MLS Recap: Game Week 5 Highlights

Now that Match Week 5 has concluded, we’re officially one month into the 2024 MLS season and it’s come with a few surprises so far. Teams in the East are suffering the consequences of competition in the CONCACAF Champions Cup which has allowed space for Montreal, Toronto, and Red Bull to break into playoff spots, while things out West are an absolute crap-shoot to start the year. Let’s take a look back at the Week 5 results

MLS, Soccer — Columbus Crew’s Steven Moreira, left, and Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga, right chase after the ball in the first half of the MLS soccer championship match, Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

MLS Week 5 Highlights

Chicago Fire 4 -3 CF Montreal

The weekend started with an instant MLS Classic. After Laurent Courtois’ CF Montreal got off to 3-1 lead and looked to have sealed their 3rd road win to start the campaign, a Red Card from Raheem Edwards changed the trajectory of the match.

An 82nd-minute goal from Brian Guiterrez and a 95th-minute equalizer from Hugo Cuypers saved Chicago a point at home. But just when you thought the madness was over, one of the most “That’s So MLS” things happened. I’m not sure we’ll see an ending that bizarre for a long time. The Windy City Miracle.

DC United 1 – 3 Inter Miami

Even without Lionel Messi, DC United couldn’t figure out a way to stop Inter Miami. DC United’s Jared Stroud opened the scoring in the 14th minute, but their lead lasted just 10 minutes with Leo Campana drawing Inter Miami level in the 24th.

The difference maker in this one was once again Luis Suarez, scoring a brace in about a half-an-hour on the pitch. The 3 points on the road bring Inter Miami into the Supporters Shield lead early in the MLS season.

Seattle Sounders 1 – 1 Colorado Rapids

After a slow start to the MLS season, a goal from Seattle’s Raul Ruidiaz in the 11th minute felt like the exact thing the Sounders needed.

But that’s where the good vibes ended for Seattle, with Josh Atencio being sent off in the 57th for two yellow card violations in 9 minutes, and Colorado’s Kevin Cabral scoring an equalizer in the 88th.

Columbus Crew 3 – 0 New York Red Bulls

Wilfried Nancy has the former MLS Champs off to a great start in 2024, and they kept things rollin’ at home against NYRB on Saturday night.

Chucho opened the scoring 13 minutes in to put doubt into the visiting team, and 2nd half goals from Jacen Russell-Rowe and Aidan Morris capped off a 3-0 clean sheet win for the Crew propelling them to a 1st place tie in the East with Inter Miami early in the season.

NYCFC 2 – 1 Toronto FC

John Herdman’s Toronto FC has been one of MLS’ early surprises, and it looked like the early form would continue on the road against NYCFC after an opening goal from Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty in the 7th minute, but Santi Rodriguez drew NYCFC level in the 24th minute.

Kevin O’Toole gave NYCFC the lead in the 65th minute with hopes of locking in the Pigeon’s first win of the season. Just 3 minutes later, teammate Keaton Parks would give Toronto a path back into the game with a red card, but Toronto failed to capitalize on the man advantage.

Austin FC 2 – 2 Philadelphia Union

After an absolute butt-whopping from Pachuca down in Mexico, Philadelphia needed a bounce-back performance to kick-start their MLS season post-Champions Cup. Union’s Daniel Gazdag opened the scoring in the 14th minute from the PK spot to get Union on the board early while on the road.

2 goals in as many minutes from Austin at the start of the 2nd half flipped the script and put Union’s back against the wall. But once again the theme early on for this Union team is resiliency, and a goal from Mikael Uhre in the 65th minute was enough to earn the Union their 3rd consecutive draw to start the MLS season.

FC Dallas 1 – 3 Vancouver Whitecaps

This one was a first-half thriller, with all 4 goals coming inside the first 45 minutes. The visiting team jumped out to an early lead with goals from Vancouver’s Mathias Laborda and Brian White in the 25th and 29th minute.

Sebastian Lletget got Dallas back into the game with a goal in the 40th minute, but just 2 minutes later Fafa Picault extended Vancouver’s lead to 3-1 which would seal the 3 points on the road for the Whitecaps, keeping them unbeaten through their first 3 MLS games.

