Top Things to Watch in MLS This Week
Four MLS Teams Get Set for CCL Quarterfinal Leg 2 Action
With a 9-2 aggregate goal advantage heading into Leg 2 of the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals, four MLS teams get ready for the second leg of the home and home series. The New England Revolution, New York City FC, and Seattle Sounders FC are each coming off strong performances that include three goals scored during each Leg 1 home game, while CF Montréal, the lone MLS team to play Leg 1 on the road, looks to overcome a one-goal deficit as they host Leg 2.
Below is a schedule of this week’s Leg 2 quarterfinal matches. As the region’s premier club competition continues, MLS sides are still in the hunt for a chance to face the world’s best in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Tonight, Tuesday, March 15
New York City FC vs. Comunicaciones (8 p.m. ET, FS1)
Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores in Guatemala City, Guatemala
*NYCFC leads 3-1 on aggregate.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 16
CF Montréal vs. Cruz Azul (8 p.m. ET, Broadcast TBC)
Stade Olympique in Montréal, Canada
*Montreal is down 0-1 on aggregate.
New England Revolution vs. Pumas UNAM (10:15 p.m. ET, Broadcast TBC)
Estadio Olímpico Universitario in México City
*New England leads 3-0 on aggregate
Thursday, March 17
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Club León (8:30 p.m. ET, Broadcast TBC)
Estadio León in León, Guanajuato, Mexico
*Seattle Sounders FC leads 3-0 on aggregate
MLS Player Production Translates from CCL into Regular Season
The individual stat sheets are in MLS’ favor, as production from the league’s top talent is crossing over from the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League into the MLS regular season.
NYCFC remains the highest scoring club in CCL competition with nine goals, as Valentín “Taty” Castellanos has recorded the most shots (15) in CCL play and has three goals in the competition, tied for the lead in scoring. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Brazilian forward Talles Magno is a dangerous second-half scorer, who notched two late goals against Santos de Guápiles (Costa Rica) in the CCL Round of 16 before scoring a second-half MLS regular season goal against CF Montréal last week following his first-half assist.
Seattle Sounders FC have scored the most goals in a CCL match this year (5), posted the highest single-game goal differential (5-0), and rank second in goals scored (8), behind only NYCFC (9) in CCL action. U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Cristian Roldan is the CCL assist leader (4), and he added another helper to his cumulative tally, with an assist during last week’s 3-0 MLS regular season win over the LA Galaxy. Seattle’s Fredy Montero put up a two-goal performance in the CCL Leg 1 quarterfinal against Club León, which was the same match that Jordan Morris scored his first goal since 2020. Both Morris and Montero followed that CCL performance by each scoring against the Galaxy in league play.
New England Revolution striker and Poland international Adam Buksa put away two late scores in Leg 1 of these quarterfinals against Pumas. His contributions continued in the regular season last week with two header assists provided against Real Salt Lake.
Player Spotlight: Columbus Crew Midfielder Lucas Zelarayán
Off to one of the hottest starts in MLS history, midfielder Lucas Zelarayán continues his run of dynamic playmaking for the Columbus Crew, scoring in each of the club’s three matches this year and in six consecutive games dating back to Oct. 27, 2021. Since joining the club in 2020 from Tigres UANL of Liga MX, Zelarayán has established himself as a threat from all over the pitch, scoring an MLS-best 14 goals from outside the box since 2020 - doubling the next closest player over the span (Nashville SC’s Randall Leal, seven).
“He's one of the best players in the league. He's a special player,” Crew head coach Caleb Porter said following Columbus’ 2-1 victory over Toronto FC in Week 3. “The technique on that first goal, that is high level. I mean, the technique for him to pop that ball basically at the pace and precision that he struck that ball with, that's world-class.”
In addition to scoring from distance, Zelarayán’s precision makes him a game-changer on set pieces. Since arriving in MLS in 2020, he leads the league with seven goals off direct free kicks (more than twice the next closest player), and his five goals from direct free kicks last season tied for the second-most in a single season across the past 20 years, behind only Sebastian Giovinco’s six in 2017. He is already tied for fourth in MLS history in total direct free kick goals (7), alongside David Beckham and Christian Gomez (since records are available from 2003). Last week, his perfectly-placed free kick connected with Jonathan Mensah, whose header found Derrick Etienne for the club’s go-ahead goal.
Zelarayán, who leads the league in goals (4) and combined goals and assists (6) through six weeks, will look to extend his scoring streak against the New York Red Bulls on Sunday afternoon (2 p.m. ET, MLS LIVE on ESPN+).
