The Top Things to Watch as MLS Enters Week 3
Four MLS teams are among the best in the region vying for a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. After advancing to the two-match, quarterfinal round of the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League, the following MLS clubs will feature in Leg 1 action of the region’s premier club competition this week.
More information, including the schedule and results, is available at Concacaf.com.
New York City FC vs. Comunicaciones (Guatemala) | March 8 (8 p.m. ET, FS1 / TUDN)
All eyes will be on NYCFC forward Valentín “Taty'' Castellanos, the league’s reigning top scorer who posted 19 goals and eight assists last season. Winner of the 2021 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi, Castellanos has already put up a multi-goal performance in this year’s competition, with two scores in a 4-0 routing of Santos de Guápiles (Costa Rica) in the Round of 16.
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Club León (Liga MX) | March 8 (10 p.m. ET, FS1 / TUDN)
It’s a can’t-miss rematch of the 2021 Leagues Cup final that saw Club León edge out Seattle Sounders FC 3-2 in second-half stoppage time. With Seattle’s Cristian Roldan among the scorers in that match, Sounders FC rides into this duel after outshooting León 10-8 in their previous Leagues Cup meeting.
Additionally, Seattle’s strong Round of 16 performances in this competition include Roldan’s goal and assist, Nico Lodeiro’s goal and assist, Albert Rusnák’s first Seattle goal, and Jordan Morris’ first score in any competition since 2020.
Matters will be complicated for Seattle, as head coach Brian Schmetzer confirmed that the team will be without Raúl Ruidíaz and veteran backup forward Will Bruin, both working their way back from injury.
New England Revolution vs. Pumas UANL | March 9 (8 p.m. ET, FS2 / TUDN)
With some history between these sides dating back to New England’s 1-0 victory over Pumas UANL in the 2010 SuperLiga, the Revs will look to reigning league MVP Carles Gil – who produced 18 assists and four goals in the 2021 regular season – to play a pivotal role in the first continental competition of his professional career.
CF Montréal vs. Cruz Azul | March 9 (10 p.m. ET, FS2 /TUDN)
CF Montréal gained substantial momentum after avenging a 1-0 loss in Leg 1 with a dominating 3-0 victory in Leg 2 to propel the club into the next round. Djordje Mihailovic will be the player to watch after the 23-year-old notched the second of the club’s three goals and an assist in Round of 16 action, sparking an encore to his 2021 MLS season that included 16 assists and four goals in league play.
LA Galaxy Look to Make it Three in a Row
A showdown between two of the historically top squads in the West will take center stage, as Seattle Sounders FC welcome the LA Galaxy to Lumen Field on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX / FOX Deportes).
On the strength of late-game heroics from Javier “Chicharito” Hernández in Week 1 (90’) and Efraín Álvarez in Week 2 (77’), the LA Galaxy enter Week 3 at 2-0 for the second consecutive season, and are looking to win a third game to start the season for the first time since 2010.
The Sounders on the other hand are searching for their first win of the 2022 season. Complicating the matter for the Sounders, Seattle’s top scorer from 2021 Raúl Ruidíaz (17 goals in 2021) has yet to appear in an MLS regular season match in 2022, with the club ruling him out for the midweek Concacaf Champions League match against Club León as he recovers from injury.
With just two weeks remaining before Concacaf’s World Cup Qualifying continues, the matchup showcases familiar foes for both club and country. For the Sounders, midfielder Cristian Roldan and forward Jordan Morris look to strengthen their candidacies for the U.S. Men’s National Team, while Galaxy standout Julián Araujo, looks to hit his stride ahead of a callup for the Mexican National Team. After his banger against Charlotte FC last week, all eyes are also on Álvarez, the Galaxy’s 19-year-old homegrown Mexican attacker.
Southern Cities Brewing Sweet New Rivalry
From fandom to the field, first-year expansion club Charlotte FC is stirring up the rivalry with its closest neighbors to the South, Atlanta United. After hosting 74,479 fans last week, Charlotte edged out Atlanta United for bragging rights on the league attendance record. However, with the team still looking for its first points, the expansion side heads into a raucous environment in Atlanta this Sunday (4:30 p.m. ET, FS1 / FOX Deportes).
Atlanta United went unbeaten in 14 of 17 matches on home turf last year and has never lost more than four home games in a single season in the club’s six-year history. Add in the recent flair of Dom Dwyer next to Josef Martínez, and anticipation is building for a rebound from Week 2 and their return home to “The A.”
