Landon Donovan MLS MVP candidates kicked into high gear and club records were broken, creating natural picks for the Matchday 24 Team of the Matchday presented by Audi.
Full team (3-4-3, left to right)
Starters: Brad Stuver (ATX) - Luca Bombino (SD), Andreas Maxsø (COL), Max Arfsten (CLB) - Marco Reus (LA), Djordje Mihailovic (COL), Marcel Hartel (STL), Anders Dreyer (SD) - Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Tani Oluwaseyi (MIN), Lionel Messi (MIA)
Coach: Wilfried Nancy (CLB)
Bench: Aljaž Ivačič (NE), Olwethu Makhanya (PHI), Indiana Vassilev (PHI), Albert Rusnák (SEA), Diego Rossi (CLB), Chucky Lozano (SD), Kelvin Yeboah (MIN), William Agada (RSL), Idan Toklomati (CLT)
Team highlights
Lionel Messi is making a run at the first-ever MLS MVP repeat, notching a fifth consecutive brace in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win over Nashville SC. Stretching six games, the Herons’ captain has scored a record-equalizing 11 goals to bring his season total to 16g/7a. He now leads the Golden Boot presented by Audi race on tiebreakers, too.
Of course, Anders Dreyer kept the pedal to the metal on his MVP campaign in San Diego FC’s 2-1 victory at Chicago Fire FC. Dreyer scored both goals on secondary assists from Luca Bombino to keep SDFC atop the Western Conference and himself pacing the MLS goal contribution charts with 26 (11g/15a).
Staying in SoCal, the LA Galaxy beat D.C. United (2-1 win) and LAFC overcame FC Dallas (2-0 victory) to set up a tasty El Tráfico next Saturday (10:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+). Each team’s stars are firing on all cylinders, as Marco Reus scored his fifth goal of the year and Denis Bouanga tallied 1g/1a in addition to drawing a penalty kick.
Speaking of rivalries, the Columbus Crew delivered the first two-goal Hell is Real comeback in a 4-2 victory over FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. Max Arfsten scored the equalizer from just outside the box on return from USMNT duty at the Concacaf Gold Cup, as reigning Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year Wilfried Nancy's side has won four of five games.
Also earning a comeback result, St. Louis CITY SC beat Portland Timbers, 2-1, courtesy of a Marcel Hartel brace on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire.
Meanwhile, Minnesota United FC reached 40 points at the fastest pace in club history (22 games) in their 4-1 triumph over the San Jose Earthquakes, riding Tani Oluwaseyi’s 1g/2a to victory.
Djordje Mihailovic wrote his name in the Colorado Rapids history books in their 3-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC, providing a hat trick of assists to surpass Mark Chung (38) for the most goal contributions during his first two seasons with the club (39). Andreas Maxsø added a header off a corner kick to boost a shutout at the back.
Likewise, Brad Stuver earned Austin FC a point in their 0-0 draw against the New England Revolution. The MLS All-Star added to his highlight reel with eight saves.
