Major League Soccer lit up on Saturday night with intense action across the United States and Canada. From a hat-trick hero to nail-biting finishes, here’s a detailed rundown of the top matches.
Kubo's Hat-Trick Leads Cincinnati
FC Cincinnati’s Yuya Kubo emerged as the hero, clinching a spectacular hat-trick to lead his team to a 4-2 win against the San Jose Earthquakes. The teams were neck-and-neck after a goalless first half. But the excitement exploded in the second half when Pavel Bucha tucked away his first MLS goal. San Jose fought back, with Hernan Lopez and Cristian Espinoza each netting a goal. Finally, Kubo took charge in the game’s dying minutes, scoring three times to secure a road victory.
"Kubo’s performance was simply out of this world," stated Cincinnati’s coach.
Galaxy Edge Past Sporting KC
Thrilling action on the West Coast saw LA Galaxy stave off Sporting KC with a 4-2 victory. Dejan Joveljic’s resilient opener, even after two saves, set the tone. Gabriel Pec’s low roller doubled their lead. Sporting KC responded with Stephen Afrifa’s keen strike. Yet the Galaxy maintained their edge with goals from Joseph Paintsil and Miguel Berry, despite an adrenaline-pumping comeback attempt by Sporting via Robert Castellanos.
Seattle Stuns Minnesota
Seattle Sounders defied expectations with a solid 2-0 win over Minnesota United. Jordan Morris soared to head in the opening goal, followed by Paul Rothrock's decisive tap-in. Seattle’s defense was impermeable, not allowing even a single shot on target from Minnesota, marking their fourth loss this season.
Nine-Man Miami Stuns Philadelphia
Inter Miami pulled off a shocking 2-1 victory over Philadelphia Union, despite being reduced to nine men. Mikael Uhre stunned Miami early with a smart finish. Julian Gressel leveled things up after the break. Yet, David Ruiz and Tomas Aviles both received red cards, leaving Miami at a serious disadvantage. In the 94th minute, Leo Afonso’s brilliant solo run clinched the win against all odds.
"It was a night of high drama and tremendous resilience," remarked Miami’s head coach.
Atlanta and Houston Split Points
Drama ensued as Atlanta United drew 2-2 with Houston Dynamo. Franco Escobar opened the tally early, but Daniel Rios capitalized on a Houston error for an equalizer. Xande Silva’s sharp finish turned the game 2-1 for Atlanta, but Latif Blessing ensured a split by chesting down a late equalizer for Houston.
Chicago Thrashes Toronto
Chicago Fire dominated in a 4-1 victory against a struggling Toronto FC at BMO Field. Lorenzo Insigne attempted to inspire the hosts with an equalizing goal. However, Chicago seized control in the second half, with Hugo Cuypers, Mauricio Pineda, and Allan Arigoni finding the net to seal the win.
Editor: Yana Davydiuk
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