Soccer <\/p>\n
Searching for fireworks on Fourth of July weekend? MLS has you covered.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
A full Matchday 22 slate awaits, including Eastern Conference clashes where Charlotte FC<\/a> host Orlando City<\/a> and CF Montr\u00e9al<\/a> welcome Inter Miami CF<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire closes things out with a mouthwatering showdown as the resurgent Columbus Crew<\/a> visit Seattle Sounders FC<\/a>.<\/p>\n Let’s dive right in.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n With All-Star striker Patrick Agyemang<\/a> and veteran center back Tim Ream<\/a> helping the United States<\/a> reach the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup<\/a> final, Charlotte will look for other key players to snap a three-game losing streak.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The most likely candidate is Pep Biel<\/a>, whose loan from Greek side Olympiacos was recently extended for the rest of the season with a purchase option. The Spanish midfielder leads Charlotte with 14 goal contributions (6g\/8a).<\/p>\n Additionally, Idan Toklomati<\/a> has capitalized on his opportunity by scoring in back-to-back matches. The Israeli striker will look to stay red-hot, all as DP winger Wilfried Zaha<\/a> serves a yellow-card suspension this weekend.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Which version of Orlando shows up?<\/p>\n After rattling off two straight road victories, the Lions couldn’t stop FC Cincinnati<\/a> midfielder Evander<\/a> in a 2-1 setback<\/a> last weekend. They’re still fifth in the East, but have seen games slip away recently \u2013 overlapping with All-Star fullback Alex Freeman<\/a> representing the USMNT.<\/p>\n Led by midfielder Mart\u00edn Ojeda<\/a> (9g\/7a) and winger Marco Pa\u0161ali\u0107<\/a> (9g\/4a), Orlando certainly have the firepower to rebound. And in Peruvian international Pedro Gallese<\/a>, they have one of the league’s most reliable goalkeepers.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n This season hasn’t quite gone to plan for CF Montr\u00e9al, who parted with head coach Laurent Courtois after just five games and are last in the East.<\/p>\n But are things starting to turn around under interim manager Marco Donadel? CFMTL have earned two of their three victories this season in the past three matches. A 3-1 win<\/a> at Houston Dynamo FC<\/a> before the break, then a 1-0 home triumph<\/a> over New York City FC<\/a> last week, could be just what the doctor ordered to restore the confidence of the youngest team in the league.<\/p>\n It’s probably no coincidence that Montr\u00e9al’s top scorer, Prince Owusu<\/a> (seven goals), also netted three times during that span, including a brace to beat Houston.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Inter Miami return to MLS action following a historic run to the FIFA Club World Cup<\/a> knockout stage, where they fell 4-0<\/a> to UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16.<\/p>\n Despite the final scoreline against PSG, the Herons made MLS proud with group stage draws against Al Ahly (Egypt) and Palmeiras (Brazil) alongside a 2-1 comeback win<\/a> over Portuguese powerhouse FC Porto. The latter result marked the first time any Concacaf team has won against a European opponent in an official competition.<\/p>\n A crucial stretch awaits the Lionel Messi<\/a>-led Herons: With four games in hand on teams above them, they’re sixth in the East (29 points) and have six matches throughout July before the Leagues Cup<\/a> break. We’ll learn plenty about their Supporters’ Shield defense in the weeks ahead.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n There was no Club World Cup hangover for Seattle, who rattled off a 2-0 victory<\/a> over Austin FC<\/a> last weekend. Winter addition Jes\u00fas Ferreira<\/a> led the way with a goal and an assist.<\/p>\n Now, a Sunday Night Soccer test arrives against one of the league’s most consistent teams. These are the arenas where the midfield pairing of Obed Vargas<\/a> and Cristian Roldan<\/a> tends to thrive, as we saw during the Club World Cup against Brazilian giant Botafogo and European powerhouses Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.<\/p>\n Only a point behind the Portland Timbers<\/a> in the Western Conference table, the Sounders would love to leapfrog their arch-rivals with a statement result.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Riding a three-game win streak into Seattle, the Crew have no intentions of slowing down.<\/p>\n Less than a month away from beginning their 2024 Leagues Cup title defense, Columbus have climbed back into a home playoff position (fourth in the East). They enter the weekend three points behind Supporters’ Shield leaders Philadelphia Union<\/a>.<\/p>\n More often than not, All-Star forward Diego Rossi<\/a> (team-best 9g\/4a) is at the center of their attack. Darlington Nagbe<\/a> remains evergreen in midfield, while the Steven Moreira<\/a> and Sean Zawadzki<\/a> duo anchors the backline.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
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