🔬 The Debrief from a highlight reel Saturday in MLS
Matchday 12 of the 2025 MLS season followed the season trend after fans were treated to a wealth of talking points and huge results to chew into over Sunday brunch.
Here is how all the action broke down across the evening from coast to coast.
What happened? 📝
The afternoon kickoff to start us off saw the Chicago Fire finally post another win by securing a late 2-1 win against visiting Atlanta United, who continue their slump while sitting near the bottom of the East.
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We then teleported to Minnesota to witness Minnesota United but the hurt on Lionel Messi and Inter Miami at Allianz Field to the tune of an impressive 4-1 win over the Herons.
Simultaneously across the other 4:30 eastern kick-off, a dominant Toronto FC banked a huge three-point haul against D.C. United in a 2-0 home win, which included a classy header from former Italian international and Napoli icon Lorenzo Insigne.
The flurry of fixtures started with the evening kick-offs, highlighted by an outrageous 7-0 NY Red Bulls win over MLS Cup holders LA Galaxy and a stunning performance from key man Emil Forsberg.
Evander once again produced his credentials for a run at MLS MVP honors thanks to another top-class performance that led FC Cincinnati to an important 2-1 win over Austin FC.
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Heading to the coast, NYCFC was left stunned at Yankee Stadium after being blanked on the scoresheet by a visiting CF Montréal, who banked a 1-0 win in the Bronx.
Orlando City star man Martín Ojeda will be left shaking his head after a hat-trick from the Argentine was not enough to guarantee all three points at home against the New England Revolution, who fought to earn a 3-3 draw.
In Saturday's featured match of two Eastern Conference giants, the Philadelphia Union were unable to deal a blow to the Columbus Crew as both sides would share the spoils on offer at Subaru Park after an enthralling 2-2 draw.
Nashville continued to turn their season around under B.J. Callaghan thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win against Dean Smith and visiting Charlotte FC during an entertaining clash of Eastern outfits.
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Over in St. Louis, the floodgates are opening along the Mississippi after San Diego FC booked a 2-1 win against Olof Mellberg's outfit, with the home side continuing to slump down the table.
A traveling Seattle Sounders outfit made it four wins from five and 13 points from the last 15 on offer after a credible 3-1 comeback win at ten-man Houston Dynamo, featuring a brace from Albert Rusnák and a continued shot at MLS history by Danny Musovski.
Diego Luna continued to prove critical for Real Salt Lake with a sensational solo effort, but it was not enough to secure all three points on the road as RSL were held to a 1-1 draw at FC Dallas.
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Bruce Arena's San Jose Earthquakes pounced on a struggling Colorado Rapids on the road during a 2-0 away win at DSG Park, with Cristian Arango remaining on the hunt for a Golden Boot in the process after hitting his 8th goal of the season.
To bookend the night at a late hour, Portland Timbers banked a narrow 1-0 win against visiting Sporting Kansas City thanks to a sure-fire Goal of the Season nomination from Santiago Moreno.
Player of the day 🔥
Emil Forsberg. Full stop. There's just nothing further to add after the Swedish maestro led NYRB to a monstrous result against the LA Galaxy.
Stat of the Day 📊
San Diego FC continues to show they are the real deal from year one under Mikey Varas as the inaugural MLS combatant booked a 2-1 win at St. Louis City, with Anders Dreyer and Hirvin Lozano both now on 10 goal contributions in 2025, making SDFC the only club in MLS to boast two players that level of direct influence.
What this means 🤔
In the East, the race at the top of the Conference remains as tight as ever with Cincinnati now atop the pile, though Columbus and Philadelphia remain primed for another possible change in the table in midweek.
Inter Miami remain in the race for the top spot despite their heavy reversal against Minnesota, while Nashville moves up to fifth.
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At the other end, Montréal remain rooted at the bottom despite their unlikely win, while the situation remains dire for a slumping Atlanta.
Out West, Vancouver remains clear at the top before clashing with LAFC tomorrow, but Minnesota now sits in a surprising second, ahead of Portland who..., while San Diego and Seattle round out the top five for now.
Down at the bottom, LA Galaxy may now struggle to just make the post-season after their cataclysmic defeat against NYRB, while St. Louis and Houston continue to fall away from contention.
📸 Photos via MLS.com
What's next? 👀
A midweek MLS fixture program awaits on Wednesday evening across 13 matches on offer, highlighted by an intriguing clash between Nashville SC and NY Red Bulls at Geodis Park.
📸 Editorial Photo Credit: © Vincent Carchietta | 2025 May 10-imagn Images
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