What a week in MLS. Columbus scored a late winner, Tai Baribo found the back of the net and Seattle lost to LAFC. It was truly a week unlike any other.
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Just the Crew doing Crew things.
DeJuan Jones’ first MLS goal for his new side came at the perfect time. He probably hasn’t scored too many from just outside the six-yard box, but that’s how things go in Columbus. We’ll see that a few more times before he leaves.
Anyway, Columbus are two points behind second-place FC Cincinnati with two games in hand. They have a meeting with Seattle over the weekend and then it’s a Hell Is Real derby that could just about seal the second spot in the East.
Previous: 4-2 win vs. NYC | Next: 9/7 vs. SEA
The Herons didn’t blink against Chicago and rolled to a 4-1 win. The Shield is heading to South Beach.
Will Miami grab the points record too? They have seven games left to earn 15 points and the schedule isn’t easy. A resurgent Philadelphia side is up next, then it’s Atlanta, a team that’s already beaten them this season, NYCFC, Charlotte and Columbus before they close with Toronto and New England. There are probably five wins in there. But only probably.
Previous: 4-1 win at CHI | Next: Bye
LAFC had a chance to gain ground on the Galaxy, but came up short against a dangerous Houston side. Now they have to regroup and face that same Houston side again – this time in LA – before preparing for perhaps the biggest El Tráfico ever. They’re five points back of the Galaxy with three games in hand.
Oh, and they have a US Open Cup final to prepare for.
Previous: 2-0 loss vs. HOU | Next: 9/7 at HOU
Cincy bounced back from their 2-0 loss to Miami with a straightforward 4-1 win over Montréal.
Oh, and Luca Orellano did this.
That’s a decent way to pick up some slack with Lucho Acosta missing due to yellow card suspension. Hopefully, Acosta is back to 100% for a huge Hell Is Real against Columbus next weekend.
Previous: 4-1 win vs. MTL | Next: Bye
Marco Reus’ first MLS appearance couldn’t have gone better. His first start… everything could have gone better for the Galaxy.
A Riqui Puig-less LA couldn’t find their way in a 2-1 loss at St. Louis, putting their spot at the top of the West in danger. They were very lucky LAFC also dropped points over the weekend. Next week’s El Tráfico is looming large.
Previous: 2-1 loss at STL | Next: Bye
They were down twice in this one before coming back to earn all three points on the road and keep hold of the fourth spot in the West. A six-pointer against Portland is waiting for them on the other side of the international break.
Previous: 3-2 win at DAL | Next: Bye
Despite missing Chicho Arango, RSL rolled to a 2-0 win over New England to stay three points ahead of Colorado. Anderson Julio filled in nicely at the No. 9 spot and picked up a goal for his efforts. They’ll need more of the same against Houston next week.
Previous: 2-0 win vs. NE | Next: Bye
The Whitecaps have quietly positioned themselves to take over the fourth spot in the West. They took down Austin over the weekend to pull within three points of a home playoff match. With two games in hand, they could easily sneak into fourth (or even third?) by the time we reach Decision Day, especially with new signing Stuart Armstrong entering the fray.
Previous: 1-0 win at ATX | Next: 9/7 vs. DAL
The Timbers and Sounders had identical records heading into the weekend… except for the Sounders’ win over Portland earlier this season. Well, now the Timbers have evened things back up.
Portland lept into sixth place with a critical 1-0 win against their archrivals, and are just four points out of fourth and four goals ahead of Seattle on goal differential. No one is going to want any part of this team in the playoffs.
Previous: 1-0 win vs. SEA | Next: Bye
Well, that’s much more like it.
The Dynamo followed up a miserable 1-0 loss to Toronto by taking down LAFC, 2-0, thanks to goals from their two new attacking signings, Ezequiel Ponce and Lawrence Ennali. Unfortunately, Ennali left early with a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season. There were so many good things to say about Houston with this result, but a long-term injury makes them all moot.
Previous: 2-0 win at LAFC | Next: 9/7 vs. LAFC
Seriously, no one wants fourth place in the East?
The Red Bulls put up a brick against Philadelphia over the weekend in a 2-0 loss that kept them only three points out in front of NYCFC. They’ve missed multiple opportunities to build on that lead and it doesn’t feel like they’re going to start taking advantage of those anytime soon. They’ve won twice in their last 11 games and still don’t have a DP No. 9.
Previous: 2-0 loss vs. PHI | Next: 9/7 vs. SKC
Just a whole year of things starting to feel like they’re going ok and then things suddenly not going ok. Seattle looked to be back on track after a 3-2 win over Minnesota last week and then followed it up with yet another loss to LAFC in the US Open Cup semifinals and then a 1-0 loss to Portland. This group can’t catch a break and I’d imagine it’s been grating to watch as a fan. They could always make a run in the playoffs, but it feels like a secret ingredient is missing.
Previous: 1-0 loss at POR | Next: 9/7 at CLB
The Lions and Oscar Pareja are doing that thing again.
Now, it’s not quite as pronounced a second-half run as last year’s, but still, they’re climbing up the Eastern Conference standings and no one above them seems interested in doing much about it.
