Soccer <\/p>\n
Matchday 7 is in the books.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
What did we learn? Did the games confirm what we already knew or change the complexion of the league?<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s dive into some key takeaways from another weekend of MLS action.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
There are few better ways to get the attention of the league at large than by dropping six goals in a single game. The Colorado Rapids<\/a> did exactly that on Saturday, besting the Houston Dynamo<\/a>, 6-2<\/a>, in front of an energized crowd at Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods Park. Treated to a team playing some of the most delightful soccer MLS has seen in recent years, the crowd had good reason for their energy.<\/p>\n Simply put, the Rapids ripped their way through the Dynamo. While the game was more open than first-year Colorado coach Matt Wells would\u2019ve preferred, the precision with which an even short-handed Rapids team played through Houston was a sight to behold.\u00a0<\/p>\n Their short passing and commitment to moving the ball on the ground through pressure against Houston weren\u2019t an aberration, either. According to American Soccer Analysis, Wells\u2019 outfit averages the third fewest vertical passes in the league. The only two teams more horizontal (think: patient) than Colorado? San Diego FC<\/a> and Inter Miami<\/a>. Being in that company sure paints a picture of what the Rapids are all about under Wells.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t just Colorado\u2019s unique comfort in the buildup that stood out on Saturday. It was also their skillful utilization of the wide areas. After the club splashed millions of allocation money\u00a0on signing wingers\u00a0Dante Sealy<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Georgi Minoungou<\/a> in the Primary Transfer Window, both players\u00a0snagged assists against the Dynamo.<\/p>\n There will be bumps in the road, and other teams will serve as a stiffer test than Houston, but ignore the Rapids at your own risk.<\/p>\n They\u2019re playing some of the most interesting and, at times, most effective ball in the league.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Between injuries that carried over from last year and some fresh nibbles from the injury bug, we still haven\u2019t seen the Whitecaps at full strength in 2026. That fact should send the rest of the league into something approximating a panic.<\/p>\n Much like in 2025 when they put together one of the most impressive seasons of any club in MLS history en route to reaching the\u00a0Concacaf Champions Cup<\/a> and MLS Cup finals, this year\u2019s version of Vancouver looks fully capable of running right over you regardless of which players Jesper S\u00f8rensen has at his disposal.<\/p>\n Against a NYCFC squad that had a top-10 xG differential coming into the weekend, as per American Soccer Analysis, the Whitecaps were so good that, well\u2026 let\u2019s just say the Pigeons no longer can boast a top-10 xG differential.<\/p>\n With clever open play attacking patterns, genuine control with and without the ball, and best-in-class set piece service from Sebastian Berhalter<\/a>, the Whitecaps are every bit as well-rounded this year as they were in 2025.<\/p>\n They\u2019re on top of the Supporters\u2019 Shield race with the best xG differential in MLS through seven games. The conversation for \u201cbest team in the league\u201d starts in Vancouver.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \ud835\ude3d\ud835\udc86\ud835\ude68\ud835\udc95 \ud835\udc94\ud835\ude69\ud835\udc82\ud835\ude67\ud835\udc95 \ud835\udc8a\ud835\ude63 \ud835\ude64\ud835\udc96\ud835\ude67 \ud835\ude48\ud835\udc73\ud835\ude4e \ud835\ude5d\ud835\udc8a\ud835\ude68\ud835\udc95\ud835\ude64\ud835\udc93\ud835\ude6e \ud83c\udf0a\ud83d\ude24 \u2014 Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) April 12, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n If you were to look through the top goal contributors in MLS so far this season, you\u2019d see plenty of obvious names.\u00a0<\/p>\n Right behind co-league leaders\u00a0Guilherme<\/a> and Rafael Navarro<\/a> (nine apiece) sits star\u00a0FC Dallas<\/a> striker\u00a0Petar Musa<\/a> (eight). Then there\u2019s\u00a0Nashville SC<\/a>\u2019s Sam Surridge<\/a>. Tied with Surridge with seven goal contributions so far in 2026 is none other than Julian Hall<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The 18-year-old was at the heart of Red Bull New York<\/a>\u2019s 2-2 draw<\/a> with Inter Miami on Saturday at Nu Stadium, notching his first two assists of the season.