Chicago Stays Clean Behind 17-Year-Old Goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina
After opening the season with consecutive 0-0 draws, Chicago Fire FC broke through for its first win of the 2022 season with a 2-0 victory over D.C. United at Audi Field last week. Chicago is one of just eight teams in MLS history to open a season with at least three consecutive shutouts.
Leading the way is 17-year-old Homegrown goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, who, last year, became the youngest starting goalkeeper in MLS history at 17 years, 81 days old (Aug. 4, 2021 vs. New York City FC). Slonina, who was affectionately dubbed “Gaga” when he was just six years old, has made his impact felt on the Fire’s back end, recording seven clean sheets in only 14 career MLS games, including each of the first three this year.
With a fourth consecutive shutout possible against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday (6 p.m. ET, MLS LIVE on ESPN+), Gaga could become the first player in league history to accomplish the feat in his team’s first four games of the season.
Hailing from Addision, Ill., Slonina continues to strengthen his case for a call-up to the USMNT after earning his first national-team call-up ahead of the January qualifying window. However, the teenager is keeping it all in perspective, attacking his calendar one day at a time and focusing on continuing his successful run in his hometown.
Don Garber receives Werner Fricker Builder Award from U.S. Soccer
MLS Commissioner Don Garber has been named the winner of the 2022 Werner Fricker Builder Award by U.S. Soccer, the Federation announced Friday.
First awarded in 2002, the Werner Fricker Builder Award is given to an individual or group of individuals who dedicate at least 20 years of service to the sport, working to establish a lasting legacy in the history and structure of soccer in the United States. The award is named after former U.S. Soccer president Werner Fricker, who served in the role from 1984 to 1990 and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1992.
Garber's tenure as MLS Commissioner has spanned 23 years, overseeing the league's rapid growth across the national and global soccer landscape. Under Garber's watch, MLS has expanded from 10 to 29 clubs. The league's currently in its 27th season, with St. Louis CITY SC joining as an expansion side in 2023 and Las Vegas among candidates for team No. 30.
Garber has led efforts to develop 26 soccer-specific stadiums in the United States and Canada, with more set to open in the next few years. MLS has added new, diverse owners and secured long-term agreements with major broadcast outlets worldwide. The owners have invested more than $8 billion in stadiums and training facilities, and MLS also has nearly 10,000 full-time people working for the league and its clubs, including many former players.
Within the last two years, under Garber's leadership, the league established MLS NEXT and MLS NEXT Pro to create an integrated player pathway from the youth ranks through MLS first teams.
Rebound-Ready Chicharito to Face Record-Watching Gallese
LA Galaxy forward Javier “Chicharito” Hernández is one of top finishers in MLS, and he is only two goals away from catching the league’s scoring leader. As he looks to regain some ground on the scorer’s sheet this weekend, the LA Galaxy will be up against Orlando City SC and Peruvian international goalkeeper Pedro Gallese - who sits one clean sheet away from setting a new club record on Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park (3:30 p.m. ET, Univision / Twitter for English audio).
Hernández has scored a goal in two of the Galaxy’s first three matches this season, and he could be primed for his first multi-goal outing of the 2022 campaign. After opening the scoring in the 7th minute against Seattle last week, the Galaxy ultimately fell 3-2, which could provide some extra incentive.
Orlando City also will be seeking to avenge their first loss of the season, as Lions goalkeeper Gallese stands one shutout away from eclipsing Joe Bendik’s clean-sheet record (13). With a perfect match this weekend, Gallese could accomplish the feat in 44 less games than Bendik.
Will a Chicharito rally prevail or will Gallese fend of the scoring to claim a new record?
Emergent Austin Welcomes Surging Seattle to Q2 Stadium
In a back-and-forth affair last week, Seattle Sounders FC recorded its first victory of the 2022 MLS season and the 200th MLS regular season win in club history with a 3-2 victory over LA Galaxy at Lumen Field in Seattle. A trio of goals from Jordan Morris, Fredy Montero (PK) and Xavier Arreaga paced the club, who will look to win consecutive games for the first time since a four-game winning streak from Sept. 26 - Oct. 9, 2021.
Sebastián Driussi (three goals, two assists) and Austin FC look to rebound after its first loss of the season last week in a closely contested 1-0 battle in Portland. Austin enters Week 4 with an MLS-best +8 goal differential, tied for the highest mark in league history through three weeks. The Verde & Black have won six of its past seven games at Q2 Stadium, scoring 19 goals over that span.
Austin FC host Seattle Sounders FC at Q2 Stadium on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, FS1 / FOX Deportes).
