Philadelphia Union in form: spectacular comebacks and the main events of MLS Matchday 28

MLS Matchday 28 unfolded coast to coast with wide-open matches and results, with only six weeks to go until Decision Day. In total, 13 fixtures averaged 3.69 goals per game, a figure noticeably higher than the seasonal average, while many teams are fighting to preserve gained advantages as matches were often overturned late on.

As mlssoccer reports, the weekend brought comebacks and drama: San Diego FC and Austin FC drew 3–3 after a goalless first half that exploded after the break, with three goals on each side and a standout contribution from Christian Ramírez. LA Galaxy avoided defeat with a 3–2 comeback against the Colorado Rapids, with João Klauss’s return and Justin Haak’s first goal for the club. In the west, Vancouver Whitecaps drew 3–3 with D.C. United, while Thomas Müller scored and debutant Aleksa Cvetković picked up his first MLS assist.

FC Dallas earned an important 1–0 win over LAFC with a header from an Osaze Urhoghide cross, a result that lifted the Texans to second place in the West. On the other hand, LAFC decided to part ways with head coach Marc Dos Santos, after a poor run that left the team out of the top positions.

Philadelphia Union continued their excellent form at Subaru Park, beating Orlando City 4–2. Milan Iloski scored his second seasonal hat-trick, while the Union set a club record with 12 unbeaten matches and reached a six-game winning streak for the first time. The win left them five points ahead of sixth-placed Orlando City and brought them closer to Chicago in the Eastern Conference’s top five. Iloski expressed his desire to win a call-up to the United States national team, although North Macedonia’s interest in him has been mentioned.

Nashville SC confirmed their dominant status with a 2–0 win over Toronto FC, with Hany Mukhtar scoring twice for his 99th and 100th goals for the club. Nashville lead the overall standings with a 10-point gap over the chasers and are currently the only team averaging more than 2 points per game, becoming a serious Supporters’ Shield contender. Striker Sam Surridge has 16 goals and Cristian Espinoza is joint leader in assists with 13.

San Jose Earthquakes beat Portland Timbers 3–1, with two goals from Preston Judd and a significant contribution from Eduard Löwen (1 goal, 2 assists), moving the team to third in the West. Meanwhile Seattle Sounders stabilized after two consecutive wins, including a 3–1 over Minnesota United, where Jordan Morris scored his 73rd league goal and became the club’s all-time regular-season top scorer.

In Columbus, the Crew risked defeat but beat Inter Miami 2–1 with a late goal; the match was also marked by mistakes from goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo. Real Salt Lake ended a crisis with a 3–0 win over the New England Revolution, where Sergi Solans scored twice. There were other surprises too: CF Montréal beat FC Cincinnati and Sporting Kansas City beat Houston Dynamo, while Chicago Fire won 1–0 at Bank of America Stadium against Charlotte FC, with Johan Gómez scoring his first MLS goal.

With just a few weeks to go until Decision Day, the standings remain open and recent results show nothing is certain until the end of the season. According to mlssoccer, this turbulence is expected to continue as various teams seek the final playoff spots and other table advantages.