MLS Matchday 36 Roundup

The penultimate date of the MLS was played and did not have many changes. It left four teams fighting for two play-in places in the Eastern Conference, while in the West, they have to define the order of the qualified teams.

DC United achieved a very important victory over New England Revolution, which allowed them to enter the Wild Card zone and take out Toronto FC, already eliminated after losing to Inter Miami.

On the other hand, Philadelphia Union did not have the same luck and now does not depend on itself, while Atlanta United won and earned one more life.

On the Western, Colorado Rapids, Minnesota United, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Portland Timbers must define which will go directly to the playoffs and which will go to the Play-In.

Matchday 36 Games

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MLS Matchday 36: Toronto 0-1 Inter Miami

Inter Miami had already won the Supporters’ Shield title a few days earlier and rested its first-choice players, but that did not matter, and they managed to beat Toronto FC 1-0 with a goal by Leonardo Campana in stoppage time.

With Messi, Suárez, and Busquets coming on in the second half, the Florida side gave the final blow to the Canadians, who had to win to keep their chances of advancing to the playoffs.

The only goal of the game came at 90+3 minutes after a pass from Luis Suárez to Leonardo Campana, so the Ecuadorian scored in a great way and celebrated his call-up to the Ecuadorian national team.

With 37 points and no games left to play, Toronto FC was eliminatedand nowmust think about the 2025 season.

MLS Matchday 36: Columbus Crew 3-2 Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia Union suffered a painful defeat as visitors to Columbus Crew (3-2) which complicates its aspirations of advancing to the playoffs. They are no longer dependent on themselves.

The home side took the lead in the 4th minute with a header by Cucho Hernandez from a corner kick by Dylan Chambost. The visitors equalized in the 25th minute through Nathan Harriel after a free kick, but, before the end of the first half, Mohamed Farsi put Columbus back on top after a couple of rebounds in the box.

At 76′ the formula of the first goal was to be repeated: corner kick by Chambost and header by Hernandez, who reached 19 goals in the tournament.

Two minutes later, Jack McGlynn took a great shot in from the edge of the box to make it 3-2, but it was not enough and Philadelphia is now in 11th place with 37 points, three behind DC United and Montreal, the teams in the Wild Card zone.

MLS Matchday 36: New England Revolution 1-2 DC United

The big winner of the weekend was DC United, who had a very important 1-2 away victory over New England Revolution and moved into the Play-In zone in the Eastern Conference.

The capital side needed only a devastating start and a little bit of fortune to get on the winning track. First, in the 3rd minute, Martin Rodriguez sent in a cross that went wide, but Pedro Santos appeared and shot for the first time to score a wonder goal.

Then at 8′, a rejection by defender Lucas Bartlett was taken advantage of by striker Christian Benteke, who, thanks to the carelessness of the rival defense, headed the ball in front of the goalkeeper to make it 0-2. It was the Belgian’s 23rd goal in the tournament, and he is at the top of the scoring charts and running away with the Golden Boot.

In the second half, at 74′, Ian Harkes’ cross was headed by Matti Peltola into his own net for the 1-2 final score.

DC United now only need a draw on the final matchday to secure their place in the Wild Card, while the Revs are already eliminated.

MLS Matchday 36: Atlanta United 2-1 NY Red Bulls

Atlanta United earned an important 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls that keeps them alive in MLS pending some results.

Things got off to a good start for Atlanta in the 66th minute, when Dylan Nealis received a red card for a foul as the last man. Then, in the 75th minute, they took the lead on a penalty kick by Aleksei Miranchuk.

The Five Stripes suffered a lot, as the New Yorkers had two goals disallowed, both to Elias Manoel for offside. Finally, a great pass from Miranchuk allowed Tyler Wolff to run alone with the ball and score past goalkeeper Carlos Coronel for a 2-0 lead.

In the last play, the Red Bulls managed to score with a very good shot by Serge Ngoma, but there was no time left and Atlanta took the victory. Now with 37 points, they will need to win on the last matchday and hope for a defeat of two of the three teams above them.