With nearly a third of the Major League Soccer regular season in the rearview mirror, winners, losers and key storylines are beginning to take shape. Vancouver is running away with the West while Columbus, Cincinnati, Miami and Philadelphia are fighting for the East. CF Montréal and the Los Angeles Galaxy remain glued to the bottom of their respective conferences with zero wins between them in regular-season play.
Matchday 11 delivered plenty of shock and awe from the top of the MLS table to the bottom. Here are the key takeaways from a busy weekend of MLS play.
Wilfried Zaha snapped back at testy Charlotte fans
Wilfried Zaha hasn’t had the easiest start to his MLS career. He entered Matchday 11 with just two goals to his name, carrying an inordinate amount of Charlotte fan irritation on his shoulders. “
Typical. We lost a game and somehow it’s Zaha’s fault,” he said on social media after his team’s home defeat to New England. “I dribble, I’m selfish. I keep it simple, I’m not doing what I’m being paid to do. I shoot, I should have passed. I pass, I should finish my chances.”
Zaha’s got a point on this one. Getting up to speed with MLS is a difficult, physical process, and Zaha is handling it better than most. He proved that this weekend by scoring a high-pressure penalty against the fearsome, Eastern Conference-leading Columbus Crew. Charlotte went on to lose the match 4-2, but that loss was far from Zaha’s fault, and the narrative around his MLS performance is slowly beginning to shift. He's the motor of this Charlotte team, and he's helping it go toe-to-toe with the league's best.
Miami bounced back from its Champions Cup defeat
Inter Miami aims to win every competition it enters, so it was shocking to see it crash out of the Concacaf Champions Cup last Wednesday at the hands of the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Champions Cup, North America's most prestigious club trophy, is the ultimate goal for Miami, and it blew it in spectacular fashion against the Caps. As the dust settled on its humiliating defeat, the question on everyone’s lips was simple: how would Messi and company respond?
The question might have been simple, but the answer was simpler still. Miami bounced right back from its Champions Cup woe to beat the New York Red Bulls 4-1 in MLS. Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi both got on the scoresheet, but it was bench player Fafa Picault who made the biggest impression. The Haitian winger scored the game’s opening goal and set the tone for Miami. Coach Javier Mascherano hasn’t utilized Picault much this season, but this confidence-building performance should change that. Picault is a fascinating player with deep ties to the Miami area who deserves his spot in the lineup.
Sporting Kansas City pulled off the funniest win ever
There are highway robberies, and then there’s Sporting Kansas City versus the Los Angeles Galaxy. Matchday 11's marquee Sunday Night Soccer match wound up delivering one of the wildest results in league history.
Kansas City won the game 1-0; on paper, that isn't all that surprising. But look a little bit deeper. It also won with 0.0 expected goals, 0 shots on target and 0 shots period. This is the first time in MLS history—and one of the only times in the history of professional soccer—that a team has won without taking a single shot.
How did Kansas City manage to score without shooting? By taking advantage of an unlucky, unfortunate own goal. Galaxy captain Maya Yoshida accidentally turned a Kansas City cross into his own net in the 13th minute, and thus strange, regrettable history was made.
The Galaxy lost all three of its Killer Ps
As if the Galaxy wasn’t unlucky enough, its two biggest playmakers—Brazilian winger Gabriel Pec and Ghanaian winger Joseph Paintsil—both traipsed off injured over the course of its humiliating, unprecedented defeat to Kansas City. They’ll join Spanish midfielder Riqui Puig on the Galaxy’s injury list. The Galaxy are winless in 11 games in MLS this season; with all three of its famed “Killer P” attack on the sidelines, it’s hard to see it snapping that streak anytime soon.
MLS will return for Matchday 12 on Saturday, May 10.
