-time in club history.
Dagur Dan Thórhallsson recorded his first goal of the season and David Brekalo tallied his first MLS career goal for Orlando in the win. Nico Lodeiro contributed two assists on the goals by Brekalo and McGuire for his first multi-assist match since July 8, 2023.
Christian Benteke scored his sixth goal of the season in the fifth minute to give D.C. United a 1-0 lead. A header assist by Benteke to Gabriel Pirani (66’) allowed D.C. to take a 2-1 lead. It was the first goal of the season for Pirani.
Charlotte FC Extend Home Undefeated Streak to 13
In what turned into a five-goal showdown at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte FC earned a 3-2 win at home over Toronto FC. The victory extended Charlotte’s home undefeated streak to 13.
Kerwin Vargas scored his first goal of the season in the 39th minute to give Charlotte the 1-0 lead. Toronto answered with the equalizer early in the second half when Prince Owusu scored on a shot from close range in the 49th minute of action.Â
Charlotte grabbed the 2-1 lead on Toronto FC on a goal by Liel Abada. It was the first career goal for Abada in his third appearance for the club.Â
Owusu’s brace tied the match at 2-2 in the 78th minute of play. The goal was the second of his MLS career and his first multi-goal game.
Patrick Agyemang’s goal on an assist by Brecht Dejaegere in the 85th minute sealed the victory for the Crown en route to their third win of the season.
CF Montréal Victorious In First Home Match Of The Season
After playing six matches on the road to start the 2024 season, CF Montréal returned home on Saturday, to take a 2-1 win over 2023 Supporters’ Shield winner FC Cincinnati in front of the home crowd at Stade Saputo. The win marked the 150th MLS regular-season victory in club history. Montréal improved to 8-2-3 in home opener games.
Coming in as a substitute for MatĂas CĂłccaro due to injury, Josef MartĂnez gave Montreal a 1-0 lead in the final moments of the first half. Martinez’s goal marked the 107th of his MLS career. He now sits one goal behind Jason Kreis for 8th place on MLS’ all-time goal-scorers list.
FC Cincinnati’s Yuya Kubo leveled the score in the 58th minute on a pass from 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Luciano Acosta, but the home side quickly responded four minutes later through Ariel Lassiter for his first goal and first game-winning goal of the season.
The match was just the second home opener at Stade Saputo since 2012. Montréal also won the first against the Columbus Crew 1-0 on April 13, 2019.
LA Galaxy Rise to the Top of the Western Conference Standings
Following a hot start to the regular season, the LA Galaxy continue building on their 2024 campaign, bouncing back from a defeat in El Trafico last week to earn a 3-1 win on the road tonight against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place.
With goals from Dejan Joveljic, Joseph Paintsil, and Diego FagĂşndez, The Galaxy improved to a 4-1-3 overall record (15 pts.), and now sit atop the Western Conference standings. Joveljic extended his club goalscoring lead to six, tied for the lead in MLS this season and Paintsil tallied his second MLS goal of the 2024 campaign. Â With his goal in the 82nd minute, FagĂşndez (70 goals, 73 assists) became the 10th player in MLS history and the only active player to record at least 70 goals and 70 assists in his MLS career. Midfielder Riqui Puig also contributed with two assists, totaling four assists so far this season.
The Galaxy’s attack continues to show their form, with 17 goals this season which ranks them second in the league, only two goals behind Inter Miami CF.
