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Matchday 4 in Numbers
And MLS Extensions Galore
Max Palmer
March 13, 2024
Mornin folks,
We’re coming to your inbox on Wednesday this week. And thinking about making that a full-time thing. Should we? Reply if you have a preference.
Here’s what we’ve got kicking around today…
4️⃣ Matchday Four in Numbers
💰️Extensions Galore
🍎 Bleak in the Big Apple
🇺🇸 Big Week for the Yanks Abroad
⚽️ Goal of the Week
😂 Meme of the Week
Matchday 4 in Numbers
1 - The number of wins that teams who played midweek CCL games had this weekend. They went 1W-1D-3L with 8 goals and 13 assists. Fresh legs matter.
2 - The number of set-piece goals Miami gave up to Montreal on Sunday. Last season they gave up a league-leading 15 set-piece goals. Tata Martino’s squad will have to figure this out.
3 - Toronto FC has opened the season with three straight clean sheets. Becoming the 5th team in the last decade to do so. Toronto has been a big surprise this season. They have 7 points through 3 games for the second time in club history.
5 - The Union and Sounders game was called off in the 5th minute due to torrential downpours that left the field looking more like a pond. LAFC fans don’t understand why they called this one off but not the snow game last week😂. It ain’t always sunny in Philadelphia.
14 - The number of seconds it took Duncan McGuire to score in Orlando’s 3-2 loss to Minnesota. It’s tied for the 5th fastest goal in MLS history. Blackburn wishes they knew how to do paperwork😆
20 - With his hat trick Giorgos Giakoumakis scored his 20th goal in his MLS career. He becomes the 5th player in MLS history to score 20 goals in under 2,000 minutes.
100 - Mohamed Farsi scored the game-winning goal in the 100’ minute. It's the latest game-winning regulation goal in MLS history.
Show Me the Money
MLS sides have gone on a spending spree over the last week locking up their star players to big extensions.
Carles Gil - The 2021 MVP signed a four-year extension with the Revolution locking him up through 2026 with a club option for 2027. Gil has been the lone bright spot for the Revolution who are off to a tough 0-3 start.
Hany Mukhtar - The MLS is a copycat league. Hours after the Gil signing, Nashville inked their star striker and 2022 MVP to an extension through 2026 with a club option for 2027.
Denis Bouanga - LAFC hopped on board and locked in their 2023 Golden Boot winner through 2027 with an option for 2028. The Frenchman rumored this offseason to want a move back to Europe.
Diego Luna - Real Salt Lake didn’t want to feel left out so they signed their promising young attacker as a U22 Initiative player through 2026 with options till 2028. So often the MLS sells young talent to Europe so it’s nice to see this deal get done.
And now rumors are swirling that Giorgos Giakoumakis is working on an extension to keep him in Atlanta. This is refreshing news for a league that has struggled to keep its stars in the past. This league needs star power. Period. Every league does. Keeping these studs with us is paramount.
It’s Bleak in the Big Apple
No, Red Bull fans, we’re not talking about you. With seven points the Red Bulls have tied their franchise record for most points in franchise history through three games.
But on the other side of Manhattan, things aren’t as good. NYCFC lost their home opener in heartbreaking fashion with a 97’ minute stoppage time banger from the Timber’s Evander. The Pigeons have only scored 1 goal through three games and remain without a point.
This club has an uncanny ability to let its guard down in the second half of matches and Saturday was no different. New York dominated the first half but got too comfortable with their 1-0 lead and Portland took advantage. After the match Keaton Parks lamented, “We need to grind out fucking results and not just bask in one goal leads and shit.” You ain’t wrong, Keaton.
The managerial seat has never been hotter for Nick Cushing.
Yanks Abroad
It was a big weekend for our boys across the pond. Here’s who scored, assisted, or received a Man of the Match award 👇️
Weston McKennie’s 7th assist was a nasty one. Among players in Europes top five league’s only Kevin De Bruyne (11) has more.
John Brooks added a red card to his goal😆.
Goal of the Week
That’s a world-class strike from the Italian. Quietly, Toronto look… good.
Meme of the Week
Look at that first comment 🤣
Sorry Revs fans 😬
