Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 13 matches played thus far on the 32nd matchday of the 2024 MLS regular season on Saturday, September 14.
Matchday 32 continues this evening, as Seattle Sounders FC host Sporting Kansas City at Lumen Field (7:15 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / FS1).
Messi Mania Returns in Miami
In his first game back from injury since June 1, Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi powered the Supporters’ Shield leaders to a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union with two goals and an assist on the night.
With his three goal contributions in his 19th career MLS regular season match Messi surpassed Sebastian Giovinco (29 games) as the fastest player to record at least 15 goals and 15 assists. The Argentine leveled the score in the 26th minute after skipping by his defender before firing a low shot into the net, and he scored the game-winning goal just four minutes later as he poked home a cross from Jordi Alba inside the box (WATCH HERE).
Messi put a bow on the night as he turned provider to Luis Suárez, teeing up the Uruguayan for his 17th goal of the season to make it 3-1 (WATCH HERE). With the win, Miami joined 2015 D.C. United as the only clubs in league history to win eight regular season matches in a single season after conceding the first goal of a game (excluding the shootout era).
Miami, who became the first club to cross the 60-point threshold this season, continues to the lead the Supporters’ Shield race and is 12 points off the all-time single season points record with six games remaining, as an away trip to Atlanta United (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) awaits them on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
Hell is Real Results in Playoff Berths
In the hotly contested ‘Hell is Real’ derby between FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew, neither team was able to break through the opposing defense with the match finishing scoreless at TQL Stadium. Yet, both teams were content to walk away with a point since other results in the Eastern Conference saw each team clinch a spot in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, joining Inter Miami CF as the only clubs to do so in 2024.
For Cincinnati, it marks their third-straight postseason appearance since head coach Pat Noonan took charge in 2022. Noonan became the first head coach since Peter Nowak (2004-06) to win a Supporters’ Shield and make the playoffs in each of his first three seasons as an MLS head coach. Both Noonan and Cincinnati will look to avenge their loss in the Eastern Conference Finals last year as they aim to reach their first MLS Cup presented by Audi.
Columbus’ point on the road at Cincinnati solidified that no team would complete the season-sweep of the ‘Hell is Real’ derby. The Crew have now reached the postseason in back-to-back years under Wilfried Nancy and are aiming to win back-to-back MLS Cups for the first time since the LA Galaxy in 2010-11.
Galaxy’s Second-Half Surge Snatches El Tráfico Win
Things could not have been going worse for the LA Galaxy at halftime of El Tráfico as they trailed 2-0 against rivals LAFC at home. However, the Galaxy’s dynamic attacking talent of Riqui Puig, Marco Reus, and Dejan Joveljić made the difference in a sensational second-half comeback to snatch a win, 4-2.
The Galaxy got two goals in three minutes from Joveljić and Edwin Cerrillo to tie the match before Joveljic added the go-ahead goal in the 67th minute (WATCH HERE). Puig capped off the comeback with his third goal contribution of the night (two assists) as he scored in the 86th minute to seal the 4-2 win (WATCH HERE). This marked the second time in the rivalry’s history that the Galaxy came back from two goals down to beat LAFC, doing so in the inaugural meeting on March 31, 2018.
With the win and other Western Conference results tonight, the Galaxy became the first Western Conference team to clinch a berth in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. It is the club’s 21st postseason appearance in club history, which trails only the New York Red Bulls (24) for the most in MLS history, and they extended their lead atop the Western Conference to seven points heading into Matchday 33.
Armas, Mihailovic on a Roll for Red-Hot Rapids
The Colorado Rapids held onto a one-goal lead in Saturday night’s 2-1 victory over the Portland Timbers, which saw both midfielder Djordje Mihailovic and head coach Chris Armas continue to climb up the Rapids’ history books in just their first season with the club.
Mihailovic (22) set up both goals on the night to surpass Mark Chung (21 in 2002) and John Spencer (21 in 2001) for the second-most regular season goal contributions in a single season for the Rapids. His first assist came in the 17th minute as he helped a ball through Portland’s defense and into the path of Jonathan Lewis for the first goal of the night (WATCH HERE). The U.S. international then found Rafael Navarro with a cross off a free kick in the 71st minute for the eventual game winner (WATCH HERE).
The win also saw Armas (47) surpass Fernando Clavijo (45 in 2005) for the most points won by a Rapids head coach in their first season with the club and tie Glenn Myernick (14 in 1997) for the most wins by a first-year Rapids head coach. With six games remaining for the Rapids this season, Armas could still tie the club’s single season records for wins (20 in 1999) and points (61 in 2021).
The Rapids return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 18 against Sporting Kansas City (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) looking to extend their hold on a homefield advantage spot for the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs and potentially leap LAFC for second place in the Western Conference.
Pareja Cracks Top Five All-Time Winningest Coaches
Orlando City SC head coach Óscar Pareja cemented his name among the all-time great MLS head coaches on Matchday 32 with his 170th win in MLS regular season action, tying Dominic Kinnear for the fifth-most in league history.
Over a 12-year MLS coaching career, Pareja is 170-123-98 with the Colorado Rapids (2012-13), FC Dallas (2014-2018), and Orlando City (2019-Present). Pareja led FC Dallas to first and only Supporters' Shield title in 2016 and a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in the same year, before lifting Orlando’s first-ever trophy as an MLS club with a 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship.
On the night of his 170th win, defender Rafael Santos and Uruguayan international midfielder Facundo Torres each provided first-half goals to give Orlando a 2-0 lead going into the break. Forward Duncan McGuire would then score his eighth goal of the season in the 74th minute to put the cherry on top of Orlando’s second-consecutive 3-0 victory (WATCH HERE).
Pareja could surpass Kinnear for the fifth-most winningest head coach in league history and continue to close the gap on the New York Red Bulls for the fourth and final homefield advantage Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs spot on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at home against Charlotte FC (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
