What a week in MLS. LAFC won El Tráfico, Lucho Acosta contributed to some goals and Atlanta United completed a high-profile transfer. It was truly a week unlike any other.
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Kei Kamara skied for a header off a corner and moments later Denis Bouanga sent home a penalty. That’s all LAFC needed to take care of business against the Galaxy in the Rose Bowl. They’ve taken 28 points from the last 30 available. And with the Houston game postponed, they got an extra day off before they host Columbus on Saturday.
Previous: PPD at HOU | Next: 7/13 vs. CLB
Who needs center backs when you can put six up on the board?
Cincy didn’t seem to take kindly to Inter Miami threatening their hold on the Supporters’ Shield. The Garys mollywhopped the Herons on Saturday night in a statement beatdown, highlighted by Lucho Acosta and Luca Orellano balling out.
Cincy reminded everyone how good they can be when they’re rolling. Unfortunately, they’ll soon be without Miles Robinson while he’s on Olympic duty. The good news is they’ll have him back in time for the rematch in Miami on Aug. 24. Miami will have a couple of key pieces back as well…
Previous: 6-1 win vs. MIA | Next: 7/13 vs. CLT
Just another week of the Crew beating up on people. They rolled past Nashville and Toronto to make it four straight wins since their loss to Inter Miami. They’ve outscored opponents 15-1 over that stretch. They’re still very much in the Supporters’ Shield race and it’s not solely because of their outstanding attack. They’ve turned in the best defensive performance in the league this year and are the only team allowing less than a goal per game.
Previous: 4-0 win vs. TOR | Next: 7/13 at LAFC
RSL made their way past Houston thanks to Braian Ojeda’s first-ever MLS goal. Then they bulldozed Atlanta United in a 5-2 romp.
They’re tied on 43 points atop the West and, notably, are getting contributions from folks not named Chicho Arango. Diego Luna had a goal and three assists in the win over Atlanta and Ojeda scored twice last week. They’re looking like a more complete team each week. That’s led to 17 goals scored in their last six games. Arango only scored four of them.
Previous: 5-2 win vs. ATL | Next: 7/13 at POR
Inter Miami finally ran out of 2-1 wins. They found one more against Charlotte midweek, then rolled into Cincinnati for a matchup between the top two teams in the Supporters’ Shield standings. It didn’t quite go as planned. With Sergio Busquets starting at center back, Miami got torched for six goals and Busquets picked up a red card. It’s the second time this year they’ve gone on the road to face one of the East’s best and caught a haymaker.
The good news is this stretch is still going about as well as it possibly could have without Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. They have two more games without them before Leagues Cup and have already taken 13 points from this seven-game stretch.
Previous: 6-1 loss at CIN | Next: Bye
The Galaxy couldn’t hold off LAFC, but bounced back against Minnesota thanks to a brace from Gabriel Pec.
Pec has 5g/4a over his last six games and is up to 17 goal contributions on the season. He’s become the second-most productive member of the Galaxy’s vaunted attack and could catch up to Dejan Joveljic soon. He’s gone from looking uncomfortable in LA’s front four at the start of the year to being one of the most dangerous players in the league. He’s a key reason why they’re tied on points with RSL and LAFC.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. MIN | Next: 7/13 at DAL
The Rapids recovered nicely by sneaking past Sporting KC with a late penalty and bulldozing St. Louis in a 4-1 win. That’s a solid get-right week that keeps them fourth in the West. They’re now four points ahead of fifth-place Portland.
Previous: 4-1 win vs. STL | Next: 7/13 vs. RBNY
With the top of the East pulling away, the goal for the Red Bulls the rest of the year is to stay in a home playoff spot and get hot at the right time. The next few weeks likely won’t be the right time. Emil Forsberg is out with an injury for at least the next month and John Tolkin is off to the Olympics. It’s going to be difficult to get points and stay ahead of New York City FC. Their 0-0 draw against Philly last weekend didn’t help much in that regard.
Previous: 0-0 draw at PHI | Next: 7/13 at COL
Only RSL have scored more often than Portland in the West and only Sporting KC and San Jose have allowed more goals. At the very least, they’re entertaining.
Previous: 4-1 win vs. NSH | Next: 7/13 vs. RSL
Well, look who’s back in the top 10. The Sounders won twice this past week, have won four of their last five, and have won five of their last eight.
Did those five wins come against zero teams currently above the playoff line? Maybe. Sure. Ok, yes. But at least they're taking care of business in the kind of way we expected them to all season.
It’s not enough for anyone at the top of the West to be too frightened yet, but Pedro de la Vega is finally starting to get a few minutes and you can’t ever count out the Sounders. Right?
Previous: 2-0 win vs. NE | Next: 7/13 at ATX
The youngest team in the league is on the kind of run you’d expect. New York City took down Montréal midweek before losing at Austin. They’ve won four and lost four in their last eight games.
Fortunately, they’re still only one point behind the Red Bulls. And it seems like Alonso Martínez is starting to establish himself as a real threat at striker. He had a brace against Montréal to bring him up to eight goals and two assists in eight starts this season.