Orlando’s 3-0 win over Nashville put them one point out of sixth, two points out of fifth and five points out of fourth. There’s a world here where Orlando somehow end up hosting in Round One. They’ve won six of their last nine and the final seven games are relatively manageable. They aren’t a contender now for anything, but at least they’re salvaging a season that felt rough for a while.
Previous: 3-0 win vs. NSH | Next: Bye
They got Crew’d again. There’s not a whole lot more to add. Someone’s going to have to claim this fourth spot in the East at some point though. It still feels like New York City FC have the best shot right now. They’ll have to prove it over their upcoming five-game stretch that features matchups with Miami, Red Bulls and Cincinnati.
Previous: 4-2 loss at CLB | Next: Bye
Charlotte had all three DPs in the starting lineup for the first time… and didn’t look all that dangerous in attack during a 1-0 loss at home to Atlanta. All you can do if you’re a Charlotte fan is hope it’s just an early misstep before the team gels right in time for the playoffs.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. ATL | Next: Bye
Have we considered Tai Baribo might be the best soccer player on the planet? He scored again last weekend in the Union’s 2-0 win over New York and has Philly on the verge of getting back over the playoff line. He has seven goals in 10 MLS starts this year and eight goals in his last eight starts in all competitions. He might just end up pushing the Union over the top when all is said and done. At the very least, he’s the bright spot for Philadelphia this season.
Previous: 2-0 win at RBNY | Next: Bye
The Five Stripes have had two road performances this year that have made you wonder why 2024 isn’t going a whole lot better: Their 3-1 win over Inter Miami in May and last weekend’s 1-0 win in Charlotte. They looked sharp on the ball, actively moved into space, got numbers forward, and got the ball off their feet at speed when Charlotte got disorganized.
Those improvements already seem like a byproduct of new DP Alexey Miranchuk coming into the starting lineup. Miranchuk and a standout performance from Jay Fortune drove Atlanta forward in this one.
Previous: 1-0 win at CLT | Next: Bye
They're just not a great team – the only MLS side with more losses is San Jose – but they’re still above the playoff line. They’re trying to get a car with no gas to roll downhill into a gas station at this point. They might have enough momentum to make it there, even if it isn’t pretty.
Previous: 3-1 loss vs. DC | Next: Bye
Things were going well until they weren’t. And then things started going well again until they weren’t. And then things ended up going really badly.
Dallas blew two leads at home against Colorado before capitulating completely in the final minutes of the match. They missed a huge opportunity to gain some points in the playoff race. Now, they’re three points back of ninth place.
At least Logan Farrington is good?
Previous: 3-2 loss vs. COL | Next: 9/7 at VAN
D.C. put together a complete performance against Toronto in a 3-1 win. We haven’t seen many of those from them this year, but it came at a great time. They’re only two points below the playoff line with seven games to go. This is still possible. And the underlying numbers will tell you they deserve a few breaks down the stretch.
Previous: 3-1 win at TOR | Next: 9/7 at CHI
Austin could have really used a home win against Vancouver to kick off a brutal final stretch. Instead, they didn’t put a shot on target in a 1-0 loss. They’re officially below the playoff line now and their schedule might keep them there. Each of their last seven games comes against teams above the playoff line and they’ll play six of the top seven teams in the West to close the year.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. VAN | Next: Bye
SKC’s playoff hopes are gone, but at least they’re only one win away from a trophy. They took care of business in the US Open Cup semifinal and will face LAFC in the final. The even better (?) news here though is because LAFC already have a spot, SKC clinched a Concacaf Champions Cup berth with the win. That sounds great in theory, but in practice an extra competition can make a thin roster feel even thinner very quickly. Sporting have work to do.
Previous: Bye | Next: 9/7 at RBNY
Barring a miralce, St. Louis aren't making the playoffs, but they’re not going out without a fight and without showing some flashes of what could be. They played well and even used the ball a little in an impressive 2-1 win over LA.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. LA | Next: 9/7 at NE
The Loons got it together for a moment and took down last-place San Jose, 2-1. That’s great, but they’ve won two MLS games since June 1. Both wins came against last-place San Jose. They’re above the playoff line again, but they’re really going to have to start winning against non-San Jose teams again.
Previous: 2-1 win at SJ | Next: Bye
The Revs took a cross-country trip to take on RSL and it went about how it always does for teams traveling cross-country to take on RSL. Their schedule will get a little gentler until they face Columbus and Miami to close out the year.
There’s still time to make up a five-point gap between them and the playoff line. They have two games in hand on everyone in front of them.
Previous: 2-0 loss at RSL | Next: 9/7 vs. STL
Chicago got run over by Miami. With seven games left, they’re five points below the line.
It’s just that time of the year.
Previous: 4-1 loss vs. MIA | Next: 9/7 vs. DC
Can we start preparing to call a time of death on 2024 Montréal? They followed their 5-0 loss to New England with a 4-1 loss to Cincinnati. Their only saving grace right now is their remaining seven games are about as easy as can be. Maybe they can spring back to life even though they’re flatlining?
Previous: 4-1 loss at CIN | Next: Bye
The San Jose Earthquakes did not win last weekend.
Previous: 2-1 loss vs. MIN | Next: Bye
They’re last in the East and five points back of the playoff line with seven games to go following their 3-0 loss at Orlando. They absolutely 100% have to beat Atlanta next week or it's over.
Previous: 3-0 loss at ORL | Next: Bye
