MLS Matchday 8 Roundup

Another MLS matchday has come and gone, keeping the leaders of each conference in place but still delivering surprises.

In a league where goals are usually plentiful, this Saturday and Sunday were the exception. There were three goalless draws, five 1-0 results, and only three of the 15 matches saw more than three goals.

In the West, the Vancouver Whitecaps crushed Austin to remain on top, while Columbus Crew struggled on their visit to St. Louis but managed to win and stay atop the East.

Meanwhile, in front of a record-breaking crowd at Soldier Field, Chicago Fire and Inter Miami played to a goalless draw.

Among the surprises, we must mention LA Galaxy, who remain winless and are sinking to the bottom of the table. This time, it was a 1-1 home draw against Houston Dynamo.

Matchday 8 Games Results

MLS Matchday 8: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Austin

On a magical night for Brian White, the Vancouver Whitecaps crushed Austin FC 5-1 and held onto the top spot in both the MLS and the Western Conference with 19 points out of a possible 24.

It was a dream game for White, who scored four goals and took home the match ball. The first goal came in the 13th minute when a cross from the right was deflected by Daniel Ríos and fell right for White to tap in.

The second came in the 38th minute after a poor clearance from the goalkeeper. Emmanuel Sabbi set up the New Jersey native, who slotted it through Brad Stuver’s legs.

Early in the second half, in the 47th minute, it was Sabbi’s turn to score from a corner, firing with his right foot after a poor clearance from the Texas defense.

White struck again in the 59th minute, reacting quickly to a rebound off the post and smashing the ball straight at Brendan Hines-Ike’s head—though the defender couldn’t stop it from going in.

The score could’ve increased in the 72nd minute, but Stuver saved a penalty from Ríos with his feet. However, in the 82nd minute, after having a goal disallowed for offside, White completed his poker and added a fourth goal with a brilliant right-footed finish past the goalkeeper.

The visitors managed a consolation goal in the 90th minute with a stunning long-range strike from Daniel Pereira, but the result was never in doubt. The Whitecaps now lead the table with a four-point cushion over Minnesota, while Austin—who had only conceded three goals before this match—sits sixth with 13 points.

MLS Matchday 8: Colorado Rapids vs. San Diego FC

The Colorado Rapids defeated tournament-surprise San Diego FC 3-2 to climb the standings and settle into a playoff spot.

The home side opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a penalty from Djordje Mihailovic, although goalkeeper CJ dos Santos nearly kept it out.

The visitors managed to equalize early in the second half, in the 49th minute, thanks to a brilliant finish from Luca De La Torre, who calmly placed it into the top corner—out of reach for Zack Steffen.

The Rapids lived up to their name and responded quickly, regaining the lead in the 53rd minute through a Darren Yapi strike and extending it in the 60th with another goal from Rafael Navarro—both finishing from inside the box.

The Californians pulled one back in the 89th minute with a low shot across goal from Tomás Ángel and kept pushing but couldn’t find the equalizer.

Colorado moved up to fifth place with 14 points, while San Diego dropped to third, also with 14, both in the Western Conference.

MLS Matchday 8: Chicago Fire vs. Inter Miami

Chicago Fire’s Soldier Field was dressed to impress as it welcomed Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, setting an attendance record of 62,358 fans—the highest turnout ever for a soccer match at the stadium. However, the show didn’t live up to the hype, ending in a 0-0 draw.

The match saw a flurry of yellow cards (8 total) and several chances, with the home side producing the most dangerous opportunities, making Óscar Ustari one of the standout performers. Messi also had his moments, testing goalkeeper Chris Brady with two long-range shots—one a free kick—which were spectacularly saved, one with the help of the post. Inter Miami even had a goal by Luis Suárez disallowed due to the offside rule.

This is the second consecutive draw for Inter Miami, and the first time this season they failed to score. However, they remain unbeaten and sit fourth in the standings. Meanwhile, Chicago Fire holds eighth place with 12 points, just three behind their opponents.

MLS Matchday 8: St. Louis vs. Columbus Crew

Columbus Crew remains unbeaten and kept their spot at the top of the Eastern Conference after a 2-1 away win over St. Louis City.

Columbus had to come from behind, as St. Louis took an early lead seven minutes into the match through João Klauss. The Brazilian scored his first goal of the season—and his first since May 11, 2024—after a great play down the left by Celio Pompeu, who set him up. Klauss’s initial shot hit the crossbar, bounced on the line, and came right back to him for a header that made it 1-0. It was only the team’s fifth goal of the season and ended a three-game scoring drought.

The equalizer came just before halftime, in stoppage time when Maximilian Arfsten sent in a cross from the left that found Steven Moreira unmarked in the box. He struck it to level the score at 1-1.

In the second half, the top scorer, Diego Rossi, turned the game around with a low, driven shot from outside the box in the 55th minute to make it 2-1.

The home team had several chances to draw level but couldn’t convert, suffering another defeat. They now sit 12th in the Western Conference with eight points, while Columbus leads the East with 18 points.