Daniel Gazdag returned to Subaru Park with the Columbus Crew on Saturday night to take on the Philadelphia Union for the first time since being traded. It looked like the Union were about to take three points away from Columbus, but Sean Zawadzki scored the equalizer in the 90+3′.
The draw between the Union and Crew meant that FC Cincinnati reclaimed the top spot in the Eastern Conference. In the West, the Vancouver Whitecaps drew with LAFC, 2-2, but are still sitting comfortably in first. However, Minnesota United is slowly closing in.
Let’s look back at some of the best matches from an electric MLS Matchday 12.
Union and Crew draw in late-minute thriller
The Union almost spoiled Gazdag’s return to Philly until Zawadzki had other ideas. During the match, Frankie Westfield scored his first-ever MLS goal with a rocket into the top right corner.
The draw puts the Union in third place in the East, two points behind FC Cincinnati, who are in the top spot. Despite only grabbing one point, Saturday’s contest was positive for Philadelphia, which is proving itself as a legitimate powerhouse and contender in the conference.
Red Bulls score SEVEN on LA Galaxy
The New York Red Bulls scored SEVEN goals on the LA Galaxy in a rematch of the 2024 MLS Cup Final. A horrid season for the Galaxy just keeps getting worse every week.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored first in the 7th minute, and that was it for the Galaxy. Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg both scored braces, including a beautiful free kick from Forsberg that earned him Player of the Matchday honors.
Whitecaps draw with LAFC
On this previous edition of ‘Sunday Night Soccer‘, we were honored with a matchup between two strong teams in the West. LAFC jumped out to an early 8th-minute lead thanks to a goal from Marco Delgado, and then Denis Bouanga converted on a penalty in the 19th minute to double it.
But Brian White scored in the 26th minute to bring Vancouver back within one, and then he would level the match in the 70th minute to earn a point for his side. White is sitting first in the MLS Golden Boot race with eight goals so far and is one of this year’s biggest breakout players.
Minnesota makes statement win over Miami
Minnesota United is sitting in second in the West after a 4-1 win over Inter Miami. Minnesota scored twice before the first halftime whistle and then added two more goals in the second. Lionel Messi scored in the 48th minute to hopefully light a spark for his squad, but nothing was mustered.
Minnesota is sitting in second in the West with 22 points, five behind Vancouver. Miami is fourth in the East with 21 points.
Portland stay in third with win over KC
The Portland Timbers have also rocketed up the West standings these past few weeks. After a slow start, they remain in third thanks to a 1-0 win over Sporting Kansas City.
The loss of Evander to FC Cincinnati in the offseason still hurts, but other players have stepped up. Santiago Moreno scored a spectacular goal in the 10th minute, which would be enough to give Portland three points. A world-class finish from Moreno keeps Portland in the fight for a top spot in the West.
MLS Standings after Matchday 12:
FC Cincinnati: 25 pts
Columbus Crew: 25 pts
Philadelphia Union: 23 pts
Inter Miami: 21 pts
Nashville SC: 20 pts
Charlotte FC: 19 pts
New York Red Bulls: 18 pts
Orlando City: 18 pts
New England Revolution: 17 pts
NYCFC: 17 pts
Chicago Fire: 16 pts
D.C. United: 12 pts
Toronto FC: 10 pts
Atlanta Untied: 10 pts
CF Montreal: 6 pts
Vancouver Whitecaps: 27 pts
Minnesota United: 22 pts
Portland Timbers: 21 pts
San Diego FC: 20 pts
Seattle Sounders: 19 pts
LAFC: 18 pts
San Jose Earthquakes: 16 pts
Austin FC: 16 pts
Colorado Rapids: 16 pts
FC Dallas: 16 pts
Real Salt Lake: 13 pts
Sporting Kansas City: 10 pts
St. Louis City SC: 10 pts
Houston Dynamo: 10 pts
LA Galaxy: 3 pts
Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
