MLS: Musovski hat-trick downs Kansas City, Charlotte edge past NYRB
The Seattle Sounders strengthened their playoff position in the Western Conference while Charlotte FC moved up in the East.
Danny Musovski scored a hat-trick for the Seattle Sounders as they thrashed Sporting Kansas City 5-2 at home.
After Mason Toye cancelled out Kalani Koss-Rienzi’s opener, Musovski put Seattle back ahead in first-half additional time, before doubling their lead five minutes after the restart.
The Sounders accumulated 4.0 expected goals (xG) in the match, to Kansas City’s 1.56, and Musovski completed his treble from the penalty spot with 15 minutes to go on the clock.
Seattle now move within nine points of Western Conference leaders San Diego FC with a game in hand.
Charlotte FC, meanwhile, moved up to fourth in the East after a narrow victory over the New York Red Bulls.
Although the Red Bulls looked more dangerous throughout the match, producing 1.6 xG to Charlotte’s 0.52, Kerwin Vargas’ 30th-minute strike was enough to separate the two sides.
Elsewhere in the East, 12th-place Toronto played out a goalless draw on the road to 14th-place Atlanta United.
There were just three shots on target in a game that lacked real quality in the final third, with the match ending any playoff hopes for either side.
Data Debrief: Charlotte hit their stride at the right time
With the start of the playoffs looming, Dean Smith’s Charlotte are picking up wins at just the right time.
They have won each of their last seven MLS games, their longest winning streak in the competition, and have kept a clean sheet in their previous four matches.
Only the Vancouver Whitecaps (11) have kept more clean sheets than Charlotte’s 10 this season.
Musovski, who has previously represented Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles FC, is enjoying his best-scoring campaign in his MLS career, having scored 13 goals in 24 league appearances this season.
