The leaves are starting to change colors as fall is kicking into gear, and the golazos are heating up with the regular season winding down. Here are the four AT&T 5G Goal of the Matchday candidates for Matchday 35.
João Klauss: St. Louis CITY SC had a lot to celebrate Saturday night in a 4-1 dismantling of their Midwestern neighbors Sporting Kansas City. The victory clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference – a first in MLS history for an expansion side – and booked a 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup berth. João Klauss made sure they got there in style, popping up his first touch to set up a volleyed finish for his second goal of the night.
Mateusz Klich: With D.C. United trying to push above the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs line in the Eastern Conference, every point is vital down the stretch. That’s what made the second-half equalizer from Mateusz Klich in a 2-2 draw at Vancouver Whitecaps FC so important. Oh, and it was aesthetically pleasing too, with the Leeds United legend taking Theodore Ku-DiPietro’s cross off the bounce and firing the deflected half-volley into the side netting.
Georgios Koutsias: Like D.C. United, Chicago Fire FC are level on points with ninth-place CF Montréal and are very much in the playoff mix. Georgios Koutsias played a starring role in a massive 1-0 road win over the New York Red Bulls, powering home a headed finish off a perfect free-kick delivery from Xherdan Shaqiri.
Santiago Rodríguez: New York City FC extended their unbeaten streak to six straight games and reached eighth place after a 1-1 draw at Inter Miami CF. Santiago Rodríguez scored the Cityzens' lone goal, a sensational roofed finish that gives the young Uruguayan playmaker 1g/3a in his last five appearances.
Check out all of the nominees below:
