Soccer <\/p>\n
The 2026 season is still young, right?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Think twice. The Ides of March are upon us, and while four matchdays might not seem like much, we\u2019re already seeing some telling results as tiers start to form and pressure mounts in a few places.<\/p>\n
To wit: Only two teams have taken full points from their matches thus far, and only one side has yet to garner a single point.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a spin across MLS Matchday 4.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 16, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n
\nThe joy of six<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
The sight of one team piling half a dozen goals on their adversary is quite a rare one in this sport; many leagues go months or more between such occasions.<\/p>\n
\nSo it\u2019s hard to overstate how surreal it felt on Sunday afternoon when the New England Revolution<\/a> smacked up FC Cincinnati<\/a>, 6-1<\/a>, in their home opener at Gillette Stadium, only for Vancouver Whitecaps FC<\/a> to do them one better by hammering Minnesota United FC<\/a>, 6-0<\/a>, at BC Place immediately afterwards.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nAided by a Dado Valenzuela<\/a> red card, the Revs rode five different goal scorers to their first win under head coach Marko Mitrovi\u0107, tying the club\u2019s largest-ever margin of victory.<\/p>\n
\nCincy made changes to the lineup that beat Mexican powerhouse Tigres UANL, 3-0<\/a>, in Concacaf Champions Cup<\/a> at midweek, yet nonetheless the likes of Evander<\/a>, Obinna Nwobodo<\/a> and Miles Robinson<\/a> were on the pitch.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nFor the Whitecaps, it felt like they were exorcising their frustrations from Thursday night\u2019s shocking 3-0 defeat<\/a> against Cascadia rivals Seattle<\/a> in CCC action, a scoreline that puts the Sounders in the driver\u2019s seat for advancement to the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
Bear in mind that usually-stingy Minnesota conceded an average of just 1.15 goals per game last season \u2013 and it\u2019s notable that the \u2018Caps conjured up those fireworks with Thomas M\u00fcller<\/a> starting on the bench. We did get\u00a0to see an MLS debut from Colombian icon\u00a0James Rodriguez<\/a>, who looked lively off the bench and later got to\u00a0swap jerseys<\/a> and share\u00a0a warm hug with M\u00fcller, his former Bayern Munich buddy.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nFighting on two fronts<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
The backstory on those lopsided scorelines: It\u2019s a hectic phase for Cincy, Vancouver and the seven other MLS teams competing in Concacaf Champions Cup, as the continental tournament\u2019s midweek matches require careful management during these double game weeks.<\/p>\n
Many of those coaches elected to rotate their starting XIs at the weekend, and suffice to say that some clubs passed this early test of depth, while others \u2013 yes, we\u2019re looking at you, Philadelphia<\/a>, LA Galaxy<\/a> and Cincy \u2013 did not.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\nInter Miami<\/a> made the most dramatic changes after Wednesday\u2019s 0-0 CCC draw<\/a> with Nashville SC<\/a> in Music City.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Head coach Javier Mascherano gave\u00a0Lionel Messi<\/a> and Rodrigo De Paul<\/a> the night off amid extensive rotation that led to match action for seven academy products at Charlotte FC<\/a>, where a big crowd of 34,780 turned up to offer the reigning MLS Cup presented by Audi champions a rude welcome.<\/p>\n
Impressively, these young Herons \u2013 who, it should be noted, were led by a savvy old head named Luis Su\u00e1rez<\/a> \u2013 vindicated their coach\u2019s faith by holding their own in hostile territory, producing more expected goals than their hosts in a creditable 0-0 draw<\/a>, with teenage homegrowns Daniel Pinter<\/a> and Santiago Morales<\/a>, son of assistant coach and former MLS star Javier Morales, catching the eye.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nMiami\u2019s CCC Round-of-16 adversaries, Nashville SC, also got rewarded by their reserves.<\/p>\n
Head coach B.J. Callaghan\u2019s rotated XI kept pace with the still-winless\u00a0Columbus Crew<\/a> at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field before stars Cristian Espinoza<\/a> and Hany Mukhtar<\/a> came off the bench to link up for a late game-winner.<\/p>\n
This is just nasty skill from Espinoza:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\nCristian Espinoza stole a man’s soul here. pic.twitter.com\/7MVGarqQIf<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Ben Wright (@benwright) March 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n
\nNow all eyes turn to Fort Lauderdale, where Miami and Nashville will clash on Wednesday to determine which advances to the CCC quarterfinals.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nSky blue atop the East<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nThere\u2019s a new leader in the Eastern Conference: undefeated New York City FC<\/a>, who swept aside the\u00a0Colorado Rapids<\/a>, 3-1<\/a>, at Yankee Stadium for their third straight victory, inspired by a brace from Nicol\u00e1s Fern\u00e1ndez Mercau<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nAfter so much talk in preseason about the Pigeons\u2019 inability to secure a big-name No. 9 to spearhead their attack, it\u2019s worth wondering whether they just roll with what they\u2019ve got until summertime. That\u2019s how good\u00a0Fern\u00e1ndez Mercau has been<\/a>, ably supported down the spine by Keaton Parks<\/a> and the ageless Maxi Moralez<\/a>.<\/p>\n
NYCFC are playing some beautiful, functional ball under head coach Pascal Jansen.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nWhile the aforementioned six-goal explosion has Vancouver atop the West on goal difference, LAFC<\/a> remain neck and neck with them on points thanks to their latest businesslike win: a 2-0 triumph<\/a> over\u00a0St. Louis CITY SC<\/a>, thanks to a Mathieu Choini\u00e8re<\/a> double.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a sign of how lofty the standards have grown at BMO Stadium that some LAFC observers are expressing concern about Son Heung-Min<\/a>\u2019s goal drought, which has now stretched to six games across MLS and CCC play. The optimist\u2019s way of looking at it: Members of the supporting cast keep stepping in to pick up a share of the scoring burden.<\/p>\n
