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The MLS Team of the Week: Matchday 9

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Our MLS expert James Nalton picks five of the standout players from Matchday 9 in Major League Soccer, including his two North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) Player of the Matchday votes.

By James Nalton

Lionel Messi’s injury problems at the start of the year have meant the 2024 MLS season hasn’t been as much about him as might have been expected, to date.

Other players have stepped up as the stars of each Matchday, and many did this week, too, but this weekend also witnessed what will go down as one of MLS’s Messi moments.

Not just for his performance for Inter Miami against Sporting KC, but for the fact that 72,610 fans packed into the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, and were treated to an entertaining game of football in which their own team played its part.

Elsewhere, LA Galaxy continued their own entertaining and impressive start to the season, while Philadelphia Union remained the league’s only unbeaten side after coming back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Atlanta United.

Here are some standout players from the latest round of MLS action.

The Top Two

9.4 FotMob rating: Rafael Navarro – Colorado Rapids

The Rapids caught the eye in the offseason with a couple of notable transfers. There were signs of ambition from the team that finished bottom of the Western Conference in 2023.

It has been intriguing to see how that is converted into performances on the pitch, and there have been encouraging signs so far.

There have been notable wins against Los Angeles FC and Real Salt Lake, but this weekend’s 3-0 win at San Jose was arguably their most convincing yet.

Navarro played a big role in it. He won and scored the penalty to kick things off for the Rapids, before adding a second by being in the right place at the right time as San Jose’s defence failed to clear.

Some nice hold-up play set up Cole Bassett and sealed the win for Colorado and rounded off Navarro’s individual display with an assist.

9.0 FotMob rating: Diego Gómez – Inter Miami

It is always interesting to see how Messi’s teammates react to playing alongside him, and Gómez, like Robert Taylor at the end of last season, has revelled in Messi’s presence in Miami.

The 21-year-old Paraguayan just edged Messi in my Soccer Reporters vote this week, taking a place alongside Navarro in the top two.

Gómez was a major player in the 3-2 win against Sporting KC.

He latched on to Messi’s through-ball to tie the game at 1-1. It was a scything pass through the Sporting defence from Messi, but it still needed finishing.

Inter Miami were without a win in five games in all competitions, and with the scores at 2-2 it looked like they might have to wait a little longer for a victory.

But Gómez’s work rate down the left wing, winning the ball high up the field before crossing for Luis Suárez to score the winner, put their season back on track.

Three more standout performers

8.9 FotMob rating: Lionel Messi – Inter Miami

Messi’s pass for the opener against SKC would probably have been good enough in itself to make him one of the players of the matchday.

But on top of this, he added a goal of his own from outside the area. SKC goalkeeper Tim Melia may be disappointed not to reach the shot as it dipped into the middle of the goal, but it was still a well-hit strike from Messi.

Last week, Inter Miami were knocked out of the Concacaf Champions Cup — the equivalent to the Champions League and a tournament they had prioritised this season.

But now they can focus solely on MLS and trying to keep Messi fit in order to maintain their position at the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings.

8.9 FotMob rating: Erik Thommy – Sporting KC

For Messi’s move to MLS to be more of a long-term success for the sport in the region, his impact needs to spread beyond Miami, beyond Messi himself, and attract people to their local teams across the country.

Sporting KC played their part in this, moving the game from their usual home stadium of Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas to the larger capacity Arrowhead Stadium, home of NFL champions Kansas City Chiefs, across the state line to Missouri so more fans could attend.

And the spectators weren’t disappointed. Sporting KC played their part, and one of their players, in particular, Eric Thommy, lit up the game with two goals.

He pinged one in from the right to open the scoring and then volleyed another in off the post after the ball deflected his way from a corner.

Messi’s goal was special, but Thommy’s strikes edged Messi’s as the standout goals of this dramatic game.

From Sporting’s point of view, it’s disappointing they couldn’t hold on to at least a point, but the drama of the match itself might encourage some of the 70,000 in attendance to return for future games.

8.8 FotMob rating: Josef Paintsil – LA Galaxy

The Galaxy top the Western Conference at this early stage in the season, and in Paintsil have found a new star of the league.

He helped his side to a 3-1 win at Vancouver Whitecaps — one of the West’s other outstanding teams so far this season.

The Ghanaian arrived at the team this season as a Designated Player and has already featured as one of the stars of the week.

It looks like he will be a regular inclusion, as his speed in behind defences will cause trouble for opposition teams in every game.

His movement off the last line of defence led to his goal in this game. When you combine that movement with Riqui Puig’s vision and passing from midfield, you get goals like this one.

They linked up again for the Galaxy’s third goal. Puig set Paintsil through down the right and the winger found Diego Fagúndez with a perfectly weighted pass into the box.

