The largest Saturday slate of games in MLS history delivered, from a battle of unbeatens to bountiful MLS After Dark goalfests for an impact-driven Matchday 9 Team of the Matchday presented by Audi.
Full team (3-4-3, left to right)
Starters: Sean Johnson (TOR) - Logan Ndenbe (SKC), Andrew Privett (CLT), Marcelo Weigandt (MIA) - Benjamin Cremaschi (MIA), Quinn Sullivan (PHI), Evander (CIN), João Peglow (DC) - Dániel Sallói (SKC), Felipe Mora (POR), Ignatius Ganago (NE)
Coach: Dean Smith (CLT)
Bench: Pedro Gallese (ORL), Yeimar (SEA), Édier Ocampo (VAN), Owen Wolff (ATX), Djordje Mihailovic (COL), Ondřej Lingr (HOU), Jesús Ferreira (SEA), Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Cristian Arango (SJ)
Team highlights
In the day's early action, Huntington Bank Stadium of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns hosted a Columbus Crew club-record crowd of 60,614 for the battle of unbeatens against Inter Miami CF. Ensuring the Herons emerged with the only unblemished record remaining, Marcelo Weigandt assisted Benjamin Cremaschi for the winning goal in a high-level 1-0 victory.
That result left the door open for Dean Smith’s Charlotte FC to claim the top spot in the Eastern Conference by maintaining a perfect 5W-0L-0D record at The Crown’s Bank of America Stadium fortress this season. Andrew Privett shut out San Diego FC at the back and headed home a free kick in attack to round out the 3-0 rout.
Conjuring the same impressive 3-0 scoreline for the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park against Atlanta United, Quinn Sullivan lived up to Charlie Boehm’s pre-match hype with a gorgeous chest-controlled half-volley followed by a late game-sealing assist.
Not to be outdone, João Peglow inserted his own AT&T Goal of the Year bid with a perfectly executed bicycle kick, kissing off the inside of the far post in D.C. United’s visit to the New York Red Bulls. After opening the scoring with his first MLS goal, Peglow’s acrobatic overhead kick completed a first-half brace to secure the 2-1 victory.
Also scoring his first MLS goal, Ignatius Ganago provided New England Revolution’s first open-play assist of the season to break the deadlock in a 2-0 home win against New York City FC.
Then the high-scoring affairs began, starting at Soldier Field where FC Cincinnati’s Evander completed his brace with the winning goal in a 3-2 thriller over Chicago Fire FC.
MLS After Dark continued to turn up the heat at Providence Park as Felipe Mora also bagged a brace to earn a point for the Portland Timbers in a rollercoaster 3-3 draw with LAFC.
Dániel Sallói capped off the goalscoring abundance for Sporting Kansas City at PayPal Park with a brace and an assist for Logan Ndenbe’s lasered opener in a 5-3 explosion against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Finally, Sean Johnson earned Toronto FC their first win of the season with five indispensable stops in a 1-0 triumph at Real Salt Lake.
