MLS Matchday 5 provided more sights and sounds into an already electric season.
The Philadelphia Union lost its fifth straight game this season, and still has zero points. They are the only club in the league yet to register a point.
Nashville SC sees itself at the top of the East after a dominant 5-0 win over Orlando City. Inter Miami knocked NYCFC off its pedestal on Sunday with a 3-2 win.
Charlotte FC continues its strong homestand with a 6-1 win over the New York Red Bulls. The Texas Derby concluded with a 4-3 win for FC Dallas over the Houston Dynamo.
LAFC is no longer perfect! They drew 0-0 with Austin FC, but obviously didn't concede any goals. So, they're still strong on the GA front and are now leading the West.
The San Jose Earthquakes picked up a 1-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps. It was a strong bounce-back for the Quakes following a loss to the Seattle Sounders in Matchday 4.
Here are some highlighted matches from another weekend of MLS play.
A 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire continues a brutal start for the Philadelphia Union. Momentum in this match flipped twice before the first half wrapped up.
Hugo Cuypers put Chicago ahead on the 45+3, and then Milan Iloski equalized for Philly in the 45+7. The Union entered the second half with some energy after the Illoski goal, but Jonathan Bamba silenced the Union in the 58th minute with the go-ahead goal.
Chicago looks like a strong team in transition this year, with Cuypers being their true No. 9. Philly continues to be in trouble, and nobody knows where they go from here.
Nashville sees itself leading the East after a commanding 5-0 win over Orlando City. It was complete domination from Nashville in this one.
Sam Surridge scored a hat-trick, and Cristian Espinoza scored a crazy goal right in the 5th minute to start it all off. Nashville looks like the best team in all of MLS right now, and they remain unbeaten.
NYCFC was at the top of the East coming into the weekend, but now they aren't. Inter Miami picked up a 3-2 win in Yankee Stadium on Sunday.
Miami struck first in the 4th minute from a goal by Gonzalo Luján. NYCFC answered back in the 17th minute and then took the lead in the 59th. But after that, Miami took over. Messi scored a free kick in the 61st minute for his 901st career goal, and then Micael put Miami ahead in the 74th minute.
NYCFC looked like the better team for much of this game, but defensive lapses on set pieces cost them.
This was another wild one. Dallas exploded out of the gate with two quick goals, but then Houston scored three straight before the first half whistle. With the score 3-2 to start the second half, Dallas answered back from a Houston own goal in the 54th minute.
In the 86th minute, Petar Musa played hero. Off an offensive push, Musa tilted the game in Dallas' favor to give them three points. Dallas capitalized on a Houston red card in the 68th minute to walk away with a win.
Charlotte FC pulled out a dominant win over the New York Red Bulls, 6-1. Idan Toklomati struck first in the 14th minute for Charlotte, and they were in full control after that.
Julian Hall scored for the Red Bulls in the 81st minute, but the match was way out of reach at that point. The press we saw from Red Bulls to start the season seems to be gone right now. Charlotte was able to play through it way too easily, and the defensive structure collapsed early.
Toronto FC 2-1 Columbus Crew
Philadelphia Union 1-2 Chicago Fire
Nashville SC 5-0 Orlando City
Atlanta United 0-0 DC United
Charlotte FC 6-1 New York Red Bulls
FC Dallas 4-3 Houston Dynamo
Sporting Kansas City 1-4 Colorado Rapids
St. Louis City 3-1 New England Revolution
Austin FC 0-0 LAFC
Vancouver Whitecaps 0-1 San Jose Earthquakes
FC Cincinnati 4-3 CF Montreal
NYCFC 2-3 Inter Miami
Minnesota United 0-0 Seattle Sounders
Portland Timbers 1-1 LA Galaxy
San Diego FC 2-2 Real Salt Lake
Nashville SC - 13 pts
NYCFC - 10 pts
Inter Miami - 10 pts
Charlotte FC - 8 pts
Chicago Fire - 7 pts
DC United - 7 pts
Toronto FC - 7 pts
New York Red Bulls - 7 pts
FC Cincinnati - 6 pts
Atlanta United - 4 pts
New England Revolution - 3 pts
CF Montreal - 3 pts
Orlando City - 3 pts
Columbus Crew - 2 pts
Philadelphia Union - 0 pts
LAFC - 13 pts
Vancouver Whitecaps - 12 pts
San Jose Earthquakes - 12 pts
San Diego FC - 11 pts
Seattle Sounders 10 pts
Real Salt Lake - 10 pts
Colorado Rapids - 9 pts
FC Dallas - 8 pts
Houston Dynamo - 6 pts
LA Galaxy - 5 pts
Austin FC - 5 pts
Minnesota United - 5 pts
St. Louis City - 4 pts
Portland Timbers - 4 pts
Sporting Kansas City - 4 pts
