St. Louis CITY SC Off to Roaring Start
A weeklong celebration of soccer culture culminated in an electric performance Saturday night, as St. Louis CITY SC continued their storybook start to club history, capturing their second win in as many weeks with a 3-1 victory over Charlotte FC in front of 22,423 fans. With the win, St. Louis became the fourth expansion club in MLS history to win both of their first two matches, the first since LAFC in 2018, and are the only team in MLS history to score at least three goals in each of the first two games in club history.
St. Louis will look to continue utilizing their aggressive, counterattacking style that has created chaos for opposing defenses across the first two weeks. The offense was again led by forward João Klauss, who has scored in each of the club’s first two matches. Klauss is one of only five players in MLS to score in each of his club’s first two matches this season and will look to extend that streak as he continues an early-season campaign for the MLS Newcomer of the Year award.
Up next is a chance at history, as the squad looks to join the 2009 Seattle Sounders FC as the only expansion teams in MLS history to start a season with three consecutive wins. However, reaching that mark will not be easy, as a Saturday night date with Evander and the Portland Timbers at Providence Park awaits (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
Dylan Borrero Shines in Historic Start for New England Revolution
Last week, the New England Revolution returned to Gillette Stadium for the first time in 2023 and claimed a 3-0 victory over Houston Dynamo FC behind a goal and an assist from 21-year-old midfielder Dylan Borrero.
His individual performance helped secure the first-ever 2-0-0 start to an MLS season in the Revolution’s 28-year history, and it marked the first time he has recorded multiple goal contributions in a single game in his young and burgeoning MLS career. Borrero led the Revs in shots in both of those wins, and his play on Saturday garnered praise from Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen, who said Borrero was a handful for his side to defend on the night.
The 21-year-old’s strong play to start the year has set an example for other young stars breaking into the first team such as 17-year-old Homegrown midfielder Noel Buck, who has started both games this season, and 20-year-old Homegrown forward Damian Rivera.
Borrero arrived in New England at the beginning of the 2022 season as the club’s first-ever U22 Initiative signing after winning the Brazilian top-flight with Atletico Mineiro with 2021. Since making his MLS debut on May 22, 2022, he ranks sixth among MLS midfielders (minimum five starts) in minutes per goal (190), having scored five times in his 14-game MLS career. Prior to the start of this season, Borrero earned his first cap for the Colombian National Team this past January and made his debut in a start against the U.S. Men’s National Team. He will look to earn another call-up later this month, as Colombia will play friendlies against both South Korea (March 24) and Japan (March 28).
The Revolution and their Colombian starlet will have a crack at extending their undefeated start to the season this Sunday against the reigning MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Football Club (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
Seattle’s Strong Start Sparks Supporters’ Shield Chatter
The Seattle Sounders have opened the 2023 season with a vengeance, looking to right the ship after missing last year’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in club history. The Sounders, who took home the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League title and earned a berth in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup, won their first two matches by a collective 6-0 margin behind standout performances from up and down their experienced roster.
Pacing the club’s attack have been long-time Seattle standout Jordan Morris and free-agent acquisition Héber, who arrives in the Pacific Northwest after four seasons with New York City FC. Morris leads Major League Soccer with three goals through Matchday 2, all of which have come via header, and he’s been joined on the scoresheet in both games by Héber, who has scored in three consecutive matches dating back to Oct. 9, 2022.
Morris and Héber have greatly benefitted from the sensational midfield play of Nicolás Lodeiro, who leads the league with eight key passes and has completed 81.7 percent of his passes (98 of 120) through two matches. Lodeiro, who is one of only two active MLS players with at least 70 career assists, will look to continue providing opportunities for his teammates as they look to pad their league-leading goal total this week.
The Sounders will look to win their first three matches of a season for just the third time in club history and the first since 2019 as they travel to TQL Stadium to face FC Cincinnati on Saturday, March 11 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
Five MLS Clubs Kick Off 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Journey
Following Seattle Sounders FC’s incredible Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League championship win, five MLS clubs this week prepare for Round of 16 action on their journey toward that same goal.
