Another quick author’s note before we start:

It’s Leagues Cup time people! No matter how you feel about it, it’s here.  It’s a new format this year (one I’m not too fond of) so we’ll see how it all pans out.  It’s the only MLS action you’ll be able to take in over the next couple weeks, so put your feelings aside and enjoy the growing rivalry between MLS and Liga MX. For that reason, you’ll see a Leagues Cup preview soon in lieu of any analysis this week.  I’m going to choose to lean into it and enjoy the games this year… and so should you.  Without further ado, here’s your Matchday 27 recap:

Columbus Crew 1-3 Orlando City SC

One of the big questions going to the weekend was if Orlando City belonged in the discussion of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.  OCSC ended Friday night responding to anyone who was wondering with a resounding YES.  The Lion’s left their den and went into the fortress of Lower.com Field and took all three points, handing the Crew just their second home loss of the season.

Columbus started the game on the front foot, generating chances at will through the first quarter of the match, but to no avail.  Nevertheless, the home side would feel positive going into the break, feeling their breakthrough was just a matter of time.  Just past the hour mark, the Crew got the break they were looking for, when VAR determined Marco Pasalic handled the ball in his own box, awarding Columbus a penalty.  Diego Rossi stepped up and slotted home the spot kick, sending OCSC goalkeeper Pedro Gallese the wrong way.  Immediately Oscar Pareja turned to his bench and brought on Ramiro Enrique, and the 24 year old Argentinian didn’t take long to find himself in the game.  Unmarked in the box, Enrique headed home an Iván Angulo cross in the 76th minute.  Orlando could smell the blood, and the pressure continued to mount just a couple minutes later when Pasalic forced a point blank save from goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.  The five minute onslaught concluded when Angulo once again found Enrique, this time for a tap in finish in the 79th minute to put Orlando ahead for good.  Martín Ojeda sealed the victory for the visiting side five minutes into the allotted 10 of stoppage time, firing a shot under Schulte’s arm at the near post.

Columbus will rue not capitalizing on their first half opportunities, which could have definitely swung the game in their favor.  They’ll head into the Leagues Cup break in pretty good form, taking 16 of the last 24 available points and sitting in fourth place in the crowded Eastern Conference.  Orlando pulled to within three points of Columbus, sitting in sixth.  The two sandwich Inter Miami, who face off against Orlando when the Leagues Cup break commences.

Two home field advantage hopefuls squared off at BMO Stadium on Friday night, trying to keep pace with Seattle for the coveted fourth place spot in the Western Conference.  A slow first half would see Portland the happier side going into the break, that is until Cristhian Paredes stunned the home crowd just before halftime.  LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made a fantastic save, denying David Ayala the opening goal just before halftime, but Paredes headed home the ensuing corner kick to give the visitors the lead.  The unmarked Paredes found himself as the free man and expertly headed the would be winning goal off the crossbar and the post, leaving Lloris and the LAFC defenders with no chance.

The second half witnessed LAFC dominate the play, and Portland dig their heals in, attempting to see out the remainder of the game— which is exactly what they did.

10 minutes into the second half, Portland goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau robbed Nathan Ordaz of an empty net tap in.  Artem Smolyakov found himself behind the Timbers’ back line, in on goal and unselfishly slid a cross to Ordaz, who would have expected an easy tap in, but Crepeau sprawled out and robbed Ordaz of the equalizer in stunning fashion.

Javairô Dilrosun’s curling left footed effort narrowly missed the far post just moments later and in the 67th minute, a long distance Smolyakov shot dribbled into Crepeau’s bread basket.  The moment of the match came just a minute later when Ryan Hollingshead’s header dropped kindly to Kenneth Nielsen, who attempted an acrobatic overhead kick which was blocked first by Finn Surman and then tipped off the crossbar by Crepeau.  That’s a lot to visualize in writing so here:

The game would finish 1-0 in favor of the Timbers, with Crepeau rightfully receiving Man of The Match honors.

Portland jumped ahead of LAFC to move into fifth place in the West, just one point behind Cascadia rivals Seattle Sounders for the final home playoff spot.  Keep an eye on Portland heading into Leagues Cup.  They not only have the firepower to go head to head with the Liga MX style, but of their three opponents, two of them missed the Clausura playoffs.  Look for them to make a deep run in the competition.

LAFC dropped down to sixth in the conference standings, although they still have two games in hand on both Seattle and Portland and sit just two points off of that coveted fourth place position.  LAFC had a strong run between their Club World Cup exit and the Leagues Cup break, winning three of the six games they played and taking 10 out of a possible 18 points.  It’s lower than their lofty expectations would allow for, but every opponent was a Western Conference foe and all of them are challenging for playoff position.  They, too, will have big ambitions for Leagues Cup, but need to be careful not to set aside MLS play with the new Leagues Cup format.  It’s vital they keep pace with the top teams in the West and take advantage of their games in hand.

