MLS Moments of Matchday

By Anonymous (not verified), March 3, 2025

For Immediate Release
MLS Communications

Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 15 matches played on the second matchday of the 202 5 MLS regular season on Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2.

Highlights of the matchday included:

Five clubs improving to 2-0-0 on the season – the Columbus Crew and Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference and LAFC, the San Jose Earthquakes, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Western Conference.
The first hat trick of the 2025 season, which belongs to Philadelphia’s Tai Baribo. Baribo tied the MLS record with five goals through his first two games of a season as he’s helped power the Union to a league-high eight goals through two matches.
21-year-old Telasco Segovia scored twice and added an assist as Inter Miami CF got their first win of the season at Houston Dynamo FC , 4-1, on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire.
The home debut of San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium, as the club played to a scoreless draw against St. Louis CITY SC. San Diego is unbeaten through their first two matches of the season.
A show-stopping, game-tying, bicycle-kick goal by D.C. United’s Jacob Murrell in the sixth minute of second-half added time to steal a draw against the Chicago Fire ( Watch Here ).

Baribo Bags Hat Trick in Union Victory

The hottest player in MLS through Matchday 2 is Philadelphia Union forward Tai Baribo, who bagged his second career MLS hat trick in the Union’s 4-1 victory over FC Cincinnati on Saturday night. All three of Baribo’s goals from Saturday can be seen HERE.

After scoring a pair of goals in the club’s opener, Baribo now leads MLS with five goals through two matches and became the fourth player in league history to record at least five goals in a club’s first two matches, joining Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández (2021), Ayo Akinola (2020), & Brian Ching (2006). The Israeli international also became the fifth player in league history and the first in Union history to score multiple goals in each of his first two games of a season.

The Union have opened the season with consecutive wins for the first time since 2011 and lead MLS with eight goals scored this season. The club will look to keep their early-season momentum going as it travels to Gillette Stadium to face the New England Revolution on Saturday, March 8 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).

Miami’s Newest Star Shines on Sunday Night Soccer

In his first MLS start, Inter Miami’s Telasco Segovia shined on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire, scoring twice and adding an assist in the club’s 4-1 victory. The Venezuelan international became the seventh different player aged 21 or younger to score in each of a club’s first two games of a season and the first since Esequiel Barco for Atlanta United in 2020.

Segovia is now up to three goals on the season after he recorded the game-tying goal on Matchday 1 in extra time against New York City FC and is just the fourth player 21 or younger to have three goals in a club’s first two games of a season. With Segovia stepping up and replacing Diego Gómez (Brighton and Hove Albion), Miami will once again be the Supporters’ Shield favorites in 2025.

San Jose Streaking to Start Season

The new-look San Jose Earthquakes have quickly announced their presence in the Western Conference race, as newcomers Cristian ‘Chicho’ Arango and Josef Martínez scored in the club’s 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday. San Jose opened the season with consecutive wins for the third time in club history and the first since 2017.

With his first-half goal ( Watch Here), Martínez recorded his 117th career regular season score in his 186th career game, tying Bradley Wright-Phillips for the sixth-most goals in league history. Next up for Martínez in the record books is Jaime Moreno, who scored 133 goals across 340 career MLS games.

Head coach Bruce Arena has helped to change the tune for the Earthquakes and has led a club to a 2-0-0 start for the fifth time in his MLS career. Arena and San Jose will play host to Kelvin Yeboah and Minnesota United FC next Saturday as they look to build upon their strong start (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / Apple TV+).

Zaha Stars in Charlotte Debut

Making his MLS debut, Charlotte FC forward Wilfried Zaha regularly had the crowd of over 51,000 on its feet, as the former Premier League star got on the score sheet and helped to set the attacking tone in the club’s 2-0 victory over Atlanta United on Saturday.

After a scoreless first half, a strong run from Zaha in the 50th minute led directly to the opening goal of the match by Pep Biel ( Watch Here) . Four minutes later, the Ivory Coast international opened his MLS account with a one-timed strike off of a deflection from the Atlanta United goalkeeper ( Watch Here). Zaha became just the second player in club history to score in his club debut, joining Andre Shinyashiki (May 7, 2022 vs. Inter Miami CF).

Charlotte is unbeaten through its first two matches of a season for the second consecutive year and will look to build on their momentum on Matchday 3 as they travel to face Inter Miami CF on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) .

FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids Draw 3-3 in Back-and-Forth Affair

In a back-and-forth affair late Saturday evening, FC Dallas overcame a two-goal deficit to briefly take a lead in the second half, before the Colorado Rapids leveled the score late in a 3-3 draw.

The Rapids jumped out to an early two-goal lead behind scores from Keegan Rosenberry in the sixth minute ( Watch Here) and the first from Rafael Navarro in the 39th minute ( Watch Here ). The tide quickly turned, as Dallas leveled the score before the halftime whistle blew, as goals from Pedrinho in the 43rd minute ( Watch Here ) and the first goal in an FC Dallas kit from Luciano ‘Lucho’ Acosta ( Watch Her e) drew the clubs even. A costa’s score marked the 170th goal contribution of his career (73 goals, 97 assists), as he became the 13th player in league history to reach the milestone.

Dallas took a brief lead behind the second goal of the season from Petar Musa , the club’s leading scorer in 2024, in the 68th minute ( Watch Here ) before Navarro leveled the score for good in the 72nd minute ( Watch Here). Saturday marked the first time since March 7, 2020 that FC Dallas had overcome a two-goal deficit to earn a point in a match.

Both clubs will return to action next Saturday, as the Rapids face off against Austin FC at Q2 Stadium ( 8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), while Dallas will play host to Chicago Fire FC (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).