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By James Nalton
The Top Two
9.1 FotMob rating: Ramiro Enrique, Orlando City
Ramiro Enrique lit up Orlando City’s game away to one of the strongest teams in MLS, FC Cincinnati, where the team from central Florida were able to claim an impressive 3-1 win.
Enrique opened the scoring, playing a long one-two with Kyle Smith, making the run into the box to receive Smith’s cross from out wide and finish ingeniously on the volley. The home crowd went silent, but maybe a few of them appreciated the finish.
Lucho Acosta had drawn Cincy level, but Enrique knocked the ball down for Iván Angulo who restored Orlando’s lead before Angulo returned the favour to set up Enrique for a tap-in to give him a brace on the night.
Inter Miami, Columbus Crew, and FC Cincinnati have been the big three in the Eastern Conference all season, but Orlando have now won ten of their last 13 games to make them arguably the best team in the East going into the playoffs.
9.4 FotMob rating: Cucho Hernández, Columbus Crew
Is there anything Cucho Hernández can’t do?
While there will be debates around who will receive the MVP award in MLS this season, if the award was simply for best player, Cucho would be up there alongside Lionel Messi.
He opened the scoring with his head in a 3-2 win against Philadelphia Union this weekend, showing another aspect of his game.
And he repeated the trick later on, heading in a second goal from a corner late in the second half to put Columbus 3-1 up. It would eventually be the winning goal.
Cucho had a total of nine shots in this game, 90 touches, and created four chances as he continues to perform the duties of a number 10 and a striker combined.
Three more standout performers
9.3 FotMob rating: Riqui Puig, LA Galaxy
Riqui Puig was instrumental in another LA Galaxy win as the team from Carson push to finish ahead of Columbus Crew as the second-best team in all of MLS in 2024.
It wasn’t the easiest of wins against Austin, but Puig assisted both goals for his side in a game which finished 2-1 in LA Galaxy’s favour.
Puig was pulling the strings from midfield throughout, as he often goes, but the first goal was all about Gabriel Pec.
The Brazilian received the ball out on the right wing before beating his marker, cutting inside into the area and finding the far corner.
For the Galaxy’s second, Puig carried the ball to the edge of the area before offloading it to Dejan Joveljić who scored the winner.
The former Barcelona man finished the game with 98 touches, and an impressive 16/17 ground duels won.
Austin’s frustration with Puig’s dominance spilt over late in the game as Guilherme Biro was sent off for a nasty lung on the Spaniard in added time.
8.7 FotMob rating: Jimmy Maurer, FC Dallas
It was a win for the Goalkeepers Union as Portland Timbers and FC Dallas played out a 0-0 draw in Oregon.
Despite their unremarkable position in the Western Conference, Portland Timbers have been one of the best attacking teams in MLS in 2024, scoring 64 goals in 33 games.
But they were kept goalless thanks to an excellent display from Austin’s Brad Stuver last week and faced a similar goalkeeping performance from Maurer in Sunday night’s 0-0 draw against FC Dallas.
Maurer made seven saves and prevented an xG on target of 1.65, including a stop with his feet from Felipe Mora, a close-range save from Santiago Moreno thanks mostly to good positioning, and an acrobatic save from Mora’s overhead kick
Portland were wasteful again but would have expected to score at least one of their chances.
James Pantemis also made numerous good stops for the Timbers at the other end, most notably in the second half, in what was one of the more entertaining 0-0 draws.
Stopping Portland scoring doesn’t happen too often, but is a good way for a goalkeeper to get themselves among the top performers.
Maurer managed it this week, and his opposite number Pantemis deserves to feature alongside him.
9.2 FotMob rating: Santi Rodríguez, New York City
It took just 17 seconds for New York City to open the scoring against Nashville in a 3-1 win.
City were playing this particular home game at Red Bull Arena, home of the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey, as the baseball fields where they usually play their home games are occupied by the Yankees and Mets due to the progress of both to the MLB playoffs.
That early goal was the first of two for Santi Rodríguez in a game in which all of the New York team’s goals were scored in the first 21 minutes.
Santi scored his second in the 18th minute, getting on the end of Hannes Wolf’s cross at the far post.
He makes the list of top performers just ahead of Simon Becher of St. Louis City who also stood out this week, scoring twice in a 3-0 win against Houston Dynamo.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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