So now only the Whitecaps and LAFC have taken full points from the first four matchdays of the season. Both face CCC gut checks this coming week: Vancouver are staring at a three-goal deficit in their away leg vs. Seattle, which will take place in Spokane due to pre-World Cup work on Lumen Field\u2019s playing surface, while Son\u2019s Black & Gold travel to Costa Rica in need of a win or a high-scoring draw vs. Alajuelense to advance.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nRSL, Sounders keep grinding<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Game after game, someone just keeps stepping up for Real Salt Lake<\/a> and Seattle, both of whom showed both pretty soccer and plenty of fight in dramatic wins over Austin FC<\/a> and the\u00a0San Jose Earthquakes<\/a>, respectively.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nResourceful RSL have now won three straight following a tight loss at Vancouver in their season opener, and their late show arrived from an unexpected source.<\/p>\n
With maybe the 14th touch of his MLS debut, newcomer Stijn Spierings<\/a> sank a clever dagger of a shot from long range in the final minutes to break a 1-1 deadlock for the Claret-and-Cobalt.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\u2014 Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) March 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n
\n\u201cIt’s not really part of my game to score a lot of goals,\u201d the 30-year-old Dutchman, a defensive midfielder by trade, admitted postgame. \u201cI know myself, and I can tell you this probably won’t happen every week.\u201d<\/p>\n
That won\u2019t bother head coach Pablo Mastroeni, who detects a certain \u201cfeeling in the locker room\u201d that has him believing something \u201cspecial\u201d is brewing in Utah.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nOut by the Bay, the Earthquakes\u2019 perfect start to the campaign is no more thanks to Paul Rothrock<\/a>, who raced down a glorious pass from Jes\u00fas Ferreira<\/a> to snatch an early strike in transition at PayPal Park during Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n
\nThat allowed the Sounders to sit in and soak up pressure in a gutsy 1-0 win<\/a> as they gave a few veterans some rest by fielding several young\u2019uns from their development pipeline, which runs through their MLS NEXT Pro<\/a> outfit Tacoma Defiance.<\/p>\n
Timo Werner<\/a> & Co. dominated most of the match, producing an expected-goals number six times that of their visitors, but couldn\u2019t find a breakthrough against goalkeeper Andrew Thomas<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a really gritty win,\u201d Rothrock told Apple TV\u2019s Jillian Sakovits postgame. \u201cA number of great performances from guys. I want to shout out our two Defiance players, because I used to be one of those guys: Antino Lopez<\/a> and Peter Kingston<\/a>, they had monster games, both of them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nCroatia calling<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
MLS \u201826 has its first hat trick in the books, thanks to FC Dallas<\/a>\u2019 Petar Musa<\/a>, the standout from a wild Saturday night at Toyota Stadium.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\nPETAR MUSA HAT-TRICK! \ud83c\udfa9@fcdallas<\/a> have equalized in stoppage time! pic.twitter.com\/SPjAHq7GM3<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n
\nThe Croatian striker is hunting a place on his country\u2019s 2026 FIFA World Cup<\/a> squad, and a few days after seeing his name on their March call-up roster, he laid down another marker as FCD refused to lose against San Diego FC<\/a>, rallying from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to take a share of the spoils by pressing high and forcing errors from the usually surefooted SDFC.<\/p>\n
To borrow a running theme from head coach Eric Quill, this scrappy Dallas group keeps showing they\u2019ve got that dawg in them, and it might just power their star to the World Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe showed we never give up,\u201d said Musa<\/a>, \u201cespecially at home.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nThe quotable Deki<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
A tip of the cap is due to Sporting KC<\/a>\u2019s Dejan Jovelji\u0107<\/a>, who returned to his old club, LA Galaxy \u2013 where he was a vital contributor to a rousing MLS Cup run in 2024 \u2013 to score one goal and assist on another in a\u00a02-1 upset win<\/a>.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s SKC\u2019s first victory of the season and a massive confidence boost for a rebuilding side that not so long ago barely had enough senior players to fill a gameday roster.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\nOur Magician \ud83e\ude84 and Chessmaster \u265f\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/qMRudNtXTN<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) March 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s always a special thing to come here and play in front of the LA fans,\u201d said Jovelji\u0107, who waved and flashed heart-shaped hands to the Gs faithful instead of his usual exuberant goal celebrations. \u201cUnfortunately for them, I am going to keep scoring against them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nRelief in ATL<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Finally, a swing through Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where two of the year\u2019s slowest starters faced off in Atlanta United<\/a> vs. Philadelphia Union.<\/p>\n
It might be early to call it a six-pointer, but the Five Stripes\u2019\u00a03-1 win<\/a> provides a palpable boost for head coach Gerardo \u2018Tata\u2019 Martino and his struggling side, especially with all three of ATL\u2019s Designated Players getting onto the scoresheet.<\/p>\n
As for Philly, well\u2026 it\u2019s shaping up to be a long season for last year\u2019s Supporters\u2019 Shield winners.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n