NYCFC host Charlotte tonight
One more midweek game for you. NYCFC welcome Charlotte to Citi Field tonight at 7:30 pm ET on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Transfer window opens today
Buckle up, y’all. Rumor season is back. A whole lot of teams could use some help, too. The transfer window opens today and will be open through Aug. 2.
El Tráfico at Rose Bowl sets single-game attendance record
The 20th El Tráfico edition between LA Galaxy and LAFC drew 82,110 fans, establishing a new MLS single-game attendance record. Charlotte FC held the previous record, welcoming 74,479 fans to Bank of America Stadium for the 2022 expansion side's inaugural home match.
Colorado vs. Portland postponed due to inclement weather
Due to severe weather in the Denver area, Tuesday's Matchday 23 game between the Colorado Rapids and Portland Timbers has been postponed. The match, which was paused at halftime and tied 0-0, will resume at a later date. Further updates will be shared when they are available.
Canada book Gold Cup quarterfinal spot vs. USA
The Canadian men’s national team avoided disaster in their final Concacaf Gold Cup Group D match, defeating Cuba 4-2 Tuesday evening at Shell Energy Stadium to punch their ticket to the knockout stages. Les Rouges finished second in Group D behind Guatemala and will face the United States on Sunday at FC Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium in the quarterfinal (7:30 pm ET), creating a rematch of their Concacaf Nations League final from last month.
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A brief recap from a holiday night for you.
What happened?: Darlington Nagbe scored his annual wonder volley and Josef Martínez scored an increasingly regular scissor kick goal as Inter Miami and Columbus battled to a draw.
So, did we learn anything?: It’s a good point for Inter Miami, even at home. It felt like the Crew were in control of this one a couple of times, but the Herons were able to battle back thanks in part to their two highly-paid strikers. The rest of the group did enough to keep it close against one of the league’s best teams, and that’s all you can really ask for. That should be enough to start earning handfuls of points once Messi presumably arrives.
The Crew will just have to remind themselves that any road points are good points. They’ll feel like it should have been a win.
What happened?: Whoo boy, don’t think that new manager bounce is coming for Toronto, huh?
So, did we learn anything?: I mentioned it yesterday, but the Lions are playing really good ball right now. This is as sharp as they’ve looked in a while and it feels like they’re really starting to see the benefits of a few smart transfer windows. They’re balanced, they have match winners, Duncan McGuire scores for fun and they’re taking control of games. Orlando aren’t just keeping up with a stacked Eastern Conference, they’re gaining ground on the teams at the top.
What happened?: Dallas collected plenty of chances, but Taxi Fountas’ 73rd minute snap shot off a deflection in the box gave D.C. a huge road win.
So, did we learn anything?: I keep telling y’all. D.C. United: Pretty good soccer team. They weren’t at their sharpest in this one, but they have enough quality pieces to keep pulling out results somewhat consistently. It’s going to take a lot of work to hold off the rest of the lower half of the East, but D.C feel like the best bet out of that group to make it into the play-in game when all is said and done. They may even have enough juice to finish in the top seven. Maybe.
Unsurprisingly, Dallas just aren’t anywhere close to their best without Jesús Ferreira and Paul Arriola. They’re still an Audi MLS Cup Playoff team, though.
What happened?: An MLS-record crowd saw yet another excellent El Tráfico… Tyler Boyd hit a stunner to give the Galaxy an early lead, but LAFC got back in the game at the start of the second half. The match stayed tied until Riqui Puig sprinted through the heart of LAFC’s defense to get on the end of a cross from Boyd and make it 2-1.
So, did we learn anything?: We didn’t need it, but it’s always nice to get a reminder that Riqui Puig is a level better than pretty much everyone in the league. He put on a show last night and guided the Galaxy to a massive win that would have been critical even if it didn’t come in front of 80,000 people. It’s a long-shot, but the Galaxy are technically just six points below the playoff line now and, well, it’s MLS. They could make this happen. Their top-end talent and their underlying numbers suggest that it probably should have already happened. It’s been a weird, weird year in LA.
That’s including LAFC, who continue to seem off after the CCL final. Tired legs are tough to deal with, but you kind of have to worry that playing on tired legs so often is starting to develop some bad habits. They look disjointed in a way they probably shouldn’t. A break is coming soon, and they not only need to recover, they probably need to reset. At least if they want to come out of this season with a trophy.
New England Revolution signing midfielder Harkes: The New England Revolution are acquiring former D.C. United homegrown midfielder Ian Harkes on a free transfer, according to a report from The Washington Post’s Steven Goff. Harkes, 28, would arrive after spending four-plus seasons in Europe with Dundee United. He notched 12 goals and 12 assists in 165 matches across Scotland’s top two divisions, helping Dundee earn promotion in 2019-20 before they got relegated this past season.
Atlanta United's Almada wins Goal of the Matchday: Atlanta United star midfielder Thiago Almada is the AT&T 5G Goal of the Matchday winner for Matchday 22, earning 41.2% of the fan vote for his venomous volley in a 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union. Almada followed up his own direct free kick blocked by the Union wall with a thunderous strike for his eighth goal of the season. Earlier this season, Almada also won Goal of the Matchday following MLS is Back weekend and Matchday 4. His three awards are the most by a single player in 2023.
- Riqui Puig showed off his MVP potential in a record-setting El Tráfico.
- LAFC are "pissed off" as their slump continued with an El Tráfico defeat.
- Inter Miami rode Josef and Leo Campana’s brilliance to an inspiring comeback.
- Josef Martínez pulled off another golazo.
- Tyler Boyd scored a jaw-dropper.
- Schuyler Redpath has your MLS Fantasy Week 20 positional rankings and gaming advice.
Good luck out there. Let them see your good side.