This Puig-Paintsil combination looks set to be an exciting prospect for LA Galaxy fans in this 2024 season.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from MLS live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

The MLS Team of the Week: Matchday 9

Our MLS expert James Nalton picks five of the standout players from Matchday 9 in Major League Soccer, including his two North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) Player of the Matchday votes.

By James Nalton

Lionel Messi’s injury problems at the start of the year have meant the 2024 MLS season hasn’t been as much about him as might have been expected, to date.

Other players have stepped up as the stars of each Matchday, and many did this week, too, but this weekend also witnessed what will go down as one of MLS’s Messi moments.

Not just for his performance for Inter Miami against Sporting KC, but for the fact that 72,610 fans packed into the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, and were treated to an entertaining game of football in which their own team played its part.

Elsewhere, LA Galaxy continued their own entertaining and impressive start to the season, while Philadelphia Union remained the league’s only unbeaten side after coming back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Atlanta United.

Here are some standout players from the latest round of MLS action.

The Top Two

9.4 FotMob rating: Rafael Navarro – Colorado Rapids

The Rapids caught the eye in the offseason with a couple of notable transfers. There were signs of ambition from the team that finished bottom of the Western Conference in 2023.

It has been intriguing to see how that is converted into performances on the pitch, and there have been encouraging signs so far.

There have been notable wins against Los Angeles FC and Real Salt Lake, but this weekend’s 3-0 win at San Jose was arguably their most convincing yet.

Navarro played a big role in it. He won and scored the penalty to kick things off for the Rapids, before adding a second by being in the right place at the right time as San Jose’s defence failed to clear.

Some nice hold-up play set up Cole Bassett and sealed the win for Colorado and rounded off Navarro’s individual display with an assist.

9.0 FotMob rating: Diego Gómez – Inter Miami

It is always interesting to see how Messi’s teammates react to playing alongside him, and Gómez, like Robert Taylor at the end of last season, has revelled in Messi’s presence in Miami.

The 21-year-old Paraguayan just edged Messi in my Soccer Reporters vote this week, taking a place alongside Navarro in the top two.

Gómez was a major player in the 3-2 win against Sporting KC.

He latched on to Messi’s through-ball to tie the game at 1-1. It was a scything pass through the Sporting defence from Messi, but it still needed finishing.

Inter Miami were without a win in five games in all competitions, and with the scores at 2-2 it looked like they might have to wait a little longer for a victory.

But Gómez’s work rate down the left wing, winning the ball high up the field before crossing for Luis Suárez to score the winner, put their season back on track.

Three more standout performers

8.9 FotMob rating: Lionel Messi – Inter Miami

Messi’s pass for the opener against SKC would probably have been good enough in itself to make him one of the players of the matchday.

But on top of this, he added a goal of his own from outside the area. SKC goalkeeper Tim Melia may be disappointed not to reach the shot as it dipped into the middle of the goal, but it was still a well-hit strike from Messi.

Last week, Inter Miami were knocked out of the Concacaf Champions Cup — the equivalent to the Champions League and a tournament they had prioritised this season.

But now they can focus solely on MLS and trying to keep Messi fit in order to maintain their position at the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings.

8.9 FotMob rating: Erik Thommy – Sporting KC

For Messi’s move to MLS to be more of a long-term success for the sport in the region, his impact needs to spread beyond Miami, beyond Messi himself, and attract people to their local teams across the country.

Sporting KC played their part in this, moving the game from their usual home stadium of Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas to the larger capacity Arrowhead Stadium, home of NFL champions Kansas City Chiefs, across the state line to Missouri so more fans could attend.

And the spectators weren’t disappointed. Sporting KC played their part, and one of their players, in particular, Eric Thommy, lit up the game with two goals.

He pinged one in from the right to open the scoring and then volleyed another in off the post after the ball deflected his way from a corner.

Messi’s goal was special, but Thommy’s strikes edged Messi’s as the standout goals of this dramatic game.

From Sporting’s point of view, it’s disappointing they couldn’t hold on to at least a point, but the drama of the match itself might encourage some of the 70,000 in attendance to return for future games.

8.8 FotMob rating: Josef Paintsil – LA Galaxy

The Galaxy top the Western Conference at this early stage in the season, and in Paintsil have found a new star of the league.

He helped his side to a 3-1 win at Vancouver Whitecaps — one of the West’s other outstanding teams so far this season.

The Ghanaian arrived at the team this season as a Designated Player and has already featured as one of the stars of the week.

It looks like he will be a regular inclusion, as his speed in behind defences will cause trouble for opposition teams in every game.

His movement off the last line of defence led to his goal in this game. When you combine that movement with Riqui Puig’s vision and passing from midfield, you get goals like this one.

They linked up again for the Galaxy’s third goal. Puig set Paintsil through down the right and the winger found Diego Fagúndez with a perfectly weighted pass into the box.

This Puig-Paintsil combination looks set to be an exciting prospect for LA Galaxy fans in this 2024 season.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from MLS live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.