Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 12 matches played on the 10th matchday of the 2023 MLS season, Saturday, April 29.
Matchday 10 action concludes this evening as Minnesota United FC host FC Dallas at Allianz Field (9 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass / FS1).
Hany Mukhtar Back in MVP Form
Throughout his career, 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar has been a nuisance to Atlanta United, and Saturday afternoon was no different, as the crafty midfielder produced two assists in the Nashville SC’s 3-1 victory. In his last six matches against the Five Stripes, Mukhtar has produced five goals and six assists while leading his club to an unbeaten record (3-0-3).
After opening the season with just two assists in his first five matches, the German has totaled three goals and three assists in the last five games. Since the start of the 2022 season, Mukhtar has either scored or assisted on 42 of Nashville’s 63 goals (66.7%), which is the highest percentage by a single player in MLS over the span. With Mukhtar rounding into form and Nashville’s defense currently among the league’s best, the club will look to continue their rise up the Eastern Conference standings as they welcome Chicago to GEODIS Park on Matchday 11.
Djordje Petrović Makes Case for Best Goalkeeper in MLS
In a meeting between the top two teams in the Supporters’ Shield standings, New England Revolution goalkeeper Djordje Petrović once again made his impact felt, totaling four saves and one penalty kick save to preserve a 1-1 draw against FC Cincinnati. The Serbian National Team ‘keeper has been outstanding since entering MLS in 2022 and made history on Saturday night.
Petrović became the fastest goalkeeper in league history to save five penalty kicks, doing so in just 31 career matches. The previous record was held by Daniel Vega, who did so in 47 matches. In his career, Petrović has saved five of the 14 penalty kicks (35.7%) that he’s faced, the second-highest penalty-kick save percentage among active goalies with at least five penalty kick stops (Sporting Kansas City’s Tim Melia – 40.6%).
From MLS NEXT to Miami’s First Team – Cremaschi Makes a Difference
With Inter Miami CF suffering six consecutive defeats entering Matchday 10, head coach Phil Neville shook up his lineup and tapped youthful standout Benjamin Cremaschi for his first career MLS start. Cremaschi, a 2022 MLS NEXT All-Star and dual Argentina and U.S. Youth international, immediately made a difference with an assist on Leonardo Campana’s opener just seven minutes into the match.
At 18 years and 85 days old, Cremaschi became the youngest player to record an assist in Inter Miami history and helped the club earn a 2-1 victory on the road at the Columbus Crew. He was also the third-youngest player to produce an assist in MLS this season, behind only Seattle’s Obed Vargas and D.C. United’s Kristian Fletcher.
Rooney, Benteke Leading D.C. on Winning Streak
Powered by a sensational bicycle-kick goal from Christian Benteke (Watch Here), D.C. United emerged from Matchday 10 with a 3-0 victory over Charlotte FC – the club’s largest margin of victory in a match since February 26, 2022. Also adding to the stellar offensive effort was 20-year-old defender Jacob Greene, who scored his first career MLS goal in the 95th minute.
Under the direction of head coach Wayne Rooney, D.C. United have won three consecutive games in the same season for the first time since October 18-28, 2020, and currently sit in seventh place in the East. Over the span, D.C. has outscored their opponents by a 7-1 margin, led by a pair of goals from both Benteke and Taxiarchis Fountas. Next up for D.C. is a road trip to Eastern Conference power FC Cincinnati on Saturday, May 6 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
Scoreless Draw Historic for Rapids and Whitecaps
Despite playing to a scoreless draw, Saturday night’s match between the Colorado Rapids and Vancouver Whitecaps proved historic for both clubs.
With five saves in the shutout, Rapids goalkeeper William Yarbrough recorded his 30th career clean sheet, eclipsing Matt Pickens (29) for the most shutouts in club history. Yarbrough and Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka are tied for fourth in MLS with four clean sheets this season.
Vancouver’s shutout, which was preserved by Takaoka’s save on a Diego Rubio penalty kick in the 79th minute (Watch Here), marked the fourth consecutive match in which it did not allow a goal. The four-game shutout stretch ties the club record, which had previously been accomplished twice in team history and most recently in 2014 (October 4-25). The Whitecaps will look to set a club record with their fifth consecutive clean sheet against Minnesota United FC on Matchday 11.
