It was a weekend of big attacking performances in Major League Soccer as forwards across the league enjoyed some high-scoring matches.
By James Nalton
Seven games featured four or more goals, and there was a standout 7-1 win for Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, though they are still not the overall standout team in the league…
With 12 games left to play for the majority of teams before the end of the season, eyes are on playoff pushes and, for a few teams in particular, the top of the table.
Three or Four goals for Messi?
Lionel Messi likes playing against Montréal. He scored twice in each of his two previous games against the Canadian side last season, and scored just as many in one game against them in 2026 — a 7-1 win this weekend.
There is some controversy around the second goal and to whom it should be attributed. Some are giving it as an own goal for Montréal defender Luca Petrasso, despite the free-kick being goal-bound anyway.
Given that it was on target, it makes sense to give it to Messi, as MLS themselves and FotMob’s data provider (Opta) have both done.
Casemiro, playing as a left centre-back, opened the scoring. Montréal equalised, but then Messi ran riot, scoring three more, including another from a free kick, and assisting one for Luis Suárez.
A late cameo and a goal from 18-year-old Floridian, Alexander Shaw, provided further interest as he became the latest homegrown American player to attract attention in MLS.
Cavan Sullivan not the only Union wonderkid
The highest-profile of those American homegrown talents is Philadelphia Union’s Cavan Sullivan, who has really stepped up his game in recent weeks.
The 16-year-old’s goal in a 3-1 win in New Jersey against Red Bull New York was his second in as many games. It demonstrated an ability to cut inside from his right-sided attacking midfield position and score with his left foot in the manner of an inside forward.
It was another skill added to a highlight reel that his future club, Premier League side Manchester City, will be keeping an eye on.
He is not the only teenager making his mark in Pennsylvania, as towering centre-back Niel Pierre scored his fourth goal of the season.
The 18-year-old defender has been just as much of a revelation as Sullivan in recent months, arguably more so as his performances have come out of nowhere.
Pierre makes the Union a big threat at set pieces, and all four of his goals have come in the weeks after the league’s return to action after the World Cup, following the end of a loan spell in Denmark with Lyngby.
He’s gone straight into the lineup and all of a sudden, along with Sullivan, is now being talked about as deserving a place in Mauricio Pochettino’s future United States national team squads.
Nashville the team to beat
Though the likes of Messi and Sullivan are the individual players making the headlines in MLS, Nashville continue to be the team making the running in the league table.
A 4-0 win at the weekend against FC Cincinnati keeps them ten points clear of Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference, and nine points ahead of Vancouver Whitecaps in the overall Supporters’ Shield standings, though the Whitecaps do have a game in hand.
Just when the focus begins to fall on one player, such as Hany Mukhtar, who is building to MVP performance levels as the season reaches the business end, you remember they also have players like Cristian Espinoza, who has long been one of the league’s standout players.
The opening goal against Cincinnati saw Espinoza assist another potential big contributor, Sam Surridge, the Englishman who finished last season with 24 goals, challenging Messi for the golden boot. This weekend’s goal was his 13th of the 2026 season.
Four goals and four different scorers demonstrate one of the reasons this Nashville side is top of the league. They may not have a Messi or a Son Heung-min, but they have several players who are able to consistently put in the best performances in the league on any given week. If one of them doesn’t, another will.
When they all fire at the same time, you get performances like this 4-0 win. Mukhtar got himself on the scoresheet before assisting one for substitute Bryan Acosta, with another late sub, Ahmed Qasem, rounding off the victory in added time.
On top of this, the defenders and goalkeeper are racking up FotMob ratings of around eight or above, making their own contributions to this team with ten clean sheets this season.
Brian Schwake made six saves in this game and was the second-highest rated player behind Mukhtar.
Nashville remain unbeaten at home with an impressive 11 wins in 12 games, while on the road they have conceded just five goals in ten games. They look likely to lift the Shield and could yet do so with a record points tally.
Creative masterclass from Anders Dreyer
In the game between San Diego and LA Galaxy, all the focus was on the return of the now LA Galaxy player Hirving Lozano to his former team. But it was the 2026 Newcomer of the Year, Anders Dreyer, who quietly yet impressively stole the show.
He set up the opening goal for Lozano’s replacement, Elias Achouri, with a cross from the byline, before a pinpoint defence splitting long pass from out wide sent Kieran Sargeant in for San Diego’s second.
San Diego midfielder Jeppe Tverskov was sent off early in the second half, receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Lozano, who then went on to score against his old team to make things interesting.
But a third goal from San Diego came via Amahl Pellegrino, again from a Dreyer pass, to complete the job for the team with ten men.
Dreyer finished the game having created four big chances, six in total, and having set up all three of his team’s goals.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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