Surging Sporting Kansas City Making Summer Move
After a slow start to 2023, Sporting Kansas City is flourishing with the return of key players from injury. Since the start of May, Sporting has taken 17 points (5-2-2), which is the most in the Western Conference over the span.
Two big returnees have been the spark in the SKC attack: Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda. Pulido, the Mexican forward, has scored four goals and added an assist in his last three matches, earning Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire honors for Matchday 18, while Kinda, who is working his way back to full fitness, scored and assisted against FC Dallas on May 31 – a 2-1 victory for Sporting KC.
If Sporting make the postseason in 2023, they will join the 2003 LA Galaxy as the only teams to start winless through at least their first eight games of a season and still qualify for the postseason.
The club will look to continue their hot streak as they travel to face the LA Galaxy on Wednesday (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass) and then host Chicago Fire FC on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
MLS Starlets Look to Break Out at Gold Cup
With the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup Group Stage kicking off this weekend, a wave of MLS starlets is gearing up for their opportunity to represent the United States and Canada at a competitive international tournament.
This weekend when the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup kicks off, 53 MLS and MLS NEXT Pro players will be on Gold Cup Rosters, representing 12 of 19 countries competing in the tournament.
Sixteen players on the U.S. roster represent 12 different MLS clubs, with four of those players ages 21 years old or younger.
That list includes San Jose Earthquakes forward Cade Cowell, who scored three goals for the U.S. at the U-20 FIFA World Cup in May. Joining Cowell is the Columbus Crew’s Aiden Morris, the LA Galaxy’s Jalen Neal, and the New York Red Bulls’ John Tolkin who return to camp after earning their first-ever call-ups this past January where each earned their first USMNT start.
For Canada, Colorado Rapids rookie defender Moïse Bombito and Crew forward Jacen Russell-Rowe are among the young MLS stars looking to make their debuts for Canada. Selected third overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas, Bombito broke into the Rapids first team’s defense after returning from injury in mid-May. Russell-Rowe receives his first call-up six months after earning 2022 MLS NEXT Pro MVP and the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot Award (21 goals).
Leagues Cup: West Region Preview
Getting to know The West:
The West Region includes five clubs that have appeared in the Concacaf Champions Cup Final since 2010, including each of the last five winners in Club León (2023), Seattle Sounders FC (2022), CF Monterrey (2021, 2019), and Tigres UANL (2020).
The Groups:
West 1: Portland Timbers, Tigres UANL, San Jose Earthquakes
West 2: Real Salt Lake, CF Monterrey, Seattle Sounders FC
West 3: LA Galaxy, Club León, Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Stories to Watch:
- Region of Death: Not only does the West Region boast each of the last five Concacaf Champions Cup winners, but it also includes the reigning Canadian Championship winners in Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Tigres also enters the tournament as the Clausura 2023 champions.
- Flash from the Past: Real Salt Lake and CF Monterrey will face off on Saturday, July 22 (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass) for the first time since they met in the 2011 Concacaf Champions League Final. The final ended 3-2 in Monterrey’s favor after an enthralling two-legged final.
- Continental Returns: The LA Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes will make their returns to continental play for the first time since the 2015-16 and 2013-14 Champions League seasons, respectively. Despite having seven MLS Cups between them, both clubs enter Leagues Cup on a mission to bring a continental title back to California for the first time in over 20 years.
Players to Watch:
- Brian White (Vancouver): White has scored five of his six goals this season at home and will look to add to his tally when León arrives at BC Place on Friday, July 21 (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
- Cristian Espinoza (San Jose): Espinoza ranks sixth in goal contributions with eight goals and five assists through 18 games played this season, with six goals coming at home.
- Sebastián Córdova (Tigres): Córdova led all goal scorers during the Clausura 2023 tournament with six goals, including a crucial equalizer in the final against Chivas Guadalajara.
Celebrating Pride Month: Atlanta United’s All Stripes
Atlanta United’s official LGBTQ+ supporters' group, All Stripes, continue to grow their base and create an inclusive group for all to participate. All Stripes partners with several different additional LGBTQ+ local businesses in Atlanta to further establish themselves in the community.
MLSsoccer.com’s Megan Swanick spoke with All Stripes president Norbert Birman and chronicled their proud and fun journey as an organization earlier this month, which can be read HERE.
By The Numbers
Below is a breakdown of several of the league’s standout teams and players entering Matchdays 20 and 21, including the continued brilliance of Hany Mukhtar, goals contributed by Cucho Hernández, and homefield advantage in Cincinnati, New England, and San Jose.
- 3: Three teams have the chance to record a 10-match home unbeaten streak this week: FC Cincinnati (9-0-0) vs. Toronto FC on Wednesday, the New England Revolution (6-0-3) vs. Toronto on Saturday, and the San Jose Earthquakes (6-0-3) vs. St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday.
- 9: Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández has provided a goal or assist in nine consecutive matches, becoming the first player in club history to reach that mark. Cucho can become just the fourth player since 2019 to record a streak of 10 or more games with a goal contribution in a single season, joining the likes of Josef Martínez (15 games in 2019), Sebastián Driussi (11 games in 2022), and Johnny Russell (10 games in 2021).
- 40: Three crafty midfielders – San Jose’s Cristian Espinoza (46 key passes), New England’s Carles Gil (43), and Atlanta’s Thiago Almada (42) -- are the only players in MLS with at least 40 key passes this season.
- 43: Seattle’s Yeimar leads Major League Soccer with 43 interceptions this season and has recorded nine across his last two matches. He finished atop the league in interceptions in both 2021 (86) and 2022 (75) and is the only player to record at least 70 interceptions in each of the last two seasons.
- 82: With his hat trick on Matchday 19, Nashville SC midfielder Hany Mukhtar recorded his 80th, 81st, and 82nd goal contributions since the start of the 2021 season. Mukhtar’s 82 contributions are tied for the seventh-most in MLS history over a three-year span and are only 10 behind the record of 92, set by Sebastian Giovinco from 2015-17.
Tap-Ins: Matchdays 20 & 21
A look at other headlines and activity around Major League Soccer ahead of Matchdays 20 and 21:
- MLS Launches Juneteenth-Inspired Charity Auction (HypeBeast)
MLS Season Pass Broadcast Schedule: Matchday 20
Below is the MLS Season Pass broadcast schedule for Matchday 20, including English-language commentators for each match with the play-by-play talent listed first, followed by the match analyst.
