MLS Matchday 9 saw Charlotte FC jump into first in the Eastern Conference with a 3-0 win over San Diego FC. We’re more than a quarter of the way through the 30th season of MLS, and each week has been a thriller.
The top of the East has seen regular changes each week, and the Vancouver Whitecaps remain in the top spot in the MLS’s Western Conference. But, the West is looking interesting outside of the top spot.
Here are some of the best thrillers from MLS Matchday 9
Union blank Atlanta United at Subaru Park
The Philadelphia Union lost to NYCFC last week, 1-0, but flipped the script against Atlanta United on Saturday night, grabbing three points in a 3-0 win.
Quinn Sullivan scored the first goal of the match in the 27th minute, and what a match he had. Danley Jean Jacques doubled the lead for the Union with his first goal for the club in the 50th minute. Tai Baribo then put the game out of reach for Atlanta in the 84th minute with his seventh goal of the year. Baribo is back leading the MLS Golden Boot race.
From the opening whistle to the final, the Union simply outmatched Atlanta through the whole 90 minutes. Even after Philadelphia picked up a red card, Atlanta had nothing in the tank to mount any sort of comeback.
Atlanta is sitting 12th in the MLS’s East. Alarm sirens are now ringing.
Charlotte jumps into first in the East
A lot of people were sleeping on Charlotte FC entering this year, but they’re now sitting in first in the MLS’s East.
Liel Abada scored the match’s first goal in the 11th minute to give Charlotte an early advantage. Patrick Agyemang converted from the penalty spot in the 45th minute before halftime, and then Andrew Privett tripled the lead in the 57th minute.
The addition of Wilfried Zaha was always going to improve Charlotte, but not many expected them to be this strong in the East.
Seattle wins with five starters missing
Five starters from the Seattle Sounders were missing against Nashville SC, but that was no problem. The Sounders haven’t had the strongest start to the year, but they have a strong midfield, and things might be starting to click.
Seattle scored three times before the 35th minute, and they held the lead for the rest of the match. Nashville isn’t weak by any means this year; they’re sitting sixth in the East, but Seattle had them under control the whole 90 minutes.
FC Cincinnati moves into second
The Chicago Fire have been exciting to watch recently, but so has FC Cincinnati. The matchup between these two clubs was going to be a thriller, and that’s what it was.
Cincinnati had an early lead in the 9th minute thanks to Evander, until Hugo Cuypers equalized for Chicago in the 31st minute. Cincinnati took the lead back in the 42nd minute, and then doubled it in the 71st from an Evander brace. Chicago converted on a PK in the 85th minute but weren’t able to find an equalizer to end the match in a draw.
Cincinnati sits second in the MLS’s East, and Chicago is in eighth.
Miami remains the only unbeaten club
Inter Miami is the only club in the league that remains unbeaten. They now have six wins and three draws to their name. Playing in front of over 67,000 people at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, OH, Miami picked up a 1-0 victory.
Benjamin Cremaschi scored Miami’s only goal of the match in the 30th minute, a diving header, and it was the only goal that mattered.
MLS standings after Matchday 9
Charlotte FC – 19 pts
FC Cincinnati – 19 pts
Inter Miami – 18 pts
Columbus Crew – 18 pts
Philadelphia Union – 16 pts
Nashville SC – 13 pts
Orlando City – 13 pts
Chicago Fire – 12 pts
New York Red Bulls – 12 pts
NYCFC – 11 pts
New England Revolution – 10 pts
Atlanta United – 9 pts
D.C. United – 9 pts
Toronto FC – 7 pts
CF Montreal – 3 pts
Vancouver Whitecaps – 20 pts
Austin FC – 16 pts
Minnesota United – 16 pts
Portland Timbers – 15 pts
Colorado Rapids – 15 pts
San Diego FC – 14 pts
LAFC – 13 pts
Seattle Sounders – 12 pts
FC Dallas – 12 pts
San Jose Earthquakes – 10 pts
Real Salt Lake – 9 pts
St. Louis City SC – 9 pts
Sporting Kansas City – 7 pts
Houston Dynamo – 7 pts
LA Galaxy – 3 pts
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