🔬 The Debrief from Sunday's high-scoring MLS action
We had three more MLS games to dive into in MLS on Sunday, and the 270 minutes of football provided us with 12 goals, and plenty of narratives to digest.
Let's dig into some of the biggest talking points.
📸 Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
The day was kicked off by Minnesota United snatching a win over NYCFC in the Bronx, with the visitors fending off a late fight-back to secure all three points. Tani Oluwaseyi continues to be a revelation for the Loons, scoring the side's opening goal inside one minute.
ONE. MINUTE. IN. ⚡️Tani Oluwaseyi opens the scoring with his fifth of the season for @MNUFC! pic.twitter.com/hvsQ9tAmxC
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 6, 2025
On the other side of the country, San Jose got back to winning ways with a thumping 6-1 win over D.C. United at PayPal Park. The dynamic duo of Josef Martínez and Chicho Arango both found the back of the net for Bruce Arena's side, with the former rolling back the years and bagging three.
👑 KING JOSEF 👑Josef takes over sixth on the all-time scoring list with career goal 118. Legend. pic.twitter.com/HnkveujLsO
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 6, 2025
Finally, struggling Toronto managed to secure a surprising point in Miami in the final match of the evening thanks to a Federico Bernardeschi goal. Lionel Messi did pull the Herons level and had another goal ruled out, but Toronto will be overjoyed with the point on the road, and perhaps should have won it late in the match.
The skill from Bernardeschi... 😍 pic.twitter.com/mM10x9h2IP
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 7, 2025
📸 Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
San Jose's Josef Martínez has been on the end of plenty of individual accolades in his time as an MLS star, but he deserves more recognition for his performance against D.C. United on Sunday.
The Venezuelan bagged a hat-trick in the Quakes' victory, and in the process he continued to climb up the all-time goalscoring charts in MLS. Martínez now has 120 regular season goals in his MLS career, moving up to 6th all-time outright.
6th goal, Josef's 3rd.120 MLS GOALS FOR THE KING. pic.twitter.com/9TdqNmrbHI
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) April 6, 2025
Most hat tricks in MLS history:7 - Josef Martinez5 - Bradley Wright-Phillips5 - Chris Wondolowski5 - Diego Serna5 - Stern JohnTonight was Josef's first hat trick since July 21, 2018. We'll hear from him on MLS Wrap Up tonight. #MLS #Quakes74 #ATLUTD https://t.co/srL8t02T4E pic.twitter.com/Zf33d60H0F
— Kevin Egan (@kev_egan) April 6, 2025
Another day in the life of Lionel Messi, another milestone.
With his first-half goal against Toronto FC, @InterMiamiCF's Lionel Messi (44 goal contributions in 29 games) surpassed Gonzalo Higuaín for the most goal contributions in club history, accomplishing the feat in 38 fewer matches. pic.twitter.com/l2qUUMbWGY
— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) April 7, 2025
As Miami dropped points in surprise fashion, the Herons missed out on a chance to reclaim first place in the Eastern Conference and go level at the top in the Supporters Shield race.
Meanwhile, Minnesota's early win ensured they jumped back into the top-three out in the west, with fellow winners San Jose moving up into eighth — the first of two wildcard spots.
📸 FREDERIC J. BROWN - AFP or licensors
While we have to wait another week for MLS action, there are some major Concacaf Champions League ties reaching their conclusions during the week. All of Inter Miami, LAFC, LA Galaxy, Vancouver Whitecaps are in continental action
📸 Leonardo Fernandez - 2025 Getty Images
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