The Major League Soccer regular season is quickly approaching the end, and some teams are fighting to secure top-4 finishes while others are hoping to get above the playoff line. Every game just matters more now regardless of the opponent.
Winners
LAFC
Losing the past three games while only scoring a pair of goals had the Black and Gold feeling like they were in a slump. It’s not up to par for the lofty standards they’ve set in Los Angeles. Saturday’s El Trafico was the ideal opportunity to stop the noise or fall deeper into the rut. As games against the rival Galaxy typically go, there were many goals but LAFC prevailed 4-2 at home to ease up some of the pressure.
“It’s like riding a bike — the qualities that the players have, they don’t go away,” said head coach Steve Cherundolo after the win. “Sometimes you get a flat tire but it’s easy to fix.”
There are still many ways LAFC can get sharper as the playoffs approach. Are they as good as last year’s MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield winning team? Probably not. But now that they got a big win, confidence doesn’t seem to be an issue.
“We feel like we can still beat any team in this league and that we’re the team to beat in this league,” said Ryan Hollingshead.
When Atlanta United played Inter Miami on July 25 in Lionel Messi’s second game, it wasn’t pretty for the Five Stripes. But that was the Leagues Cup and also a completely different Atlanta team.
Saturday’s chance at revenge, at the expense of beloved former coach and player Gerardo “Tata” Martino and Josef Martinez, was perfect. With Miami stealing all the headlines due to its splash summer acquisitions, Atlanta flew under the radar despite also making some major moves. Those were on full display in the 5-2 thrashing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium where newcomers Xande Silva, Tristan Muyumba and Sabas Lobjanidze played major roles with goals and assists. Not only have the additions hit the ground running, they also allow…
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