Young Players: Who stepped up in Matchday 11?

We’ll start this week’s roundup in a perhaps offbeat manner: with a tifo, produced by New England Revolution supporters’ group The Rebellion to encourage their struggling Revs shortly before kickoff at Saturday’s date with Inter Miami and Leo Messi at Gillette Stadium.

“We believe in our team, we know despite what the standings show that our players can bring the light to the pitch and battle hard for a win,” reads The Rebellion’s explanation of the gorgeous coastal imagery. “The team can take strength from each other and the power of its fanbase!”

Alas for New England, the Revs heeded that message in the early stages, but could not keep pace with the league-leading Herons down the stretch in a 4-1 rout. But that tifo’s message stayed with us, offering an evergreen source of inspiration as well as a reminder – we’re nothing without you, the readers, and we appreciate you accompanying us on our #YPPOTW journey week in, week out.

In a similar spirit, we’re starting this edition in the Windy City, where a young homegrown shone some light in a dim moment for his club.

With six saves against Atlanta, several of them genuinely jaw-dropping, Chicago’s 20-year-old goalkeeper made the MLS Team of the Matchday for his efforts at Soldier Field on Saturday, and he’s worth every bit of top billing both over there and here at YPPOTW. Just cue up the video and luxuriate in the elite shot-stopping.

Was that one the pick of the litter? Or was it this one? Or how about that fingertips parry of a late Thiago Almada free kick bound for the top corner (you can find that one on the match highlights)?

On balance, the Fire probably didn’t deserve to take points from this performance. But their young ‘keeper simply refused to lose, and that may offer the Men in Red something to build on.

Our next stop is Philly, where the Union suffered their first league loss of 2024 thanks to some woebegone finishing that left the door open for Alex Katranis to snatch three road points for Real Salt Lake with a late golazo from range.

But don’t blame Sullivan – he played a game-high six (six!) key passes, including the smart center to Dániel Gazdag for Philly’s goal, bagging him his team-leading third assist of the season. The 20-year-old also completed 85% of his overall passes, won 4/8 ground duels and drew a foul.

You can even make a solid argument that Sullivan has been Jim Curtin’s most indispensable player this year. Able to produce the work rate and defensive bite required in their pressing system as well as moments of creative brilliance in the final third, Sullivan has started every match for Philly this season and leads the DOOP squad in expected assists, big chances created and successful dribbles per 90 minutes, and is tied for second on the team in key passes and shots per 90 minutes.

It’s a second straight week on this list for NYCFC’s young Argentine attacker, and that’s because for a third straight match, he conjured up a timely goal contribution to run the Pigeons’ winning streak to three.

This time it was an arcing left-footed set-piece delivery to the head of Keaton Parks for an equalizer shortly before halftime in City’s resourceful comeback 2-1 win over Charlotte:

In his 63 minutes on the pitch, Fernández tabbed 39 touches, three chances created, 2/3 duels won and one foul drawn alongside two committed. The 20-year-old seems to be finding his rhythm and building his chemistry with the rest of the Cityzens’ front four.

The Herons’ teenage homegrown has methodically been working his way back to full speed after an injury spell earlier in the year and made the most of his 15-plus minutes on the pitch in Foxborough.

First he showed striker-ish poaching instincts to rifle home the rebound after Henrich Ravas saved Messi’s shot, Cremaschi’s first goal of the season. Then he showed off a little razzle-dazzle with a cheeky no-look flick to help Messi connect with Luis Suárez for Miami’s exclamation-point fourth strike of the night:

Overall, Cremaschi completed 13/14 passes, won 1/1 tackles, made three recoveries and probably gave Tata Martino a little something extra to think about as he mulls his lineups for upcoming Eastern Conference clashes with New York Red Bulls, CF Montréal, Orlando City and D.C. United.

Both joy and relief were palpable at Toyota Stadium as FCD ground down their old enemies from Houston to claim their first win since opening day and take pole position in the hunt for El Capitán, the mountain howitzer cannon that is this rivalry’s outsized trophy.

The very early straight red card brandished to Dynamo fullback Griff Dorsey was undoubtedly a major facet in Dallas’ 2-0 W, yet so was their on-loan Ecuadorian central midfielder, who has brought a much-needed dose of pitch control as he finds his feet in MLS.

Delgado completed 20/23 passes (87%) against Houston, among them three key passes, and also went 2/2 on dribbles, won 4/4 ground duels, drew one foul and took five corner kicks. The 20-year-old’s stock is rising and we’re especially curious to see how his understanding with the classy Asier Illarramendi develops.

Kobe Franklin: The Toronto FC academy product came off the bench to drop a dime of an assist onto the head of Tyrese Spicer to net the first goal of the Reds’ comeback in their dramatic 2-1 road win in Orlando, after drifting into space out wide to receive a gorgeous switch from Federico Bernardeschi:

Efrain Morales: Congratulations to Atlanta United’s 20-year-old center back, who made his career MLS debut in the 0-0 draw with Chicago and looked the part, completing 73/79 passes (92%), logging eight defensive actions, winning most of his aerial duels and committing just one foul.

Caleb Wiley: ATL’s other youngster along the back line is a more familiar face to YPPOTW readers and he was his typical busy self against the Fire, completing passes at a 96% clip, winning 4/6 ground duels, drawing two fouls and creating one chance.