Morning everyone,

Max and Mason reporting for duty as usual. 1,242 words coming at you. Do enjoy.

• 3️⃣ 1️⃣ MLS Match Day 31 Recap

• 🇺🇸 Yanks Abroad

• 🏆️ Leagues Cup Recap

• 👑 Kings of California

• ⚽️ Goal of the Week

• 😂 Meme of the Week

MLS Match Day 31 Recap

The Philadelphia Union became the first team in the Eastern Conference to lock in a playoff spot with their big 1-0 win over FC Cincinnati. The Union are in the driver’s seat for the Supporters Shield. That is not a sentence I expected to type before the season. They’ve allowed a league low 26 goals, pitched another shutout behind teenage keeper Andrew Rick, who made some unreal saves, and have shown they’re capable of winning big road games. With a league-best +19.7 xG differential, Carnell and crew cannot be underestimated.

The Columbus Crew is on a very un-Crew like run. Their 0-0 draw at the Red Bulls was their 4th straight winless game. They have just 3 goals in the period, and as you’ll see in this sequence, they just haven’t been decisive in front of the goal lately. Maybe a matchup against Atlanta will help right the ship this week. Speaking of Atlanta…

With their surprise 1-0 win over Nashville SC, Atlanta United got their first league win since May 28th along with their first road win. Yes… It’s been that kind of season for the Five Stripes. However, this was easily the most fight they’ve shown in a game all year. The result is more impactful on Nashville, whose Shield hopes now seem out of reach.

And… that’s 8 straight for Charlotte FC, the owners of the second longest win streak in MLS history. They beat the Revolution 2-1 on the road behind a late header from Idan Toklomati. They’ve jumped Nashville for the third spot in the East and will play Inter Miami next week for a chance to tie the win streak record in front of a sold out crowd.

Yanks Abroad

It was a really strong week from our lads across the pond before some of them reported for USMNT duty this week.

Folarin Balogun, welcome back. After being hurt all of preseason, Balogun chipped the keeper to score his first goal for Monaco this season.

Yunus Musah completed his loan to Atalanta, leaving Christian Pulisic and AC Milan after being left out of this season’s game-time rotation. Total transfer value of $30 million if Atalanta chooses to keep him after this year.

Christian Pulisic sealed the game with another goal, giving AC Milan the 2-0 win over Lecce. His first goal of the Serie A season and an outstanding finish to the near post.

Malik Tillman scored his first goal for his new side, Bayer Leverkusen, on his Bundesliga debut. Just look at the composure to take it off the chest in the box and slot it past the goalkeeper. Unfortunately, his manager was fired shortly after the game, after just 3 games in charge. More change is coming for Tillman.

Kristoffer Lund, a name we haven’t mentioned much, started both games for FC Koln in the Bundesliga. He is on loan this season from Italian side Palermo and might deserve a call-up in the next few international windows.

Haji Wright scored his 4th goal of the season for Coventry City and almost had another after clanking the woodwork in the second half.

Aidan Morris is proving to be one of the best players in the English second division. This highlight reel shows exactly why. He has Middlesbrough leading the league with 4 wins out of 4 games.

Josh Sargent is doing what we all hoped for: scoring every game. He now has 6 goals in 5 games and is making it easy for Pochettino to choose who should play up top during the upcoming friendlies. He leads the English second division in goals with fellow teammate Haji Wright right on his tail with 4 goals. Have a listen to the Norwich fans singing their love for Sargent.

Leagues Cup Recap

The Seattle Sounders are Leagues Cup Champions after beating Inter Miami 3-0 in front of a club-record 69,314 fans. They’re the first MLS team to win every single major North American trophy possible. It was yet another triumphant moment for one of the league’s most storied franchises.

The game was not all rainbows and butterflies, however.

Seattle poured on the pressure early and found a breakthrough in the 26th minute with a header from Osaze de Rosario from a perfect ball by Alex Roldan. Messi had a few chances on either side of the half, but Seattle did a good job of being physical with him throughout the game. Roldan slotted home a penalty to double the lead in the 84th minute. Then Paul Rothrock put the game to bed, catching Miami’s defense asleep at the wheel. And that was that. Until…

Chaos ensued once the game ended. A huge brawl started that included Max Flacon putting Obed Vargas in a headlock, Sergio Busquests punching Vargas, and Luis Suarez spitting (yes, for real, watch below) on the Seattle Sounders’ head of security. What a shameful, classless, and vile scene. Absolutely inexcusable from Inter Miami players. Suarez should be suspended for a very long time.

But let’s keep the focus on Seattle. They’re good. Really good. They represent everything good and promising about MLS. A largely homegrown team that plays with fight, punches above its weight in big competitions, and is led by a coach who’s been with the organization for 25 years. Bravo, Sounders. You’re the epitome of what every MLS team should strive to be.

Kings of California

San Diego FC are the Kings of California. They spoiled Heung min Son’s home debut, beating their new state rivals 2-1. They’re now 5-0 against California teams.

The stars showed out in this one; Denis Bouanga scored the first, Chucky Lozano tied it up, and Anders Dreyer scored the winner off an insane assist. Their 7th straight road win ties the single-season league record. They’re now 1 point shy of LAFC’s expansion record for points in a season (57) and are one win from beating St. Louis City’s expansion record for most wins (17).

Anders Dreyer has our current vote for MVP. With 32 goal contributions (14g/18a), he’s now three ahead of Messi. He’s carrying an expansion club to the best inaugural season in league history and may just win the Supporters’ Shield along the way. The award is his if they do.

LAFC had their chances. They won the expected goal battle 1.41 to .92 and outshot San Diego 16 to 6. Per Matthew Doyle, San Diego has won the expected goal metric in just one out of their past 9 league games, a sign that their run might not be sustainable. Regardless, this season has been nothing short of remarkable for San Diego. A shining example of what new league growth should look like.

This likely isn’t the final time we see these two play. I’m hoping they meet in the Western Conference final. LAFC will have a chance at revenge.

Goal of the Week

That first touch 👀 

Meme of the Week

🤣 

Quick Hits

• Inter Miami loaned Benjamin Cremaschi to Italian side Parma with $4.5 million buy option (Link)

• MLS spends a record-breaking $336M on transfer fees this year (Link)

• Orlando City is finalizing a deal to sell Ramiro Enrique to the Saudi league (Link)

• Emil Forsberg listening to frustrated NY Red Bull fans (Link)

• An incredible save from Zack Steffen (Link)

We put a lot of work into this every week. Please give us some love below. Thank you ❤️ 

Max & Mason