Soccer <\/p>\n
New records, a switch at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, a four-goal comeback<\/a> in Hell is Real and so much more \u2013 this past weekend\u2019s MLS slate had it all.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Let’s explore some of the most interesting things we learned during Matchday 24. And if you want to read up on other key moments in detail, check out Matt Doyle\u2019s latest column<\/a>.<\/p>\n Onwards.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n You\u2019ll be hard-pressed to find a more dominant 45 minutes in MLS this season than the Philadelphia Union<\/a>\u2019s first-half display in their 2-0 win<\/a> over the New York Red Bulls<\/a> on Saturday.<\/p>\n En route to reclaiming the lead in the Eastern Conference and the Supporters\u2019 Shield race, the Union dominated their in-conference rivals. To borrow a line from Doyle\u2019s column on Sunday night, \u201cthe Union saw their US Open Cup<\/a> meeting with the Red Bulls postponed by some biblical rain, and it looks like they took that pent-up frustration and expressed it pretty emphatically this weekend in their 2-0 win in Chester.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, to tweak that line slightly, Philly didn\u2019t just express themselves pretty<\/em> emphatically. They expressed themselves just about as emphatically as one can.<\/p>\n The hosts allowed zero shots in the first half and scored a pair of their own, taking Sandro Schwarz\u2019s gambit of playing Noah Eile<\/a> as a defensive right back and shoving it right back in the Red Bulls\u2019 faces.<\/p>\n What stands out to me most when I watch the Philadelphia Union \u2013 besides their team-wide sense of aggressive commitment \u2013 is the connection of their two strikers at the top of Bradley Carnell\u2019s 4-2-2-2 setup. On Saturday, Tai Baribo<\/a> and Bruno Damiani<\/a> were constantly spinning off each other and interacting with the dual No. 10s to give RBNY fits with their movement.<\/p>\n See for yourself on Philly\u2019s second goal, with Damiani\u2019s third-man run setting himself up to finish the sequence started by Baribo and Quinn Sullivan<\/a>:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) July 13, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n The Union are organized, bought-in and more talented than anybody outside of the club itself thought coming into the year. Their comprehensive display in the first 45 on Saturday sent a very clear message: they\u2019re ready to run over anyone and everyone on their push for a trophy.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Not everything is sunshine and roses for Charlotte FC<\/a> right now, given they\u2019re just hanging onto the last Wild Card spot in the East.<\/p>\n Still, there\u2019s a ton to like about what\u2019s happening up top for Charlotte lately. Let\u2019s run through it, shall we?<\/p>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 13, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n There\u2019s a ton to like about what\u2019s happening up top for Charlotte. Will we say the same for the rest of the team come Decision Day?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The greatest of all time is out here extending his own record!<\/p>\n After being the first player in MLS history to record multiple goals in four straight games, Lionel Messi<\/a> pushed his streak to five-straight matches with two tallies in a 2-1 win<\/a> over a very good Nashville SC<\/a> team on Saturday. Scoring one goal in a game is hard. Scoring two goals in a game is really, really hard. But scoring two goals in five straight? Well, let\u2019s just say there\u2019s a reason no one has ever done that before in the league\u2019s entire history.<\/p>\n Digging even deeper into Messi\u2019s scoring streak, he managed six goals in a single week coming out of Inter Miami<\/a>\u2019s impressive FIFA Club World Cup<\/a> run. He snagged a brace against CF Montr\u00e9al<\/a> last Saturday, another brace against the New England Revolution<\/a> on Wednesday, and then got right back to it with another brace in the Nashville game.<\/p>\n I realize this isn\u2019t a nuanced, in-depth piece of analysis, but just let me say this: getting to watch Messi in MLS is an absolute treat. I still have to pinch myself that he\u2019s playing on these shores. Long may it continue.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2026and you could see the relief on his face after scoring the Seattle Sounders<\/a>\u2019 opening goal in a 3-2 victory<\/a> at Sporting Kansas City<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 13, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n That, dear reader, is the look of a player who\u2019s been missing the field a great deal. Now back from an extended injury absence that limited him to four minutes at the Club World Cup, Jordan Morris<\/a> made just his third start of the regular season over the weekend. That the Sounders are sitting fourth in the Western Conference despite getting so few minutes from their most dangerous forward is a testament to how absurdly deep the squad that Craig Waibel & Co. have built up is.<\/p>\n Still, you won\u2019t find someone willing to make a convincing argument that they\u2019re anything but better off with Morris leading the line. Between his silky drop and dish to find Paul Rothrock<\/a> and his aggressive goalscoring run on the play up above, it didn\u2019t take long for everyone in Seattle to be reminded just how nice it is to have Morris back. With that goal, the 30-year-old became just the third player in Seattle Sounders history to reach 100 regular-season goal contributions.<\/p>\n Only fit to play 45 minutes, there\u2019s more work for Morris to do to get back to his best. But as Saturday evening showed, he\u2019s not far away.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Was I tempted after a five-losses-in-seven stretch? You bet. But a couple of crucial things look to have changed for the Rapids<\/a> in their 3-0 win<\/a> over the Vancouver Whitecaps<\/a> on Saturday.<\/p>\n First, Cole Bassett<\/a> is back and looking like himself again. Bassett has been in and out of the lineup since the start of May with a nagging lower-body injury. After a midweek start in a defeat to LAFC<\/a>, the 23-year-old made his presence felt from the opening whistle against the Whitecaps.<\/p>\n Starting as the No. 8 next to the deeper-lying Connor Ronan<\/a> in Chris Armas\u2019 double pivot, Bassett was back to his old, rangy tricks. His ground coverage was a real asset, as was his distribution, which is one of the things the Rapids have been missing for stretches this season without a proper linking force between the midfield and the attack.<\/p>\n Last year, Colorado finished fourth in MLS in touches per 90 in the final third, as per FBref, with 167.4. This year? They\u2019re way down in 15th at 143.5. Bassett can help inch them upwards in that category.<\/p>\n Second, Ted Ku-DiPietro<\/a> was a menace on the left wing in Colorado\u2019s 4-2-3-1 formation. Between drawing a penalty in the first half and playing this inch-perfect secondary assist on his team\u2019s opener, the dynamic winger had one of his best games for the Rapids:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n DM10 \u27a1\ufe0f Happy Harris for the early lead ????#COLvVAN<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/JRfMrouhTE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) July 13, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Colorado have lacked productive wing play for the last 18 months. If Ku-DiPietro can replicate his effective dynamism \u2013 and if Bassett can stay healthy \u2013 they could be a tough out come the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
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