Houston Dynamo 1 – 0 Portland Timbers

Phil Neville’s Timbers have started the 2024 season unbeaten in their first 3 games and were hoping to keep the good form going against an injured and tired Dynamo side on the road, but Houston was determined to notch their first win at home in MLS play.

Houston’s Ibrahim Aliyu was the lone goal scorer for the Dynamo, marking the 22-year-old’s 2nd goal of the season – just 1 short of his total across 24 games played last season. Despite Portland’s 17 shots and 2.4 expected goals, Houston was able to keep their first clean sheet of the MLS season.

Sporting Kansas City 2 – 1 San Jose

This was another MLS match that had all its action take place in the first half. San Jose’s Victor Costa De Brito opened the scoring for the visitors 11 minutes in, but the lead lasted just 7 minutes with SKC’s Dany Rosero drawing the home team level.

Less than 10 minutes later, Alan Pulido extended SKC’s lead to 2-1 which would be enough to seal all 3 points for Sporting Kansas City at home.

Minnesota United 2 – 0 LAFC

This one might be one of the most surprising results in the early goings of the MLS season. LAFC has been a juggernaut in MLS over the last few seasons, but are struggling in the early days of the 2024 campaign while their opponents are off to one of the best starts in the league.

The Loons’ Robin Lod opened the scoring in the 16th minute to give the home team an early advantage. LAFC did enough to keep the game within reach and hopeful of stealing a point on the road, but in the 88th minute, Bongokuhle Hlonwane doubled Minnesota’s lead to hand LAFC their 3rd loss of the season.

Nashville 2 – 1 Charlotte FC

Coming into this match, Hany Mukhtar was the only Nashville player to ever score a goal against Charlotte FC. But on Saturday night it was Nashville’s supporting cast that got the job done against the visitors. Sam Surridge opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with his first tally of the 2024 MLS season, and the lead was extended 8 minutes later by Nashville’s Alex Muyl.

Brecht Dejaegere, who came into the game as a sub after just 26 minutes played, would bring Charlotte a goal back in stoppage time of the first half, but Nashville would do enough to close out the game with a 2-1 result, securing their first win of the season.

LA Galaxy 3 – 3 St Louis City SC

Galaxy and St Louis City had one of the best battles of the week. LA Galaxy’s Dejan Jovelkic continued his hot start to the season with an opening goal just 3 minutes in. The visiting team showed their resiliency with an equalizing goal in the 27th minute, which would eventually bring the teams into half-time level at 1.

Galaxy’s new star Joseph Paintsil extended Galaxy’s lead in the 51st minute, but the lead was erased just 9 minutes later by St Louis’ Joakim Nilsson. The visitors thought they got the best of Galaxy with the go-ahead goal in the 88th minute, but Maya Yoshida played hero on Saturday night for LA, scoring the equalizer in the 5th minute of stoppage time to earn the home side a point.

Union, MLS — Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Union

New England Revolution 1 – 2 FC Cincinnati

In a battle between two CONCACAF Champions Cup competing sides, it was the reigning Supporters Shield winners who walked away with 3 points to kick off the action on Sunday afternoon. Yuya Kubo scored the opening goal in the 52nd minute for a rotated Cincinnati side, last year’s MVP, Lucho Acosta doubled the lead just 2 minutes later with a free-kick he placed under the wall.

New England’s Giacomo Vrioni would bring the game to 2-1 in the 62d minute, but Cincinnati’s defense was able to keep New England quiet the remainder of the game to earn 3 points on the road.

Atlanta United 2 – 0 Orlando City SC

Game Week 5 of MLS action ended with a clean sheet between two rivals from the South. Saba Lobjanidze opened the scoring for Atlanta only 9 minutes into the game and Atlanta never looked back.

Giorgos Giakoumakis doubled the lead with his 4th goal of the season to seal all 3 points for Atlanta, handing Orlando their 3rd loss in 4 games to start the 2024 campaign.

A look ahead to game week 6

The sixth game week of MLS play is a full Saturday slate! Two matches in the afternoon, six in the early evening, and six late-night games! Here’s a look at the schedule.