A Look at MLS’s Supporters’ Shield Race: Matchday 26

MLS‘s Supporters’ Shield race is heating up with a big matchday ahead on matchday 26. Five of the top six played midweek, and now all six play this weekend! Let’s take a look at where everyone stands, what the latest results are, and take a look at this weekend’s games!

MLS — Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Union

MLS’s Supporters’ Shield Race

Cincinnati is continuing to hold strong with an eight-point gap between them and second-place New England. After those top two, St. Louis and Nashville sit on 38 points, Philadelphia has 37 points, and Columbus is just a point behind with 36.

There can be some major shakeups in MLS’s top-six as everyone is within two, three, or four points of each other, but will anyone ever be able to take points from Cincy in order to gain ground on them? Let’s take a look at the midweek results that have brought us to this point!

Three teams get three points; two get none on the midweek

In a game where Cincinnati concealed first again, it looked like the top team in MLS’s Shield standings was going to lose at New York Red Bulls. That is until the last 10 minutes. Cincy equalized in the 80th minute and then won it in the 90+3. This Cincinnati team just will not lose matches in 2023.

New England kept their good momentum going in their midweek match against Atlanta United. They scored in the fourth and ninth minutes to go up 2-0. They held that lead until second-half stoppage time where they conceded, but the Revs still did enough to get all three points.

The only western conference team in the top six went to LAFC and got a rude awakening from the reigning MLS Cup champions. It took until the last 30 minutes, but LAFC scored three goals and shut out St. Louis. It was a one-sided marquee matchup.

This midweek matchday was a night that saw two of MLS’s top six go head to head as Philly took on Nashville SC. It was a chippy affair that saw Philly awarded two PKs. Daniel Gazdag slotted both home to give the Union a 2-0 win on the road!

Columbus had the night off but fell to sixth place. Also, those fringe teams that were rising last week, Atlanta and Seattle both had bad road losses and are thus not in contention with this frontrunning group right now

MLS — Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Union

Looking at Matchday 26

Matchday 26 is the last matchday before the Leagues Cup break. This is a huge opportunity for teams to close the gap on Cincinnati, or rise up the standings before a month “off” to play in a different tournament. Here’s a look at this week’s matches.