Two Legendary Coaches Meet on Saturday
Two of the all-time MLS coaching greats – New England’s Bruce Arena and Toronto FC’s Bob Bradley – square off for the seventh time in their MLS careers, including the postseason, on Matchday 11 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass). The two coaches have combined for 449 career regular season wins, and 499 total victories when including the playoffs. On Saturday, the two will be the winningest pair of coaches to face off against one another in MLS history.
In their head-to-head history, the former pupil and mentor are deadlocked at 2-2-2, with this weekend’s edition an opportunity to establish bragging rights. From a player perspective, three New England veterans have played under Bradley – Jozy Altidore and Omar Gonzalez with the U.S. Men’s National Team, and Latif Blessing when he featured for LAFC. On Saturday, all of those connections will come to a head in a battle between the legendary coaches and friends.
The most regular season wins by a coach in MLS history:
Kei Kamara Closes in on History
In a record-setting career that has spanned 17 years, Chicago Fire forward Kei Kamara once again sits on the edge of a significant MLS milestone. With 143 career goals, Kamara is just two goals behind MLS Great and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee Landon Donovan (145) for the second-most goals in league history. After Donovan, only all-time MLS goal leader Chris Wondolowski (171 career goals) stands between Kamara and MLS history.
Kamara, who leads the Fire with four goals this season, has three goals in his past four matches. He will look to continue his quest towards goal-scoring history against goalkeeper Joe Willis and a staunch Nashville SC defense that is tied for fewest goals allowed in the league (six) in 2023 on Saturday evening (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
The players with the most goals scored in MLS history:
Vancouver Looking to Extend Shutout Streak
The longest active shutout streak in MLS belongs to the Vancouver Whitecaps, who have gone 410 minutes and four-plus games without conceding. The streak is the second-longest period without conceding in Vancouver history, which culminated in a scoreless draw against the Colorado Rapids last Saturday.
Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka has been sensational in the four matches, including a key save on Rapids forward Diego Rubio’s penalty kick to preserve a clean sheet on Matchday 10. This weekend, the Whitecaps will look to continue their streak and become one of five teams in the last decade to produce a shutout streak of at least 500 minutes as they face Minnesota United FC at BC Place on Matchday 11 (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
The clubs with 500-plus minute shutout streaks since 2014:
Ebobisse Looks to Continue Scoring Surge vs. LAFC
With the San Jose Earthquakes looking to preserve their unbeaten home record (4-0-1) to start the 2023 season, the club will turn to star forward Jeremy Ebobisse to break through against undefeated LAFC (5-0-3) at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass). Since the start of the 2022 season, Ebobisse (22 goals) is one of only six MLS players to score at least 20 goals.
In 10 career matches against LAFC, Ebobisse has scored six goals, the second-most by a single player against LAFC in the club’s brief six-year history. Only Zlatan Ibrahimović of the LA Galaxy has scored more goals against LAFC, netting eight goals in just five matchups against his crosstown rival.
The players with the most career goals against LAFC:
DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan Enter National Soccer Hall of Fame
Saturday will feature a full slate of MLS action, while also celebrating two MLS legends – DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan – who will be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Beasley and Donovan will become the 24th and 25th former MLS players to enter into the Hall of Fame after long and distinguished careers in the league.
Donovan is the only player in league history to be named to the MLS Best XI seven times and garnered MLS MVP honors in 2009 – an award that now bears his name. A five-time MLS All-Star with both the Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo, Beasley played in 222 career games and won two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophies.
The former U.S. Men’s National Team comrades will be inducted as part of the 2023 National Soccer Hall of Fame class alongside Jill Ellis, Lauren Cheney Holiday, Kate Sobrero Markgraf, and Slavisa “Steve” Zungul on Saturday.
The former MLS players in the National Soccer Hall of Fame:
