Highlights of the matchday included:
- Only two undefeated teams in MLS remain after Matchday 5 – the Columbus Crew (2-0-3) and Inter Miami CF (3-0-1).
- Orlando City SC dominated at home, winning 4-1 against D.C. United, which saw standout performances from each of their Designated Players – Luis Muriel (one goal, one assist), MartÃn Ojeda (one goal, two assists), and Marco PaÅ¡alić (one goal). This season, the three DPs have combined for nine goals and seven assists.
- Charlotte FC tied their club record with four goals in a single match as the Crown added their sixth consecutive regular season victory at Bank of America Stadium. Charlotte sits second in the Eastern Conference with 10 points and tied for first in MLS with a plus-six goal differential.
- Big names stepped up with braces on Matchday 5 as FC Cincinnati’s Evander, the New York Red Bulls’ Emil Forsberg, and Minnesota United FC’s Kelvin Yeboah all netted multiple goals.
- With multiple players out on international duty, various backup goalkeepers stepped up in their absence and put in stellar performances. FC Dallas’ Michael Collodi, the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Year, earned a clean sheet victory in his MLS debut. U.S. Youth National Team goalkeeper Andrew Rick stepped up in the absence of Andre Blake and helped the Union to a 1-0 home win over St. Louis CITY SC. After Houston’s Jimmy Maurer left with an injury, Blake Gillingham played 23 minutes coming off the bench and helped the Dynamo preserve a shutout in Seattle.
Mukhtar Leads Surging Nashville SC
After stunning the Philadelphia Union on the road last week, Nashville SC proved the hot start to the season is not a fluke on Matchday 5. Back at GEODIS Park, the home side scored three second-half goals in the span of 12 minutes to convincingly defeat CF Montréal. Through the opening five games, Nashville has set club records for points (10), goals scored (eight), and goal differential (plus-five).
In his first full season as head coach, B.J. Callaghan has Nashville playing an attacking style of soccer that is generating chances for their Designated Players, Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar. The 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP, Mukhtar has looked back to his award-winning form and added another two assists on Saturday evening. With the two assists in his 150th regular season appearance, Mukhtar tied Roy Lassiter (117) for the seventh-most goal contributions through a player’s first 150 games.
Nashville will look to make it four wins in a row when they host FC Cincinnati on Saturday, March 29 (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
David MartÃnez Putting Western Conference on Notice
After the departures of Mateusz Bogusz and Cristian Olivera in the offseason, all eyes at LAFC turned to 19-year-old David MartÃnez to try to fill the shoes in attack. Through the first five games, MartÃnez has certainly looked the part with two goals and three key passes in just 227 minutes. Matchday 5 was no different as MartÃnez dazzled in the 18th minute when driving at the Sporting Kansas City defense before firing his effort into the roof of the net for the opening goal and eventual game-winning goal (Watch Here).
Dating back to last season, the Venezuelan has either scored or assisted in five straight road matches, becoming the youngest player in MLS history to accomplish this feat. LAFC and MartÃnez are once again near the top of the Western Conference standings and can continue their ascent next Saturday in the first-ever matchup against San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / Apple TV+).
Charlotte’s Balanced Attack Proving Dividends
An early takeaway from the 2025 regular season is that visiting clubs going to Bank of America Stadium are going to have a very difficult time trying to earn a point. Charlotte FC emphasized that on Matchday 5 as they leaped out to an early lead against the San Jose Earthquakes and never looked back, winning 4-1. The victory extended their club record home winning streak to six regular season games at Bank of America Stadium. Through the first five games of a season, Charlotte’s 10 points are their most in club history.
Designated Player Wilfried Zaha has helped unlock the Charlotte attack by creating a more balanced unit due to the amount of attention he receives from opposing defenses. As a result, Charlotte has had eight different goal scorers on the season, which is tied for the third most in MLS history by any club in the opening five matches. Matchday 6 will see Charlotte travel out west to face the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, March 29 (4:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Chicago Fire Take Berhalter Derby
Saturday night’s match between Chicago Fire FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC marked the second time in MLS history in which a father (Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter) coached against his son (Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter) in a regular season game. The only time this had ever happened previously was when Bob and Michael Bradley squared off against each other in 2018 and 2019.
This time around, Gregg and the Fire came out victorious by a score of 3-1, snapping Vancouver’s four-game winning streak to begin the season. Chicago’s offense has been tremendous in Gregg Berhalter’s first season in charge as the 12 goals scored through the first five games are the most in club history. The Fire have now won three road games in-a-row for the first time since 2009 and the 3-1-1 start to the season is their best since 2008.
Next up for the Men in Red is a clash with CF Montréal at Soldier Field on Saturday, March 29 (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / Apple TV+).
Brandon Vázquez Gets Going as Austin Hands San Diego First Loss
San Diego FC entered Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire aiming to make expansion club history, but Austin FC had other plans, delivering the first-year side their inaugural loss in MLS play. Behind the 73rd straight sellout at Q2 Stadium, Los Verdes jumped out to a fast start with goals from Brandon Vázquez in the 10th minute (Watch Here) and Jon Gallagher nine minutes later (Watch Here) and held on for a 2-1 victory. The goal was Vázquez’s first for Austin since joining the club in January.
In head coach Nico Estévez’s first season at the helm for Austin, the club has now set records for points (nine), wins (three), and fewest goals conceded (three) through the first five games of a season. Los Verdes currently sit second in the Western Conference and will be back in action next Sunday when they travel to face St. Louis CITY SC at Energizer Park (2:15 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / Apple TV+ / FOX / FOX Deportes).