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Liverpool’s next big exit might not be who we expected — and it could be triggered by a transfer battle unfolding in the north east. According to a report from Arriyadiyah, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have shifted their attention towards Darwin Nunez after their pursuit of Alexander Isak hit a financial wall. The Newcastle United striker has reportedly demanded an eye-watering £60 million annual salary, plus extras, to consider a move to Saudi Arabia. Saudi interest in Isak has cooled now attention turns to Nunez That’s more than £1.15 million per week, and it’s no surprise that Al-Hilal are now exploring alternatives. One of them, per the same report, is Liverpool’s No.9. The Saudi side’s coach Simone Inzaghi is said to have specifically requested the Uruguayan forward as a top alternative to Isak. The 26-year-old was already the subject of interest from the Gulf state earlier in the window, but now that Isak talks have cooled, the heat is rising again around our £85 million man. Darwin Nunez is viewed as an Alexander Isak alternative It’s another sign that our forward line could be reshaped this summer. Liverpool have already committed to French striker Hugo Ekitike and with Alexander Isak reportedly still on our radar at £130-150 million, a serious bid from Saudi Arabia for Darwin could accelerate a sale — especially given his struggle for form under Arne Slot. The former Benfica striker managed just five Premier League goals last season and the boss no longer appears to trust him in big moments. If Al-Hilal formalise their interest, this could be the end of Nunez’s Anfield journey — and the start of a new era up front. The irony of Darwin Nunez being viewed as an Alexander Isak alternative, as we attempt to sign the Swede, despite buying Ekitike who was Newcastle’s desired replacement for their No.14 – somewhat highlights the craziness of this merry-go-round transfer window.
Since taking over as the general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders, John Spytek and Raiders Head Coach, Pete Carroll, have emphasized how critical it will be for them to establish a new culture for their team. After years of subpar play, the Raiders needed to improve their culture equally as much as they needed to improve their roster. Spytek wasted no time significantly improving the Raiders' roster, adding Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty this offseason. Although a culture change usually takes more than offseason, the Raiders may have expedited the process by releasing veteran defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. The organization and Wilkins were not on the same page in regard to his rehab, pushing the Raiders to make a drastic move. While drastic, the move appears to align with Spytek's intended composition of the Raiders' roster. At the NFL Combine months before Wilkins' recent release, the Raiders' general manager explained what he would take into consideration when assembling the Raiders' roster. While Spytek likely figured Wilkins would be part of the team at the time, his words rang true following the veteran defensive tackle's release. “I think we're going to have a lot of positive energy. The guys that love to compete and play with passion are going to have a chance at our place. And the guys that maybe don't have that love of the game, they like it, it's a means to an end, there probably won't be as many places or spaces for them at our place," Spytek said. "I think we want to set the tone with our film. When people watch a week or two out for our games coming, like they want to know, like this is going to be a battle, this is going to be physical, this is going to be old-school football." It is challenging to maintain positive energy when a player who has only played five games with the Silver and Black fails to uphold their end of a contract worth over $100 million. Shortly after releasing Wilkins, the Raiders issued the following statement. "We have decided that it is in the best interests of the organization to move on from Christian Wilkins. This franchise has a Commitment to Excellence on and off the field. With no clear path or plan for future return to play from Christian, this transaction is necessary for the entire organization to move forward and prepare for the new season." The Raiders' words spoke loudly enough, but they did not say nearly as loudly as the actual move of releasing Wilkins. Full details of why the Raiders decided to move on from Wilkins after just one season remain unclear, but one thing is clear: the Raiders' new-look front office means business. Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr and weigh in on this take. While here, check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE to discuss this take