Atlanta United 2-2 Seattle Sounders

We recapped both of these teams last week, and the only reason I’m going to include them this week is because of how this game ended and the reactions from the field.  Seattle traveled to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on a fairly short week to go cross country, and thought they’d stolen three points until Aleksey Miranchuk had the last laugh and the teams shared the spoils.

It was a weird game from the start when Emmanuel Latte Lath had his cross blocked by Sounders center back Yeimar, deflecting into his own net.  Atlanta were the aggressors in the first half, and almost found themselves with a doubled lead after youngster Luke Brennan not only hit the post in his debut, but also had a goal called back for offsides just before the halftime whistle.

Seattle would find themselves level, astonishingly, just 10 minutes from the start of the second half.  An innocuous Yeimar clearance from inside his own box caught the Atlanta defenders by surprise, as Pedro De La Vega picked up the ball on the other side of midfield and finished off a solo run to level the match.  How he found himself 3 on 1 with only Derrick Williams to defend them we’ll never be known, but the Argentinian slotted home a clean finish and tied the game for the visiting Sounders.  Atlanta continued to push the tempo in search for a winner, but their calls went unanswered throughout the rest of regulation time.  Just when you thought this game was destined for a draw, Osaze De Rosario cleverly found the end of a Nouhou cross and headed home his first MLS goal to put the Sounders ahead five minutes into stoppage time.

His muted reaction wouldn’t lead you to think that it was his first MLS goal nor a 95th minute winner, but he is the son of MLS legend Dwayne De Rosario, and that guy is the epitome of calm, cool, and collected, so I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised.  I was almost hoping for that DeRo patented celebration, but that’ll come with time.

Okay now it’s kitchen sink time in Atlanta, not just in this game, but for the season.  (For those of you who don’t know, throwing the kitchen sink at it is the same colloquially as going for broke.  I.e. No sense in leaving anything in the tank? 🤷‍♂ They all work).  Atlanta had thrown everyone forward, and all of Seattle’s 11 players were defending the box. A late, late throw in comes to Miranchuk, who ripped an absolute bullet from 25 yards out into the top corner at the far post to bring Atlanta level.  It turned out to be the very last kick of the game, and you can tell by Miranchuk’s reaction that even he’s not impressed with how things are going in Atlanta.

Atlanta found a point in a match that most of those involved believed they should win, and Seattle feels like they gave away the stolen three points with some late luck.

Atlanta United are winless in the last eight games entering their Leagues Cup campaign, and should put a great deal of focus into it. They’re currently sitting 14 points behind the Chicago Fire for the final playoff spot in the East with just 10 games remaining.

Seattle are still undefeated since the Club World Cup, and a fairly weak Liga MX draw could see the Sounders really push for Leagues Cup glory.  An opening showdown with Cruz Azul will set the tone for the remaining fixtures against Santos Laguna and Club Tijuana, who both missed the Liga MX playoffs.

An Alonso Martinez hat trick carried NYCFC to big win deep in the heart of Texas on Friday night.  It seems like Toyota Park these days in prone to the crazy game every once in a while and this one hit the quota for the summer.  Martinez is averaging a goal every other game in his NYCFC career, and he’s one of the more dynamic strikers in the league.  If he gets hot down the stretch, the Pigeons could be dangerous come playoff time. Dallas have had a wild June and July, and every game in that stretch except for a 2-0 loss at LAFC has included three goals or more. Dallas’s last five homes games include a 4-2 loss to San Jose, 3-2 loss to San Diego, 2-1 loss to Minnesota, 3-0 win against St. Louis, and 4-3 loss to NYCFC. Dallas sit just five points behind Colorado for the final playoff spot in the West.

Los Angeles FC announced this week the signing of Canadian international Mathieu Choinière on a six month loan from Grasshopper Club Zürich.  He’ll join the Black and Gold immediately and look to bolster their playoff aspirations.

According to Fabrizio Romano (who might I add has fallen off in my book, I’m team Bogert… that guy’s never wrong) the Vancouver Whitecaps have signed German legend Thomas Müller.  The 35 year old will join the Whitecaps on a two year deal, according to the report.  It’ll be interesting to see how he fits in Vancouver— Brian White has been a stud for the Canadian Champions, and with Ryan Gauld nearing his return, where will the Bavarian fit? Regardless, a player of Müller’s quality can only help the Whitecaps as they look for a successful Fall.