CLICK HERE for the Concacaf Champions League Bracket.
While Vancouver Whitecaps FC will play their first leg at home in BC Place, four other MLS clubs will kick off Round of 16 Leg One action on the road.
Last season’s competition proved just how advantageous earning away results can be in the Champions League. MLS clubs earned a win or draw away from home five times in 2022 and subsequently won their two-legged ties on aggregate, with the most notable being the Seattle Sounders’ 2-2 draw at Pumas UNAM in the 2022 CCL Final.
CCL DEBUTS: Austin FC and Orlando City will both make their Champions League debuts on the road this Tuesday against Haitian club Violette AC and LIGA MX giant Tigres UANL, respectively.
ROUND 2: The Philadelphia Union returns for their second run in the competition, opening on the road against Alianza FC in El Salvador.
THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM: Vancouver Whitecaps FC will make their third appearance in the competition and first since a semifinal run in 2017 off the back of winning the 2022 Voyageurs Cup. The Whitecaps are the only MLS club starting their Round of 16 tie at home as they host Real España from Honduras this Wednesday.
LAFC READY FOR ANOTHER RUN: The reigning MLS Cup champion and Supporters’ Shield winner Los Angeles Football Club will make their return to the Champions League on Thursday as they travel to face 30-time Costa Rican first-division champions, Alajuelense.
In LAFC’s last Champions League appearance (2021) the gifted team made a run to the final, and they are now on the hunt for international glory having won both MLS trophies available in 2022.
Women's History Month Spotlight: Erin Ridley
To celebrate Women’s History Month, Major League Soccer is highlighting women who are making an impact across the league through coaching, soccer administration, broadcasting or, at the executive level.
As the first female head coach for an MLS academy in MLS NEXT, San Jose Earthquakes U15 head coach Erin Ridley earns the spotlight this week. In 2023, Ridley became the first woman candidate from MLS to participate in the Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL) – an 18-month program in partnership with the French Football Federation (FFF) and one of the most highly regarded and rigorous soccer coaching programs in the world.
Over her 18 years of coaching experience, Ridley has spent time in MLS, with U.S. Soccer, in the WPSL, and at the collegiate level with Davidson, George Washington, Stephen F. Austin, and Virginia Tech. As an assistant coach in college, her teams captured three different NCAA conference championships as well as an NCAA Tournament College Cup appearance. She has also worked with nationally-ranked clubs and high school programs, state and region Olympic Development Programs, and with the US Soccer’s U17 Women’s National Team staff.
Ridley was a three-year letterwinner as a goalkeeper and co-captain for the University of Virginia and helped the program win its first ACC Championship in 2004. She has overseen the development of numerous college standouts, youth national team players, and professional players throughout her tremendous coaching career.
Tap-Ins: Matchday 3
A look at other headlines and activity around Major League Soccer ahead of Matchday 3:
- MLS in 2023 Concacaf Champions League: How to watch, what to know (MLSsoccer.com)
- St. Louis' fairytale start, Nancy-ball arrives in Columbus & more from Matchday 2 (MLSsoccer.com)
- St. Louis CITY SC: “70 years of history” explode in CITYPARK debut win (MLSsoccer.com)
- Jake Pisani, San Jose Earthquakes Sr. Director, Communications on the club’s game-winning goal in Matchday 2 (Twitter)
- ‘I Don’t Think This Has Been Done Before’: Inside Charlotte FC’s Photography Team (Charlotte Magazine)
MLS Season Pass Broadcast Schedule: Matchday 3
Below is the MLS Season Pass broadcast schedule for Matchday 3, including English-language commentators for each match with the play-by-play talent listed first, followed by the match analyst.
How to Cover MLS in 2023
To assist in your coverage of the 2023 MLS season, the MLS Communications staff has provided the following media resources, all of which are available on MLSSoccer.com/Media-Resources.