The New York Yankees have made their 2025 goals abundantly clear: They're trying to return to the World Series and win it all. In an effort to do so, the Pinstripes traded pitcher Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin to the Milwaukee Brewers this season, adding closer Devin Williams to the roster. Halfway into the season, it looks like that was a big mistake. The Yankees are now looking to fill gaps in the both the bullpen and the infield before the MLB trade deadline rolls around at the end of the month. Utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera was great at third base, but suffered a potentially season-ending injury in May. The Yankees tried to compensate by shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. to third, but it was clear Chisholm excels at second, and he's since been moved back. Durbin, on the other hand, has only gotten better in Milwaukee. "Over 75 games this season, Durbin is slashing .265/.350/.382 with five homers and elite contact skills at the plate," Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media wrote. "He ranks in the 95th percentile in whiff rate and 98th in strikeout rate — rare company for a young infielder. Durbin’s advanced plate discipline would’ve been invaluable in a Yankees lineup that too often leans on boom-or-bust approaches." Then there's Devin Williams, who has been part of a shaky-at-best Yankees bullpen. He has certainly seen improvement since the beginning of the season, when he was pulled from closing duties after a blown save to the Yankees' division rival Toronto Blue Jays. However, it hasn't been quite enough. Toronto swept New York in a four game series earlier this month, securing their lead of the AL east over the Pinstripes. Williams pitched the final inning, giving up two earned runs. He has a 4.82 ERA over 37.1 innings pitched in 41 games. Williams keeps improving, and hopefully will prove that the Yankees made the right choice by acquiring him. However, that still doesn't fill the gaping hole New York has at third base, and they're likely missing Durbin's consistent abilities in the field and at the plate. The Yankees have until the July 31 MLB trade deadline to make any trades to address these issues. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Cam Schlittler is Not Yankees Paul Skenes Yankees Fighting Red Sox for Diamondbacks Pitchers Yankees’ Aaron Judge Ties Alex Rodriguez on All-Time List Braves Troll Yankees' Jazz Chisholm With Walk-Up Song Yankees in Trade Talks With Pirates
New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury has enjoyed an excellent offseason thus far, ticking items off his ‘to do’ list with encouraging regularity. That said, there are still holes to fill on this Rangers team, like the bottom of the Rangers' defensive corps. Adam Fox is a star and Vladislav Gavrikov is a perfect acquisition, sorting out the top pairing. Will Borgen and Braden Schneider, health permitting, should form a solid second pairing. The third pairing, however, remains up in the air. On paper, Carson Soucy is an outstanding third pair D-man. He's big, nasty and responsible in his own end. Last season, though, he was horrible with both the Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks. Never the swiftest of movers, Soucy looked far older than his birth certificate (30) might suggest. He was caught out of position an alarming number of times and, given he provides zero offense, was a huge negative overall. Brought in to fix an ailing defense, Soucy instead poured kerosene onto the blaze. Scott Morrow is an intriguing prospect. Acquired in the K’Andre Miller deal to Carolina, the 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) and swift feet while being very offensive minded. Learning at the foot of Fox should only help Morrow’s development. That said, he’s currently a pronounced liability in his own end, prone to the sort of haziness and losses of concentration that saw Miller drive Rangers fans crazy. In time, he’ll be a good one, but the question remains: is that time now? No other option inspires a ton of confidence. Urho Vaakanainen? He’s … fine? Responsible enough defensively but provides little offense and doesn’t exactly own the defensive zone, either. Matthew Robertson, a former second-round pick, played the final two games of last season. Those are his only two games in the NHL. He’s big and can skate, but is 24 and simply could be destined to be an AHL/NHL swingman? E.J. Emery and Drew Fortescue are still far too green for the big leagues. Conner Mackey and Derrick Pouliot set precisely zero hearts racing. With a gap that requires filling, does new head coach Mike Sullivan look to his old team in Pittsburgh and seek a reunion with Matt Grzelcyk? The 31-year-old only played one season under Sullivan after a career spent in Boston, but that one season was clearly his best. His 40 points (one goal, 39 assists) was, by far, a career high, despite playing on a poor Penguins team. Sullivan clearly trusts Grzelyck, his 20:37 of average ice time was also a career high. Despite the lack of goals, Grzelyck is an accomplished power play conductor, his 15 assists last season tied for the team lead with Sidney Crosby. His breakout passing at 5-on-5 is eye-opening. At the same time, he is responsible defensively. He’s also a playoff veteran, with 66 games under his belt. Grzelyck’s agent, Matt Fish, recently told ESPN that his client is looking for ‘the best fit’ and that is where the Rangers may fall short. Would Grzelyck be happy on a second on third pairing? He won’t see PP1 minutes on a team with Fox, so would he be satisfied with quarterbacking the second power play? Of course, the bright lights in New York would mean that Grzelyck remains in the national conscious, no matter how the Rangers perform as a team. If he is looking to get one last decent deal, he could do worse than play in a major market. Grzelyck would be the bridge player that allows the Rangers to let Morrow marinate in the AHL for another season. If Sullivan isn’t happy with his in-house options, he might just lean on his relationship with Grzelyck to convince him to come to Broadway.