Major League Soccer (MLS) once again delivered a weekend full of drama, highlighted by the performances of American teen phenom Cavan Sullivan and Lionel Messi. Here are the main takeaways and results from MLS Round 25:
Messi shines, but Nashville salvage a point
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were just moments away from a big victory against Eastern Conference leaders Nashville, but had to settle for a 2-2 draw. Messi found the net in the 62nd minute to put Inter Miami ahead, but Nashville’s Sam Surridge came to the rescue with a stoppage-time equalizer for his second of the night. Messi currently leads the top scorer race with 19 goals, while Surridge is just four goals behind after scoring his 14th and 15th of the season.
Sullivan makes history in dominant Union performance
Philadelphia made a statement on the road, extending their unbeaten run to 10 matches with a 5-0 win against San Diego. The headlines of the night belonged to homegrown talent Cavan Sullivan, who scored a brace to become the second-youngest player in MLS history to score two goals in a match. Sullivan, who is still just 16 years old, has been on a tear as of late and has scored or assisted in five straight league matches.
Austin shocks Western Conference leaders Vancouver
Out west, Austin pulled off a surprise result against conference leaders Vancouver Whitecaps. Christian Ramírez was the star of the night for Austin, scoring both goals in their 2-1 upset win over Vancouver. The Whitecaps were without Thomas Müller for this contest, but still sit three points clear with a game in hand on top of the Western Conference despite this weekend’s result
New England continues to climb up the Eastern Conference standings
New England secured their third win in the last four games played with a 2-1 victory on the road against Chicago. Dor Turgeman was involved in both goals as the Revs moved into sole possession of third place in the Eastern Conference standings. With their win and Miami’s draw, New England sit just two points behind Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference.
MLS results from all 15 games on Saturday/Sunday
| Fixture | Score |
|---|---|
| Columbus vs. NY Red Bulls | 0-1 |
| DC United vs. Atlanta United | 0-0 |
| Cincinnati vs. Charlotte FC | 3-3 |
| Inter Miami CF vs. Nashville SC | 2-2 |
| Orlando vs. Toronto | 3-0 |
| Dallas vs. Portland | 2-1 |
| Sporting KC vs. LAFC | 3-1 |
| St. Louis City vs. Minnesota | 4-2 |
| Colorado vs. Montreal | 1-0 |
| Salt Lake vs. NYCFC | 0-2 |
| LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders | 1-1 |
| San Jose vs. Houston | 1-0 |
| Chicago vs. New England | 1-2 |
| Vancouver vs. Austin FC | 1-2 |
| San Diego FC vs. Philadelphia | 0-5 |
MLS returns to action this weekend, commencing with a Friday night Hudson Derby between NYCFC and Red Bull New York.