Previous: 2-1 loss at ATX | Next: 7/13 at CHI
Charlotte became the latest team to fall 2-1 to Inter Miami. It won’t get any easier from here. They visit Cincinnati and Columbus in their next two games.
Previous: 2-1 loss vs. MIA | Next: 7/13 at CIN
Vancouver earned a four-point week with a win over Minnesota and a draw at Montréal. Brian White has scored five goals over their last three games to bring him up to 10 goals on the year.
Previous: 1-1 draw at MTL | Next: 7/13 at STL
The Dynamo couldn’t keep pace with RSL midweek. But they seem to be staying busy in the transfer market.
Their attack could be revamped by the time the summer transfer window closes.
Previous: PPD vs. LAFC | Next: 7/13 vs. MIN
Orlando have started to wake up as we enter the second half of the season. They visited Toronto and pulled out a 2-1 midweek win and then obliterated D.C. United, 5-0, on Saturday. That’s three wins in their last four and, somehow, someway, they’re up to seventh in the Eastern Conference. Catching up to the teams in front of them doesn’t seem likely, but we’ve seen this group get hot before.
Previous: 5-0 win vs. DC | Next: 7/13 at NE
It’s been a weird stretch for Austin. They’ve won twice and lost three over their last six games. That includes their loss two games ago to Sporting KC (yuck) and Saturday’s win over New York City FC (oh, wow, sure, ok). Gyasi Zardes turned back the clock in that win, picking up his first and second goals of the season.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. NYC | Next: 7/13 vs. SEA
The Revs have split their last four games, including a win over Atlanta and loss at Seattle. They’re slowing down a bit, but still, they’ve won five of their last seven. Plus, Giacomo Vrioni might be figuring it out? At least a little? He scored twice in the win over Atlanta and has five goals in his last five games.
Previous: 2-0 loss at SEA | Next: 7/13 vs. ORL
It’s going to be bleak for a moment before it gets better. With Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis both officially gone, Atlanta are operating without two attacking DPs for the next few weeks. They’ll also be without Caleb Wiley as he heads to the Olympics and then maybe just stays in France to join Strasbourg via a loan from Chelsea. On a related note, Atlanta lost both of their road games last week. But, hey, this seems fun.
Previous: 5-2 loss at RSL | Next: 7/13 at MTL
Dallas pulled out a big win over Portland on July 4… then immediately turned around and lost to Sporting KC. They just can’t put together consistent results (though there was some squad rotation).
Previous: 3-2 loss at SKC | Next: 7/13 vs. LA
This week didn’t go well and Nashville have technically lost three games in a row. Let’s not worry about that, though. Let’s look to the future.
B.J. Callaghan has never been a club head coach. Your guess is as good as any as to how this will go.
Previous: 4-1 loss at POR | Next: 7/13 at DC
This has come crashing down to the point where the first half of Minnesota’s season feels like a collective fever dream. Did we all imagine Tani Oluwaseyi becoming an elite striker? I remember Robin Lod delivering assists for fun? It feels like they might have been difficult as hell to break down too? Real or not, that’s all in the past now.
The Loons have lost six in a row and have one win since mid-May. They’re officially below the playoff line. We can only chalk this up to international absences for so long. They need a big summer window.
Previous: 2-1 loss at LA | Next: 7/13 at HOU
I'm still interested to see what Montréal look like at full strength, but Canada keep winning at Copa América and holding onto like a third of their starting lineup. Maybe one day this year we’ll find out what Montréal’s best XI actually is.
Previous: 1-1 draw vs. VAN | Next: 7/13 vs. ATL
Chicago followed up a midweek win against the Union with a 1-0 loss to San Jose because of course they did. Don’t give up hope though!* They’re still just three points below the playoff line.
*Don’t desperately hold onto it either, you know how this goes.
Previous: 1-0 loss at SJ | Next: 7/13 vs. NYC
Bad season. Philly are one point out of last place in the East.
Previous: 0-0 draw vs. RBNY | Next: 7/13 at TOR
SKC rebounded from a disappointing July 4 loss against Colorado to earn a 3-2 win over Dallas. What’s most important here is we got this moment out of it.
Previous: 3-2 win vs. DAL | Next: 7/13 at SJ
Ok, 26th place feels a little harsh for a team that’s still technically above the playoff line. But, on the other hand, Toronto look a lot like the team we expected to finish near the bottom of the standings right now. They’ve lost six in a row and have one MLS win since mid May.
Previous: 4-0 loss at CLB | Next: 7/13 vs. PHI
St. Louis took down San Jose midweek before getting rolled by Colorado over the weekend. The San Jose win was their first since May 11 against Chicago.
Previous: 4-1 loss at COL | Next: 7/13 vs. VAN
After coming up short against FC Cincinnati, D.C. took a haymaker to the chin against Orlando. They’re one of the most disappointing teams of the season so far considering the leads they’ve blown and their results relative to their underlying numbers. The roster needs a facelift.
Previous: 5-0 loss at ORL | Next: 7/13 vs. NSH
The only team in the league without 20 points.
Previous: 1-0 win vs. CHI | Next: 7/13 vs. SKC
