We’re already at Matchday 3 of the 2024 MLS season and there are some familiar names in the latest FotMob TOTW
One of our MLS experts, James Nalton, picks two standout performers based on his votes in the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) Player of the Week awards and discusses a few more of the contenders.
By James Nalton
From the Sunshine State to the Utah snow, Major League Soccer threw up some entertaining clashes in its second full round of action.
The reason this is Matchday 3, not 2, is due to the lone midweek season opener between Inter Miami and Real Salt Lake last month being considered Matchday 1.
Players from both of those teams made my NASR ballot this week.
The Top Two
9.5 FotMob rating: Luis Suárez – Inter Miami
There were signs in pre-season that Suárez was struggling with the well-documented knee issue that had to be managed during his impressive spell with Brazilian side Grêmio, and this led to worries as to how effective he could be in MLS in 2024.
In the second game of Inter Miami’s season, Suárez allayed those worries with a standout performance that steered his team to a 5-0 win against fellow Floridians Orlando City.
Competitive Suárez is a different proposition to pre-season Suárez, and though the physical struggles are still evident in some moments, when it matters the Uruguayan looks like he could challenge Lionel Messi for MVP honours come the end of the season.
In the final 10-15 yards of the field, his movement and link-up play for two goals and an assist was first class.
A first-time finish from a Julian Gressel cross showed great finishing technique for his first, and another linkup with Gressel showed how dangerous he can be around the area.
When through on goal later in the half, Suárez had the chance to net a hat-trick in under 30 minutes but instead squared to Robert Taylor who had an easy tap-in.
An assist for Messi, crossing left-footed for the Argentine to head home rounded off his display.
A statement performance if ever there was one.
FotMob rating 9.3: Carlos Andrés Gómez – Real Salt Lake
After a couple of weather delays, there were questions as to whether this game in Utah should have gone ahead in the snowy conditions, but once it got the green light one player took control of the bright orange ball, and of the game.
Gómez’s first goal in this 3-0 victory against Los Angeles FC saw him leave Mexican defender Omar Campos on the ground before bursting through and scoring with aplomb past Hugo Lloris.
At times the LAFC defence looked like it was playing on ice rather than snow, and Lloris appeared to be struggling due to poor visibility.
But Gómez was able to keep his feet and his balance to take a great setup from Diego Luna and score his second.
A cross into the box for former LAFC forward Cristian Arango rubbed real salt into LAFC’s wounds as RSL drifted to a convincing victory.
Three more standout performers
9.2 FotMob rating: Lionel Messi – Inter Miami
Messi is now happy to be the support act while others—in this case, Suárez and Gressel—are getting the job done.
But even in this more relaxed role for Miami, he remains a standout player in every game he plays.
He was having his shirt pulled by an Orlando player in the box as the ball rebounded off the crossbar following some great play from Suárez and Jordi Alba, but they still couldn’t stop him from scoring.
Unable to get a foot to the ball, he still managed to score with his chest.
Throughout his career, Messi has occasionally been able to show he’s a good header of the ball, too, and a Suárez cross from the left was well placed and the Argentine met it with a perfectly executed header back across goal.
8.8 FotMob rating: Santiago Moreno – Portland Timbers
The Timbers drew 2-2 with DC United on the back of a 4-1 defeat of Colorado Rapids in their opening game, and this week it was Colombian winger Moreno who stood out.
The 23-year-old assisted the opener for Dairon Asprilla and could have had another assist in the first half when he slid Eryk Williamson through on goal.
In the second half, he was on hand at the far post to finish a looping cross from Eric Miller that eventually found its way to him through a crowd.
The Timbers couldn’t hang on to their 2-0 lead which disappointed supporters, and DC United will be encouraged by their comeback, but for the second week in a row, a Portland Timbers player makes our list of standout players.
Moreno doesn’t quite make the FotMob TOTW due to several impressive performances in his position, but maybe something is brewing in Portland?
8.8 Fotmob Rating: Célio Pompeu – St. Louis City
St. Louis were able to see off a weak New York City side, winning 2-0 thanks to the contributions of their 24-year-old left-winger.
The Brazilian showed his intent early on with a shot that rifled off the post.
Later in the half, he used that confidence gained to drive the ball directly at the heart of New York City’s defence.
Having left three defenders trailing in his wake, on this occasion Pompeu was able to find the inside of the post.
A neat through ball for Samuel Adeniran to finish powerfully from the left added an assist to Pompeu’s performance and sealed the victory.
(Images from IMAGO)
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