The top performances in MLS, Matchday 31
Our Major League Soccer expert James Nalton picks the standout players from the latest round of games in MLS, including his two votes for the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) MLS Player of the Matchday.
By James Nalton
The Top Two
9.7 FotMob rating: Albert Rusnák, Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders’ 4-0 win against Columbus Crew was a game that led to plenty of controversy and discussion (more on which later) but it would be remiss not to focus on what was, in the end, a convincing Seattle win that keeps them in the mix for the top four and home advantage in post-season.
Rusnák took full advantage of the Crew’s weakness when a sending-off for goalkeeper Abraham Romero meant outfield player Sean Zawadzki was forced to go in goal.
Rusnák immediately put a free kick past him, placing it into the bottom corner from outside the area where the sending-off offence occurred.
It’s all very well being a man up against a non-goalkeeper but you still need to find the corners and score the goals, and this is what Rusnák did.
He scored from a similar position in open play in the second half to add his second and make the score 3-0, before rounding off the win with a hat-trick with a one-time finish that would have beat any goalkeeper.
8.6 FotMob rating: Jimmy Maurer, FC Dallas
The performances of FC Dallas’ first-choice goalkeeper Maarten Paes this season have propelled him into the spotlight, not so much in MLS itself, but in Indonesia, for whom he now plays international football having made his debut in World Cup qualifying this month.
The absence of Paas through international duty saw Maurer earn his first minutes of the season and the former New York Cosmos No. 1 and American soccer veteran put in a Man of the Match performance.
Vancouver had 21 shots to Dallas’s seven, but only four of them were on target and Maurer saved them all.
The 35-year-old made saves from Sebastian Berhalter, Mathías Laborda, Ryan Raposo, and a shot from Damir Kreilach that looked like it was going in off the post.
There was also a good intervention when Deiber Caicedo was through on goal, getting a hand to the ball as the Colombian tried to take it around him.
He thwarted Caicedo again with a great save from close range in added time.
On top of his defensive work, Maurer also completed 41 of 46 passes for a pass success of 89%, contributing to build-up play as well as making saves.
With help from his defenders, Maurer contributed greatly to the clean sheet that earned Dallas a point on the road in Canada.
Three more standout performers
8.7 FotMob rating: Mateusz Klich, DC United
Former Leeds United midfielder Klich assisted both goals in DC United’s 2-1 win at Chicago Fire.
The game saw Christian Benteke score the goal that took him to 18 for the season and to the top of the MLS goalscoring charts, but it was Klich’s scheming in midfield that stood out.
He crossed from the left for Benteke to open the scoring, and then just three minutes later played an incisive ball through midfield for Gabriel Pirani to add a second.
Klich should have had a third assist in the game’s closing minutes, but Jacob Murrell sent his header from Kich’s pinpoint cross to the far post straight at Chris Brady.
DC United have now won four of their last five games in MLS and are making a late push for the playoffs.
8.5 FotMob rating: Will Sands, New England Revolution
New England’s 2-2 draw with St. Louis City was another of this weekend’s games that resulted in plenty of controversy.
It also witnessed a good performance from New England left-back Sands who finished the game with two assists, three chances created, 3/3 tackles won, and two interceptions.
A ball into the channel from Sands for new $7.5m signing Luca Langoni led to the Revolution’s first goal after some great work down the left from the Argentine.
Sands created a great chance for Dylan Borrero at the end of the first half having burst down the left into the area before cutting the ball back, but the Colombian’s shot hit the post.
Carles Gil made no mistake in a similar situation just before halftime, as Sands found himself in a good attacking position once again to set up his teammate.
Later in the game, with the score at 2-2, New England wanted a penalty for a possible handball by Kyle Hiebert, but referee Timothy Ford didn’t give it even after checking the replay.
“It is mindboggling that he doesn’t call that a penalty. The referee was a complete coward in that moment,” New England boss Caleb Porter said of the incident.
“He shouldn’t officiate. He cost our players two really important points today and I’m not going to stand for it.
“I don’t care if I get fined. I don’t care what [MLS commissioner] Don Garber says. What Don Garber needs to do is look at that situation and hold his official accountable.”
8.5 FotMob rating: Jordan Morris, Seattle Sounders
Seattle’s aforementioned 4-0 win against Columbus turned on an incident involving Morris, who led the line well for the Sounders throughout with some good off-the-ball movement.
It was his run, latching on to a nice through-ball from Cristian Roldan after Darlington Nagbe had lost the ball (itself a collector’s item), that caused all sorts of trouble for Columbus and ended up with their goalkeeper, Abraham Romero, getting sent off.
MLS continues playing during international breaks and the Crew’s two main goalkeepers this season, Nicholas Hagen and Patrick Schulte, had been called up for Guatemala and the United States respectively. Another of their goalkeepers, Evan Bush is out injured.
The Crew had also reached the maximum number of times they are permitted to call up goalkeepers from their second team this year, so were left with Romero as the only goalkeeper in the squad versus Seattle.
When Romero and Morris clashed, the initial concern for Columbus was that Romero might be injured, but the challenge warranted a red card for the goalkeeper anyway after cleaning out the Seattle forward.
Crew defender Zawadzki went in goal, and Seattle took full advantage from there.
Morris played a part in the build-up to his own goal driving forward before feeding Rothrock down the left and then being on hand to turn home his teammate’s cross in the six-yard box. He went on to set up Rusnak’s hat-trick goal with a cross from the left.
The furore and controversy around this game from a Columbus point of view won’t bother Seattle, who are looking to finish the season on a high. They did their job and did it well.
Recent defeats to LAFC and Portland are the Sounders’ only losses in 11 MLS games, and they’ve won eight during that run.
If Brian Schmetzer’s side can keep this kind of form going in the remaining six games, they will have recovered from a poor start and go into the playoffs in a strong position.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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