MLS weekend wrap-up: Key takeaways from Matchday 9

Columbus could’ve, and probably should’ve, won this game 6-1. But a world-class performance from 38-year-old backup goalkeeper Oscar Ustari, coupled with some scintillating defending from center back Noah Allen, kept Columbus’s attack quiet. 

That kind of defensive rigidity is new for Miami. In the 2024 MLS regular season, 12 whole teams conceded fewer goals than Miami; in 2025, no one has. Ustari, Allen and the rest of Miami’s back line deserve immense credit for this improvement. Their efforts earned Miami the win this weekend and may well earn it many more wins down the line.

Atlanta’s defense needs a serious rethink

From a solid defensive outfit to a crumbling one: Atlanta looked dazed, confused and utterly overawed against a high-flying Philadelphia side this weekend. It lost 3-0 and could’ve lost by many more. Take a look at Philadelphia’s opening goal, scored by American international Quinn Sullivan. The sequence begins at 1:15:

There are, at a conservative estimate, thirteen different touches on the ball in Atlanta’s box before Quinn nails his volley. That’s about twelve too many. If Atlanta wants to be taken seriously as an Eastern Conference contender—and it does, as evidenced by the $40 million it spent on players during the offseason—it needs to revamp its back line, and soon. This is embarrassing stuff from a franchise that really ought to know better.

New England finally—finally!—scored an open-play goal. 

Nine games. Nine. That’s how long it took Caleb Porter’s New England Revolution to score a goal from open play. (Bless captain Carles Gil for lasering in penalties in the interim to keep the club afloat.) “Hopefully the first of many,” said Porter, clearly relieved, after the match, and yeah, let’s hope the Revs can keep the scoring coming now that they’ve broken their duck. If they can, they’ll be a legitimate challenger for the wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.

One small step for Portland, one giant leap toward MLS legitimacy

Before kickoff this weekend, pundits had one question about Portland: Is it genuinely good, or is it just beating up on terrible teams? Its five-game unbeaten streak pointed to the former, but its less-than-impressive opponents—the LA Galaxy, Colorado, Houston, Austin and Kansas City—swiveled back around to the latter.

We’ve got our answer. A wild, unpredictable, hard-fought 3-3 draw with LAFC this weekend proved that Portland really is building something special up in the PNW. This team would’ve lost this game 6-3 last year; it’s really dialed into its fundamentals under coach Phil Neville.

Every MLS neutral should be watching San Jose

Do you like goals? On both ends of the field? Running the gamut from sublime to ridiculous? Then you absolutely, positively should be watching the San Jose Earthquakes. There have been an eye-popping 25 goals in their last five games, twelve of which they scored, thirteen of which they conceded, often in dramatic, slapstick fashion. They’re not exactly composed or collected, our dear Quakes, but they’re a rollicking good time. Coach Bruce Arena has turned them into appointment television since taking the reins in November; long may the chaos continue.

MLS will return to action for Matchday 10 on Saturday, April 26.