Soccer
Matchday 14 is in the books.
What did we learn? Did the games confirm our priors or change the complexion of the league?
Let’s dive into some key takeaways from another weekend of MLS action.
The Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire doubleheader nightcap had all the makings of a great MLS game. On one side stood LAFC, one of the favorites to win the Western Conference. On the other side stood Nashville SC, one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference. Both teams made it further than any of their league peers in the Concacaf Champions Cup. In a clash of giants that featured plenty of star power, it was Hany Mukhtar who stood out above the rest.
Mukhtar, who won the Landon Donovan MLS MVP in 2022, is back to his best for Nashville. He bagged a hat trick for the home side in their 3-2 win over LAFC, banging in two free-kick goals after grabbing his first in open play.
Even with Nashville missing four key starters (Sam Surridge, Andy Nájar, Patrick Yazbek, and Eddi Tagseth) due to injury, Mukhtar carried the load in one of the defining performances of his tenure. At times, he defended as a striker before adopting a more conductive role in possession in the absence of Surridge, his preferred strike partner. Mukhtar’s versatility has been a theme throughout his time in MLS – and his performance so far this season is as strong as any of his past campaigns. In fact, his non-penalty goals and assists per 90 minutes are currently outpacing his acclaimed 2022 season, as per FBref.
Now with 101 goals scored for Nashville SC, Mukhtar is the gift that keeps on giving in the Music City.
Hany Mukhtar hatty ⚽️⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/IO02KPXVmj
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 18, 2026
Without the injured João Klauss, Greg Vanney has been searching for answers at the No. 9 position. In LA Galaxy‘s 2-0 road win over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday, Vanney found the perfect recipe for the occasion: using Marco Reus up top.
Of course, this past weekend wasn’t the first time we’d seen Reus play as a false nine for the Galaxy. But it was, perhaps, his most influential outing of 2026 in that position. Allowed plenty of flexibility to roam and find the game in Vanney’s fluid 4-3-3 setup, the German playmaker made sure to put his stamp on things en route to snapping the Sounders’ unbeaten home streak. It was Reus’ absurd assist that started the scoring for the Galaxy, with this dribbling through ball playing Gabriel Pec in on goal:
Gabriel Pec just keeps on scoring and @LAGalaxy lead in Seattle 👊 pic.twitter.com/5tcAQ0Mfo6
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 17, 2026
That, folks, is downright filthy.
While that play above may just be one of the passes of the season from any player, it’s hardly been Reus’ only impactful moment. According to Soccer Data Vizer, he ranks in the 96th percentile among attacking midfielders in MLS this year in xG + xA. For a Galaxy team that’s been in desperate need of attacking verve, Reus has stepped up.
After a 1-1 draw with the bottom-of-the-barrel Philadelphia Union, the Columbus Crew opted to make a change on the sidelines by removing head coach Henrik Rydström and handing assistant Laurent Courtois the interim tag.
On one hand, the decision to move on from Rydström comes as a surprise. Transitioning away from the Wilfried Nancy era was always going to be a difficult process for the Crew, who benefited from the Frenchman’s ability to shift players into new positions and squeeze the most out of the squad with a clear playing style. Fourteen games was likely not going to be enough for any coach to help carry the torch forward.
On the other hand, Rydström’s version of Columbus was struggling. With just 13 points through 14 games, the Swede left the Crew in the bottom five of the Supporters’ Shield race. With a stagnant attack and a change to a back four that bucked the organizational norm, Columbus haven’t shown much progress to this point in the season. Now, Rydström could certainly argue that he hasn’t been handed the talent to truly compete for trophies – Dániel Gazdag continues to struggle, while Wessam Abou Ali’s ACL injury pulled the rug out from under the Crew.
But with the 2026 FIFA World Cup break nearing and a chance to make notable roster moves during the summer window, it’s time for a fresh start in Columbus. Let’s see what changes Courtois, formerly in charge of CF Montréal and Columbus Crew 2 in MLS NEXT Pro, makes now that he’s in the big chair.
The monkey is officially off Inter Miami’s back: the club’s first win at Nu Stadium came on Sunday Night Soccer against the Portland Timbers.
It was a dominant display from Miami, who claimed a 2-0 victory and never truly looked under threat from anything Portland tried to throw at them. Lionel Messi, in particular, was at his brilliant best. The Argentine scored the opener for the hosts before notching a quintessentially Messi assist to Germán Berterame, doubling the lead. This is one for the highlight reels:
Messi assists, Berterame finishes. Wow. What a run. 😎 pic.twitter.com/RGsxFTcVS9
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 17, 2026
The final three players to touch the ball for Inter Miami on that goal sequence above – Luis Suárez, Messi, and Berterame – have all become part of the club, finding some much-needed continuity in recent weeks. After a managerial change, a bout of player absences, and the fixture congestion that comes with the Concacaf Champions Cup, it’s only now that Miami have had a chance to find a regular recipe.
Over the last four games, interim head coach Guillermo Hoyos has used the same narrow front three with the same positioning. Berterame has played through the middle, with Suárez to his left and Messi to his right. The result? An impressive 3.5 goals scored per game and nine points across those four matches. There are still defensive kinks to be worked out, sure, but it’s clear that Miami are finding a reliable recipe heading into the World Cup break.
Just one week ago, Sporting Kansas City found themselves stapled to the bottom of the Supporters’ Shield race with five points. They were on pace for just 15 points, which would’ve been the lowest season-long total in MLS since the league began its current 34-game regular season format.
What a difference a week makes. Now fresh off six points in their double match week, Kansas City are no longer last in the Shield race.
At this stage in what’s destined to be a multi-season, multi-transfer window rebuild, one priority for Sporting’s front office should be finding building blocks – players who can still contribute to the team when it’s pushing for trophies. In midfielders Lasse Berg Johnsen and Manu García, SKC have two of those players. Berg Johnsen impressed in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Austin FC with his distribution from deep, while García managed a goal in the second half just days after pulling out a dazzling assist in a win over the LA Galaxy.
With a spine that includes those two and star striker Dejan Joveljić, glimpses of Sporting Kansas City’s future start to come into focus. The wins have started coming, too.
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