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MLS weekend wrap-up: Key takeaways from Matchday 11
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.
More must-reads:
- Sporting Kansas City beat Galaxy without taking a shot
- MLS weekend wrap-up: Key takeaways from Matchday 10
- The 'FIFA World Cup host cities' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Arsenal’s pricey star dominates again as Arsenal ease past Burnley
With goals from Viktor Gyökeres and Declan Rice, Arsenal picked up another win, another clean sheet, and continued to cement their place at the top of the Premier League table. Every Gunner is pulling his weight right now, but while the squad is collectively stepping up, Rice deserves a special mention – as did Gyokeres, who also had one of his best performances in an Arsenal shirt against Burnley Take Saturday’s clash at Turf Moor, for example. Declan Rice was immense. He was everywhere. Midfield dominance It was a standout performance from the England international in the heart of Arsenal’s midfield. He simply never stopped working, driving play from deep and dictating tempo with composure and power. As ever, his set-piece deliveries were almost unplayable, keeping Burnley under constant pressure. While there are countless ways to describe his brilliance, the numbers best capture just how influential he was: Declan Rice vs Burnley: Most touches (94) Most duels won (9) Most possessions won (9) Most final-third entries (9) Most tackles (5) Most interceptions (3) Most aerial duels won (3) No midfielder has created more chances than Declan Rice in the Premier League in 2025. Media reaction The Evening Standard wrote: “A monster in the middle of the park. Ran the show and caused chaos with his set-pieces. Deserved his goal.” The Sun added: “He was everywhere in the second half in what was an all-round impressive showing.” But it was the Daily Star that perhaps summed it up best: “Teams may prepare weekly for Arsenal’s set pieces, but how can you plan against Declan Rice’s deliveries? Another one led to a goal. He then scored a beautifully executed header from Trossard’s cross. His overall game was simply sublime, showcasing some incredible technical skills.” Backing up those plaudits, Squawka highlighted how Rice dominated every key metric on the pitch. Rice is exactly what a £100 million midfielder should look like. His presence, power, speed, passing, and defensive intelligence continue to set him apart, week after week. Arsenal are lucky to have him. After the match, Rice was easily as enthusiastic about the overall team performance saying “Our quality shone through“. Do you think Declan Rice is already Arsenal’s most important player, Gooners? __________________________________________________________________________________________
Cowboys Announce Exciting Development on Saturday
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys are 3-4-1 with a Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on "Monday Night Football." They're looking to bounce back after losing to the Denver Broncos 44-24 last week. Prescott has been explosive through the first eight games. He has thrown for 2,069 yards, 16 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 101.6 passer rating while completing 70.3% of his passes. The Cowboys have put together one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, ranking second in total yards per game (384.1) and second in points per game (30.8). The unit may soon be getting reinforcement, including from center Cooper Beebe. Beebe started the first two games of the season for the Cowboys. However, he hasn't played since suffering a lateral ankle sprain and foot injury in Week 2 against the New York Giants. On Saturday, though, according to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced Beebe is on track to play against the Cardinals. "Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer says C Cooper Beebe is on track to play against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night," Harris reported. "Hasn’t played since week two when he suffered a lateral ankle sprain and foot injury." After being selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he has become a consistent figure on Dallas' offensive line. As a rookie last season, he started 16 games, earning a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 65.4. Filling in for Beebe has been fourth-year veteran Brock Hoffman. He's recorded 415 snaps at center this year, committing two penalties and allowing one sack and ranking 29th out of 33 centers with a grade of 56.2. The Cowboys' offensive line has protected Prescott very well. They've allowed just 10 sacks, which is tied for the fourth-least in the NFL. Beebe's return could solidify one of the NFL's top offensive lines, giving Prescott more time and protection in the pocket. Kickoff between the Cowboys and Cardinals is 8:15 p.m. ET Monday at AT T Stadium, airing on ABC and ESPN.
