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
9.4 FotMob rating: Gabriel Pec, LA Galaxy
Brazilian winger Gabriel Pec has been one of the signings of the season in MLS in 2024.
He’s offered exactly what LA Galaxy needed in attack after replacing compatriot Douglas Costa who left the team in the offseason.
Pec caused constant problems for Saturday’s opposition, Vancouver Whitecaps, scoring one and assisting two more in a 4-2 Galaxy win.
He also ‘assisted’ the own goal from Sebastian Berhalter following a one-two with Riqui Puig and a cross into the box turned in by the Vancouver defender as he desperately tried to intervene.
The Puig-Pec combination (pictured above) played a part in all four Galaxy goals, and the duo rounded things off as Pec assisted Puig for the fourth.
9.0 FotMob rating: Pep Biel, Charlotte FC
With plenty of assistance from substitute Patrick Agyemang, Biel helped Charlotte to a 4-0 win at home to New England Revolution.
Liel Abada put Charlotte 1-0 up early on, but Agyemang came off the bench to combine with Biel to make sure of the win and pile more misery onto New England who remain bottom of the Western Conference.
They assisted goals for each other in the second half to put Charlotte 3-0 up before Kerwin Vargas finished the job.
Biel is currently on loan at Charlotte from Greek side Olympiacos but says he would like to remain in MLS beyond the loan period.
“I hope to stay because I enjoy it here and they’ve given me a lot of confidence and I want to pay that back,” he said after the game.
Three more standout performers
8.8 FotMob rating: Max Arfsten, Columbus Crew
Though they are not top of the MLS standings and look unlikely to catch Inter Miami between now and the end of the season, there is still a feeling that Columbus Crew are the best team in this league.
Max Arfsten stepped up as the star on this particular Matchday, but as is often the case there were quality displays throughout the Crew side.
Arfsten assisted two goals in a 4-3 win for Columbus against Orlando.
The first was a pinpoint cross lofted onto the head of the impressive Christian Ramirez, and the second was a low cross from the right into the path of one of the star players in MLS, Cucho Hernández.
He showed the versatility to be effective from the right as well as the left.
Orlando scored three late goals to taint what had been a solid, typical Crew performance to that point, and the visitors deserve credit for their late rally, but Columbus still came away with a win and remain on course to finish second behind Miami.
8.7 FotMob rating: Quinn Sullivan, Philadelphia Union
In a clash of local rivals and playoff-challenging mid-table teams, Philadelphia Union came out on top, winning 4-0 against DC United to hang on to ninth spot in the East.
Remaining in this position would ensure a place in the post-season wildcard round, but the Union may also be looking further up the table with 12 points still to play for.
Daniel Gazdag, Tai Baribo, and Quinn Sullivan all put in standout performances as Jim Curtin’s side built on their 5-1 win against New York City in midweek.
A lot of the attention around Philadelphia Union recently has been on Quinn Sullivan’s younger brother, Cavan — the 14-year-old who is set to join Manchester City when he turns 18 — but Quinn has been steadily emerging as a reliable and impressive first-team player for the Union.
He assisted two goals against DC with some great play down the right wing throughout which saw him create four chances in the game.
He had 11 touches in the area and was heavily involved for his team with 63 touches in total.
It has been a disappointing season generally for the Union given they are usually challenging at the top end of the league, but they appear to be coming into form at just the right time in a late bid to qualify for the playoffs proper.
8.6 FotMob rating: Robin Lod, Minnesota United
After an up-and-down season, Minnesota United are still in with a chance of making the playoffs.
Robin Lod came off the bench to assist both goals in a 2-0 win at Sporting Kansas City and keep United in touch with the teams involved in a close fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Lod created three chances in the 45 minutes he was on the pitch, also completing two dribbles and winning 3/3 ground duels. The Finn remains one of the most creative players in the league and is one of those players who plays a big part in whether his team is successful or not.
After an inconsistent season, Minnesota reaching the post-season would be considered a success at this stage, but despite being considered below their best, they still sit above the likes of New York City, Charlotte, FC Dallas, and Philadelphia Union in the overall table.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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