<\/p>\n His first helper came after an impressive run and change of direction against Miami center back Micael<\/a>. After cutting back to his left foot, Hall slotted the ball towards Jorge Ruvalcaba<\/a> for the finish:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 11, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Later, Hall showed off excellent composure inside the box to extend a set piece before sliding the ball to fellow teenager Adri Mehmeti<\/a> for the second-half equalizer:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 12, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n \u201cHe has really good qualities,\u201d RBNY head coach Michael Bradley said postgame of Hall. \u201cHis ability to not only score goals, but with his skill and with his quickness and speed \u2013 like he did tonight \u2013 to set up goals.\u201d<\/p>\n With that varied skillset, one that features plenty of aggressive pressing, skillful off-ball movement, goal threat inside the box, and heads-up distribution, Hall has been one of the<\/em> breakout stars of the young MLS campaign.<\/p>\n He doesn\u2019t look likely to slow down anytime soon, either.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s been slow going in Austin FC<\/a>\u2019s attack this year, their 2-1 home loss<\/a> to the LA Galaxy<\/a> on Saturday afternoon serving as the latest example.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to American Soccer Analysis, Austin sit 23rd in MLS in xG per game, just behind Atlanta United<\/a> and CF Montr\u00e9al<\/a>. After a somewhat promising attacking display at Inter Miami\u2019s Nu Stadium opening, where set pieces led the charge for the visitors, Austin’s flaw reared itself again on Saturday: they struggle to manufacture chances in open play. They\u2019re 24th in MLS in open play xG, again per American Soccer Analysis.<\/p>\n Even after spending reportedly $9.5 million on Facundo Torres<\/a> in the transfer market, the attack has looked somewhat stagnant this year. Torres, who is more scorer than creator, hasn\u2019t suddenly begun picking locks upon his arrival.<\/p>\n Nico Est\u00e9vez has tried a couple of different ways to kickstart the attack. First came a 4-2-3-1, with Torres as a No. 10 flanked by Joseph Rosales<\/a> and Jayden Nelson<\/a>. Now Austin are using a 4-4-2 with Christian Ram\u00edrez<\/a> and Myrto Uzuni<\/a> up top, with Torres on one wing and Rosales on the other.<\/p>\n But the absence of well-executed patterns in the final third, mixed with the lack of genuine chance creators in the attack, has Austin hurting. They have just one win on the season. They\u2019re 13th in the Western Conference. Perhaps Owen Wolff<\/a>\u2019s return from injury, followed by Brandon Vazquez<\/a> doing the same, will help Austin find their attacking groove.<\/p>\n It\u2019s certainly needed in Austin.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n When K\u00e9vin Denkey<\/a> earned a second yellow card in as many minutes on Saturday in what turned out to be a 1-1 draw<\/a> at Toronto FC<\/a>, FC Cincinnati<\/a> leaped closer to putting their name in the history books. They’ve had a player sent off in four consecutive MLS games, just one game shy of the record<\/a> set by the Houston Dynamo in 2009.\u00a0<\/p>\n For Denkey, frustration boiled over against Toronto \u2013 frustration no doubt rooted in his team\u2019s struggles so far this season. With just two wins in league play (against Atlanta on opening day and Montr\u00e9al in a barnburner last month), FC Cincinnati\u2019s on-field story has been filled with concern. Even before their DP striker was ushered off the field, Cincinnati looked listless on the road in Toronto, creating just 0.43 xG with all 11 players on the field, according to FotMob.\u00a0<\/p>\n Consistent execution has been lacking from Pat Noonan\u2019s squad.<\/p>\n The underlying numbers paint FC Cincinnati as a mid-table team, with their xG for and xG against both falling in that range based on American Soccer Analysis’s data. After four straight impressive seasons in Ohio, it\u2019s safe to say that the club\u2019s ambition is far higher than mid-table.<\/p>\n In defense, buy-in from the frontline is needed. In the buildup, a closer proximity between players to help play through pressure is needed. In possession, more creative talent to help take the burden off Evander<\/a> is needed.<\/p>\n There\u2019s work to do in Cincinnati, and the clock is ticking.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
\u2705 700 goals
\u2705 Extended our record to 6W-1L-0D yesterday in front of our second straight crowd of over 25,000
\u2705 First place on the MLS table \u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udd25 pic.twitter.com\/M0TqKJmABi<\/a><\/p>\n