Soccer <\/p>\n
This past weekend\u2019s MLS slate had it all.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
The new league-record signing debuted, the Supporters\u2019 Shield race got even murkier, and there was a rivalry rout on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire.<\/p>\n
Let’s explore some of the most interesting things we learned during Matchday 28. 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 Should we all be talking about Orlando City<\/a> as a Tier 1 threat to win MLS Cup? The Lions are starting to build an incredibly compelling case.<\/p>\n In the last few weeks, Orlando won at the Columbus Crew<\/a> in their final regular-season game before Leagues Cup<\/a>. Then in Leagues Cup, they bested Atlas and Necaxa and picked up a point against Pumas to earn themselves a date with Toluca in the quarterfinals. Upon their return to MLS action, Orlando City dropped a 4-1 scoreline<\/a> on Inter Miami<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sitting fourth in the league in expected goal differential per 90 minutes, as per FBref\u2019s data, Orlando City have found a reliable recipe. With an impressive mixture of scoring and creation headlined by Mart\u00edn Ojeda<\/a> (who\u2019s been downright elite in 2025 and is one of only five players in the league with at least 20 non-penalty goal contributions) and a top-10 defense based on non-penalty xG allowed, Orlando check all the big boxes. Plus, they\u2019ve gotten deeper by adding winger Tyrese Spicer<\/a> from Toronto FC<\/a> and left back Adri\u00e1n Mar\u00edn<\/a> from Braga.<\/p>\n Buy your Orlando City trophy stock now. They\u2019re for real.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It will be fascinating to see how head coach Steve Cherundolo uses Son<\/a> alongside star left winger Denis Bouanga<\/a>, given that both players have been at their best cutting in from that left side.<\/p>\n That\u2019s what I wrote<\/a> about LAFC<\/a>\u2019s positional conundrum after the record-breaking signing of Tottenham and South Korea star Son Heung-Min. Following Son\u2019s LAFC debut<\/a> in a 2-2 draw<\/a> at Chicago Fire FC<\/a> on Saturday, we got some answers when he trotted to the top of his new team\u2019s attacking line as a No. 9.<\/p>\n Son and Denis Bouanga did plenty of interchanging between the central and left channels, though Son spent most of his cameo playing through the middle. Showing off his blazing speed, the former Premier League star earned the game-tying penalty for LAFC, which Bouanga converted from the spot:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Though Son and Bouanga still have chemistry to develop (that was apparent over the weekend and isn\u2019t surprising), his off-ball movement caught the eye. With LAFC tending to stagnate in long possession sequences, they benefit from a spark plug who sees and moves into weak points in the opposition\u2019s defensive structure.<\/p>\n Son will provide that \u2013 and more \u2013 for LAFC.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n I\u2019ll just come right out and say it: I have no clue who the best team in MLS is.<\/p>\n Do you?<\/p>\n Entering the weekend, six teams averaged at least 1.8 points per game. Five of those six teams dropped points, with San Diego FC<\/a> (more on them later!) acting as the only holdout. The Philadelphia Union<\/a> gave up a late equalizer at home against a rebuilding Toronto team, Nashville<\/a> fell to St. Louis<\/a>, Vancouver<\/a> lost in San Jose<\/a>, Cincinnati<\/a> were bested at home by Charlotte<\/a>, and Miami were played off the park by Orlando.<\/p>\n As things stand, those six teams are still the only ones averaging 1.8 points per game or more. They\u2019re the strongest Shield contenders, though I can\u2019t quite bring myself to rule out the Crew (1.76 ppg), Minnesota<\/a> (1.69 ppg), or Orlando (also on 1.69 ppg).<\/p>\n The Supporters\u2019 Shield race has set the stage for a fascinating two-month sprint until Decision Day. Buckle up, folks.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Seattle Sounders<\/a> were missing Jordan Morris<\/a>, Albert Rusn\u00e1k<\/a>, Paul Arriola<\/a>, Ryan Kent<\/a> and Jo\u00e3o Paulo<\/a> from their game-day roster on Sunday due to injury. Beyond that, Stefan Frei<\/a> didn\u2019t feature as he works his way back from a head injury. Jackson Ragen<\/a> was rested, too. Combined, that makes seven players who range from \u201csolid starter\u201d to \u201clegit star\u201d who missed Seattle\u2019s clash with the LA Galaxy<\/a> over the weekend.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n That didn\u2019t matter for the Sounders. They won 4-0<\/a> on the road, with Danny Musovski<\/a> bagging a brace and Snyder Brunell<\/a> scoring on his debut (Paul Rothrock<\/a> also helped force an own goal).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n This is why Doyle called<\/a> this version of Seattle the deepest team in MLS history. When all five of your subs are young players ready to contribute after arriving from one of three places \u2013 your academy, the SuperDraft and MLS NEXT Pro<\/a> \u2013 as was the case against the Galaxy, you\u2019re doing a ton of stuff right.<\/p>\n Sure, the Galaxy have struggled this year. But Sunday night is far from the only time this season that the Sounders have battled through a lengthy injury list and found success thanks to their impressive roster build and ability to bring players through their pro pathway. And through it all, while factoring in extra matches from the FIFA Club World Cup<\/a> and Concacaf Champions Cup<\/a>, Seattle sit fourth in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n If the season ended today, they\u2019d enjoy home-field advantage in Round One of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.<\/p>\n The Sounders are proving that building a wildly deep squad is possible in the current version of MLS, and they\u2019re doing it better than anybody.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Watch out, LAFC. There\u2019s another expansion team eyeing your points record.<\/p>\n Back in 2017, LAFC set the MLS record for most points accrued in an expansion year \u2014 Bob Bradley\u2019s outfit stacked up 57 points in the regular season. San Diego FC, this year\u2019s newcomer, currently find themselves on pace to top that record by, uh, a lot. Based on their current 1.88 points per game rate, San Diego are on course for a 64-point season.<\/p>\n No matter how you slice it, San Diego are trending towards the record books and may well go down as the best expansion season in MLS\u2019s modern era. Of course, the Chicago Fire\u2019s MLS Cup and US Open Cup<\/a> double back in their debut season in 1998 positions them as the mark to beat if San Diego FC want to claim the title of the best expansion team in the league\u2019s entire<\/em> history.<\/p>\n But with the Supporters\u2019 Shield and a spot as the West\u2019s top playoff seed both very much in reach, everything is on the table for Mikey Varas\u2019 squad in 2025. They keep stacking wins \u2013 a 2-0 victory<\/a> at Sporting Kansas City<\/a> on Saturday was the latest example \u2013 and have added even more young talent in the summer transfer window.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to be bullish about the new kids on the block.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n