Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 14 matches played on the 27th matchday of the 2025 MLS regular season on Friday, July 25, and Saturday, July 26.
Highlights of the matchday included:
- The top of the Supporters’ Shield standings changed hands once again as the Philadelphia Union defeated the Colorado Rapids, 3-1, to retake the top spot (50 points, 15-5-5).
- Three different 2025 MLS All-Stars scored on Matchday 27 – Tai Baribo (Philadelphia Union), Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew), and Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano (San Diego FC). Baribo scored after winning MLS All-Star Game MVP on Wednesday night in the 3-1 win over the LIGA MX All-Stars.
- Two second-half substitutes recorded braces – Ramiro Enrique (Orlando City SC) and Mikael Uhre (Philadelphia Union) – becoming the seventh and eighth players to accomplish this feat in 2025.
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC goalkeeper and 2025 MLS All-Star Yohei Takaoka recorded his league-leading 11th shutout of the season as Vancouver defeated Sporting Kansas City, 3-0.
- After winning the Best Young Player award at the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup for Guatemala, CF Montréal’s Olger Escobar scored his first career MLS goal in the club’s 3-1 victory over the New England Revolution.
A New MVP Candidate Emerges in Orlando
So far in 2025, most of the Landon Donovan MLS MVP conversations have focused on players like Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF), and Evander (FC Cincinnati). Flying under the radar has been Orlando City SC’s Martín Ojeda, but Matchday 27 saw the Argentine produce another standout performance to introduce his name into the MVP discussion.
In a battle between two of the top Eastern Conference teams between Orlando and the Columbus Crew, Ojeda contributed to all three goals (one goal, two assists) during the Lions’ 3-1 victory at Lower.com Field. Ojeda is now up to 25 goal contributions (13 goals, 12 assists) in 2025 and has produced either a goal or an assist in each of his last 10 MLS appearances. Ojeda is the first player in club history to do so in at least 10-straight games and is only the sixth player since the start of 2020 to accomplish the feat.
Next up for Ojeda and the Lions is a Leagues Cup matchup against Pumas on Wednesday, July 30 (8 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / Apple TV+ / UniMás / TUDN / FS1).
Alonso Martínez and New DP Spark New York City FC Comeback Victory
The most exciting game of Matchday 27 was at Toyota Stadium as New York City FC came from behind and scored a late goal to snatch all three points against FC Dallas, 4-3. New York City’s goal-scoring came from Costa Rican international Alonso Martínez, who bagged his second MLS regular season hat trick, including the game-winning goal in the 84th minute. Martínez joined club legend Valentín ‘Taty’ Castellanos as the only players in New York City FC history with multiple regular season hat tricks.
Martínez’s game-winning goal was assisted by new Designated Player Nicolás Fernández Mercau, who made his club debut after joining from La Liga (Spain) side Elche. The dynamic Argentine looked dangerous in his 29-minute cameo off the bench and appears to be a missing piece for the Pigeons heading down the final stretch of the season. Fernández Mercau’s next appearance for his new club will be in Leagues Cup 2025 which begins for New York City FC on Tuesday, July 29 vs. Puebla at Sports Illustrated Stadium (8 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / Apple TV+).
Salt Lake Best in the West in July
The hottest team out west resides in Utah as Real Salt Lake took down the San Jose Earthquakes, 2-1, on Saturday night to close out a terrific month. Entering July, Real Salt Lake sat on 19 points and in 13th place in the Western Conference standings, but after a 4-1-0 month, the Claret and Cobalt are firmly in an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs position. RSL’s 12 points were the most by a Western Conference team over the course of the month and were one of two teams to average at least 2.4 points per game (Charlotte FC, 2.6).
Salt Lake’s win over the San Jose Earthquakes came in come-from-behind fashion as they fell behind early in the second half before a San Jose own goal and Braian Ojeda strike gave them all three points. RSL have won five of their last seven games and now enter Leagues Cup 2025 with their first contest a marquee matchup against Club América on Wednesday, July 30 (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Zaha Hitting His Stride for the Crown
After struggling in the middle of the season, Charlotte FC picked it up in the month of July, winning four in a row and leading the league in points per game (2.6). Charlotte capped off a successful July with a 2-0 victory at home against Toronto FC on Saturday evening. Standout performances from new starting striker Idan Toklomati and in-form winger Wilfried Zaha moved the Crown up to seventh in the Eastern Conference (38 points, 12-11-2).
Zaha has been on fire for Charlotte, producing a goal or assist in each of the last eight games (two goals, seven assists). Zaha’s eight-game goal contribution streak is a club record, and the star Designated Player looks like the Best XI-caliber player the Crown acquired entering 2025. With the Ivory Coast international in terrific form, Charlotte could be a dangerous team in Leagues Cup 2025, which they start on Thursday, July 31 vs. FC Juárez (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Owen Wolff’s Career Year Fueling Los Verdes
Another team rising up the Western Conference standings has been Austin FC, who won convincingly on the road against D.C. United, 4-2. In his first year in charge of Los Verdes, Nico Estévez has helped Austin become a formidable away team as they have produced more points (16), wins (five), and goals (13) on the road than at home. After the victory, Austin now sits seventh in the West with an eye on qualifying for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022.
One reason for the strong form is due to the play of midfielder Owen Wolff, who scored and assisted in Saturday’s victory. Wolff is already up to a career-best seven goal contributions (two goals, five assists) in 2025 and of his five assists, four have been game-winners, including the one on Saturday night. The four game-winning assists are the most in a single season in club history. Austin returns to action on Saturday, August 9 when they host Houston Dynamo FC at Q2 Stadium (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