Meanwhile, Charlotte FC held off the highly regarded LA Galaxy until the 77th minute last week, with goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina stopping five of the six shots on goal, and the club winning more duels and more tackles than its opposition.
With Atlanta reeling for a home win and Charlotte shoring up its defensive efforts, this first Southern showdown is only getting sweeter.
Player Spotlight: Austin FC Forward Sebastián Driussi
Since signing with Austin FC during the secondary transfer window in 2021, forward Sebastián Driussi has asserted himself as one of the league’s most dynamic creators. As a primary piece of the Austin FC attack, Driussi immediately invigorated the Verde and Black offense, helping the club double its goal-scoring output from 13 goals in 16 matches (.81 per match) prior to his arrival to now 32 goals in the 20 games (1.6 per game) since he was inserted into the lineup. This season, with Driussi fully integrated into the offense, the club is off to one of the strongest starts in league history, scoring an MLS-record 10 goals across its first two games.
"You saw it last year when we brought him in. He brought a different speed and a different talent level that we needed last year," said Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver. "I think being with this group for part of last year and through this preseason, it's really given the guys a better understanding of, 'Okay, when he goes, we need to be with him. When he moves, we need to fill his space.' You see a lot of guys working off him and switching positions interchangeably.”
Driussi has been one of the central contributors to Austin’s hot start in 2022, proving stellar on the attack with three goals and two assists in helping the club become one of just seven teams in MLS history to score at least five goals in consecutive games in a single season. Following each of his goals, Driussi has found his wife in the stands and pointed to his four outstretched fingers, representing their growing family.
"Driussi can set the bar as high as he wants," said Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff. "He has that ability, he really does. His work ethic, his charisma, his quality is impeccable. Players gravitate towards him; he gravitates towards them as well. He plays in all areas of the field: Build-up and out wide, and what I always say is he always thrives around goal. He has such a hunger to move the attack. We're certainly pleased to have him.”
Driussi and Austin will be facing 2021 MLS Cup runners-up Portland Timbers on Saturday (10 p.m. ET, MLS Live on ESPN+).
Quick Hits & Key Milestones
Back-to-Back Bikes: Portland Timbers midfielder Yimmi Chara keeps scoring in spectacular fashion. His bicycle golazo in Week 1 (Watch Here) was followed by an over the head shot and goal (Watch Here) in Week 2, leading the Timbers to consecutive ties in their opening two matches.
Scorching Start in the Lone Star State: Austin FC is off to an explosive 2-0-0 start, becoming the seventh team in MLS history to score five goals in consecutive games in a single season. Sharing the wealth, five different players have scored for Austin FC through two weeks, led by Sebastián Driussi (three goals), Cecilio Domínguez (two) and Ethan Finlay (two). Additionally, seven players – led by Diego Fagúndez’s three – have registered at least one assist. Austin will look to continue their hot start as they travel to Providence Park to take on the Timbers on Saturday, March 12 (10 p.m. ET, MLS LIVE on ESPN+).
Bouncing Back in the Big Apple: The New York Red Bulls sit alongside Austin FC, D.C. United and LA Galaxy as the league’s four remaining 2-0-0 teams entering Week 3, and added their second victory in strong fashion, defeating Toronto FC 4-1 behind the first-career hat trick from MLS Player of the Week Lewis Morgan . After starting the 2021 season with two consecutive losses, the Red Bulls are the 12th club in MLS history, and the first since Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders FC in 2019, to begin a season at 2-0-0 after starting the previous season 0-2-0. Seattle and Toronto, who both started with two straight losses in 2018, advanced to the 2019 MLS Cup, with Seattle taking home the title. Nine of the previous 11 teams to accomplish the feat advanced to the postseason.
A pair of young RBNY standouts, Patryk Klimala (23 years old) and Frankie Amaya (21 years old), are tied for the league lead with three assists each and will look to build upon their hot start as the Red Bulls make their 2022 home debut against Minnesota United FC at Red Bull Arena on Sunday (7:00 p.m., MLS LIVE on ESPN+).
Colorado Cruises in Commerce City: Following Colorado’s 3-0 win over Atlanta United last week, the Rapids are on a 17-game home unbeaten streak, the second-longest in club history, trailing only a 19-game streak from 2016-17.
Calendar Check: The final round of Concacaf Qualifiers for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 are approaching on March 24, March 27, and March 30. At the end of the final round, the top three finishing teams will qualify directly to the FIFA World Cup, and the fourth-place team will advance to a FIFA Intercontinental Playoff where it will face the winner of the OFC qualifiers. More information, including the schedule, is available here.