Mike Vrabel responds to accusation that Patriots simulated Falcons' snap on key fourth-quarter play
The 'Most 300-yard, 4 touchdown NFL games' quiz
Since the renaissance of Sam Darnold’s career in Minnesota last season, one of the reputational issues the veteran needed to shake was his play in primetime. Against the Washington Commanders on ‘Sunday Night Football,’ he did what he could to put that narrative to bed by completing 21-of-24 passes for 330 yards, four touchdowns and an interception in a dominant 38-14 win. Darnold was deadly accurate Sunday night, completing every pass he attempted in the first half before throwing just eight times in the second half and giving way to Drew Lock in the fourth quarter with the game out of hand. The Seahawks gave Darnold a three- year, $100.5 million contract after his career-year in Minnesota last season. So far he’s rewarded them with 2,084 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions en route to a 6-2 record through eight games. Which brings us to today’s quiz. It was the third time of Darnold’s career – and second already of the 2025 campaign – that he’s thrown for at least 300 yards and four touchdowns in the same game. With that being said, can you name every NFL quarterback in the Super Bowl Era to do that at least three times? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
Five worst Week 9 performances: Patrick Mahomes flops in heavyweight Chiefs-Bills showdown
After a Week 8 defined by blowouts, the pendulum swung in the other direction in Week 9, with nine of the 11 games in the 1 p.m. ET or 4 p.m. ET window decided by a touchdown or less. The razor-thin margin between losing and winning magnified the significance of this week's worst performances. Here are five that stood out most. Cincinnati Bengals defense The Bengals defense is the gift that keeps on giving to opposing offenses. On Sunday, the unit reached its nadir (things can't possibly get any worse, right? Right?) in a wild 47-42 home loss to the Chicago Bears (5-3). Cincinnati's miraculous comeback, which included a successful onside kick attempt with 1:43 remaining and quarterback Joe Flacco throwing for 470 yards, was undone by a 58-yard touchdown pass from Bears quarterback Caleb Williams to rookie tight end Colston Loveland. At the season's midway point, the Bengals (3-6) have once again dug themselves into a hole that appears too steep to get out of. And just like last season, their horrid defense is why. Detroit Lions offensive line Lions quarterback Jared Goff was constantly harassed in a 27-24 upset home loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings (4-4). Detroit's line had arguably its worst game of the season, with Goff being sacked five times. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery averaged 3.3 yards per carry, combining for 65 yards on 20 carries. Injuries played a role as Detroit fell to 5-3, but that's also a concerning sign for the future. Starting left guard Christian Mahogany suffered a knee injury, and after the game, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters the 2024 sixth-rounder would be out "for a long time, probably." Starting tackles Taylor Decker (knee) and Penei Sewell (shoulder) also suffered injury scares that must be monitored, as did starting right guard Tate Ratledge (shoulder). Green Bay Packers red-zone offense The Packers (5-2-1) suffered the most unexpected loss of Week 9, falling at home, 16-13, to the Carolina Panthers (5-4). With better red-zone production, Green Bay might have easily walked away with a win. The offense sputtered numerous times inside Carolina's 20-yard line, scoring one touchdown in five opportunities. Green Bay settled for two field goals, had a turnover on downs and a fumble, and another possession that stalled at the Panthers' 25-yard line ended with a missed field goal. The Packers out-gained the Panthers, 369-265, including 265-102 through the air, but thanks to their inability to finish drives, the game was much tighter than it had any business being. It cost Green Bay a victory and control of the NFC's 1-seed. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones Did the clock strike midnight on Jones' incredible 2025 comeback? The former first-round pick looked more like the quarterback who was benched by the New York Giants last season than the one who guided the Colts to seven wins in their first eight games during a 27-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3). Jones ended 31-of-50 for 342 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He also lost two fumbles and was sacked five times, losing 29 yards. ESPN NFL writer Benjamin Solak shared some troubling numbers after the game, revealing that Jones has seen an alarming uptick in pressure-to-sack rate over the past two weeks (33.3 percent, 27.8 percent) after managing pressure well through his first seven games. Sunday may have simply been a blip, but it could also be an ominous sign for the back-half of the season. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes At least one quarterback showed in the hyped 2025 chapter of the Patrick Mahomes-Josh Allen rivalry. The Buffalo Bills quarterback and 2024 league MVP was nearly flawless, going 23-of-26 for 273 yards and three total touchdowns. Mahomes, meanwhile, had his worst NFL game, at least in terms of completion percentage. He was 15-of-34, completing fewer than 50 percent of his pass attempts for the first time in eight seasons as a starting quarterback, for 250 yards and an interception. Mahomes' 57.2 passer rating was the second-lowest of his career. We're used to seeing Mahomes play his best on the biggest stages, making his flop in the high-stakes AFC showdown especially jarring. He's still the best quarterback in football, but Sunday was a reminder that even the greats aren't always great.
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