Another week in Major League Soccer has concluded, marked by a coaching change as Sporting Kansas City parted ways with Peter Vermes after his 20-season tenure. Following a 2-1 defeat to FC Dallas and fan calls for his resignation, they join CF Montreal in the search for a new head coach.
Filling Vermes` shoes will be a significant task in Kansas City, but they possess the talent to climb the Western Conference standings. In the Eastern Conference, Inter Miami continued to impress, with Lionel Messi scoring the decisive goal against the Philadelphia Union after coming off the bench. This victory propelled them back to the conference summit, with a game in hand over their rivals. Miami`s pursuit of the Supporters` Shield is gaining momentum, but with Austin FC finding form and San Diego FC making a strong debut, they may face competition throughout the season.
Consistent performances from players like Carles Gil and Antony could elevate other contenders in the league table, but the MLS landscape is constantly shifting. Let`s review some of the week`s most outstanding players:
Goalkeeper
Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United: Returning from international duty with Canada, Minnesota`s first-choice goalkeeper delivered another solid performance, making four saves in the Loons` victory over Real Salt Lake. St. Clair`s contributions are a key factor in the team`s steady ascent in the Western Conference.
Defenders
Josh Bauer, Nashville SC: Nashville`s right-back made a notable impact, scoring a goal and creating three chances, the second-highest among all defenders this week. Despite Nashville not winning against Cincinnati, a top league team, Bauer`s performance was promising.
Franco Escobar, Houston Dynamo: Assessing a defender in a heavy defeat can be challenging, but Escobar was highly active for Houston. His efforts likely prevented an even greater setback. He scored a goal and made four interceptions, contributing significantly at both ends of the field and standing out as a positive for the struggling Dynamo.
Sigurd Rosted, Toronto FC: One of the most surprising defensive displays of the week came from Toronto FC, who secured a shutout in a draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Rosted was crucial to this defensive effort, consistently clearing threats to protect goalkeeper Sean Johnson. Toronto will hope he doesn`t need to be this overworked every week, but when the team needed a strong defensive showing, he delivered.
Midfielders
Carles Gil, New England Revolution: Gil produced the highlight of the matchday with a stunning free-kick goal, followed by a stoppage-time penalty that secured the Revolution`s first win of the season. While the Revolution need more from their key player throughout the season, Gil`s two goals in this match were crucial for victory.
Martin Ojeda, Orlando City SC: Ojeda is rapidly establishing himself as a premier MLS midfielder, adding another goal for Orlando in their away win against the Galaxy. While LA might not be performing at their peak from last season, away points are valuable in MLS, and Ojeda was instrumental in securing them.
Djordje Mihailovic, Colorado Rapids: Mihailovic has already tallied four goals across all competitions, continuing his impressive form from last season where he recorded 11 goals and 10 assists. His two goals led the Rapids to a victory over Charlotte FC, demonstrating his strong connection with the team and successful return to MLS.
Evander, FC Cincinnati: Evander is seamlessly integrating into Cincy`s system and quickly becoming a regular in the team of the week. He consistently created scoring opportunities and, despite not getting an assist against Nashville, still influenced the game positively by scoring an important goal.
Forwards
Filipe Mora, Portland Timbers: Mora delivered a comprehensive performance with a goal and two assists, leading the Timbers` attack. He spurred the team forward after a disappointing start to the season. While more is needed to build on their win against the Dynamo, Mora`s performance is a step in the right direction.
Diego Rossi, Columbus Crew: Rossi not only achieved a high expected goal (xG) value of 1.07, placing him in the top 10 of attacking players, but he also exceeded it by scoring two goals. Stepping up in the attack following Cucho Hernandez`s departure, Rossi is emerging as a potential contender in the Golden Boot race if he maintains this level of performance.
Antony, Portland Timbers: When Antony was fit last season, the Timbers were a formidable force in the league. After scoring two goals and consistently threatening the Houston Dynamo`s defense, he showed the potency of Portland`s attack. However, managing his playing time might be crucial for sustained success.
