MLS Moments of Matchday

By Anonymous (not verified), July 7, 2025

For Immediate Release
MLS Communications

Moments of Matchday 22:
Eastern Conference No. 10s Dominate Over Holiday Weekend

Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 15 matches played on the 22nd matchday of the 2025 MLS regular season from Thursday, July 3 to Sunday, July 6.

Highlights of the matchday included:

In the club’s return to MLS play following the FIFA Club World Cup, Inter Miami CF roared to a 4-1 road victory over CF Montréal behind two goals from Lionel Messi and scores from Tadeo Allende and Telasco Segovia. Messi has recorded nine games with three-or-more goal contributions since entering MLS, the most such games over the span.
Making his first career start on Saturday night, Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan (15 years, 280 days old) became the second-youngest player in MLS history to make his first career start, trailing only Freddy Adu (14 years, 334 days).
Behind a goal and an assist from Mitja Ilenič, New York City FC secured a 3-1 victory over Toronto FC at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, marking their MLS-best eighth home win of the season (8-3-0) and the 100th regular season home victory in club history.
The LA Galaxy provided fireworks with a 3-0 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 4th behind a brace from forward Joseph Paintsil, his first multi-goal game of the season. Paintsil’s performance took place in front of his mother, who saw him play in-person for the first time in more than a decade.
Goals scored by Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar and Real Salt Lake’s Noel Caliskan were celebrated in dedication to soccer star Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away earlier this week.

Messi, Miami Shine in Return to MLS Play

Playing in its first MLS game since May 31, Inter Miami CF wasted no time getting back into the groove following the FIFA Club World Cup, securing a 4-1 road victory over CF Montréal on Saturday night. Miami (32 points, 9-3-5) currently sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings, but has at least three games in hand over the clubs positioned above them.

Leading the offensive onslaught for Miami was once again Lionel Messi, who recorded two goals and an assist in the victory. The 2024 Landon Donovan MLS MVP has had at least two goals and one assist in three consecutive league matches, becoming the fourth player in MLS history to accomplish the feat and the first since Thierry Henry in 2012. Messi has recorded nine games with at least three goal contributions since entering the league on August 26, 2023, two more than the next-closest player over the span (Denis Bouanga, seven).

Miami returns to action on Wednesday as the club travels to Gillette Stadium to face the New England Revolution (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).

Mukhtar Finds Late-Game Magic for Nashville

With a 0-0 scoreline and playing down a man, Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar drew a late-game foul just outside the six-yard box and converted the penalty kick in the 101st minute to give the Boys in Gold a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night. Nashville (41 points, 12-4-5) extended its unbeaten run to a club-best 12 matches dating back to April 26 and have climbed to second place in both the Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield standings, trailing only FC Cincinnati.

The goal (Watch Here) was the ninth of the season and the 75th of Mukhtar’s six-year MLS career and surpassed his goal-scoring total from 2025. Since entering the league in 2020, Mukhtar (75) leads all goal scorers in MLS and outpaces the next-closest player by 12 (Cristian ‘Chicho’ Arango, 63). The 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP also paces the league in goal contributions over the span with 130, 14 more than Luciano Acosta (116).

Mukhtar’s game-winning, penalty-kick goal was scored at 100:01, marking the latest game-winning goal in Nashville SC history by more than seven minutes. The previous mark was 92:37 on May 20, 2023 at Charlotte FC, also scored by Mukhtar.

Following a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match against D.C. United on Wednesday night, Nashville will look to extend its unbeaten run to 13 on Saturday as the club travels to take on Inter Miami CF (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / FS1 / FOX Deportes).

Denkey & Evander Tearing It Up For Cincinnati

The dynamic duo of Kévin Denkey and Evander once again stole the show for FC Cincinnati, as both players scored in the club’s 2-1 victory over Chicago Fire FC. The win marked Cincinnati’s first home victory since May 10, as the club improved to 42 points (13-5-3) on the season and took over the top spot in the Supporters’ Shield standings.

Denkey (12 goals) and Evander (12 goals) became the sixth pair of teammates in MLS history to each record at least 12 goals in their teams first 21 games of a season. The feat was accomplished twice in 2024, as Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez and LAFC’s Mateusz Bogusz and Denis Bouanga each recorded at least 12 games in their respective club’s first 21 games. Other duos to reach the milestone include 1996 D.C. United (Raúl Díaz Arce and Steve Rammel), the 2008 LA Galaxy (Edson Buddle and Landon Donovan), and the 2017 Chicago Fire (David Accam and Nemanja Nikolić).

Next Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), Cincinnati will play host to in-state rival, the Columbus Crew, in the latest edition of the Hell is Real derby. Cincinnati is unbeaten in its last six home matches against the Crew, recording a 2-0-4 record over the span.

Ilenič Propels New York City FC to 100th Home Victory

Behind a goal and assist from Mitja Ilenič, New York City FC won the 100th home match in club history, defeating Toronto FC, 3-1, on Thursday evening. New York City FC (31 points, 9-7-4) became the first team in MLS to win eight home matches in 2025 and have won four of their last five matches at home.

With the win in its 173rd regular season home match, New York City FC became the fourth-fastest club in MLS history to reach the century mark in home victories, trailing only the LA Galaxy (162 matches), Seattle Sounders FC (167 matches), and D.C. United (171 matches). The club has won at least eight home matches in nine of its 11 seasons of play since 2014 and are one of only two teams with nine such seasons over the span, joining the Portland Timbers (nine seasons).

New York City FC travels to face Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium next Saturday as they aim to continue to climb in the Eastern Conference standings (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).

Houston Stuns San Diego in Seven-Goal Thriller

Led by two late-game goals from Argentine striker Ezequiel Ponce, Houston Dynamo FC stunned Western Conference-leading San Diego FC, 4-3, in a back-and-forth match at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday night. With the win, Houston (26 points, 7-9-5) picked up its third road win of the season and jumped into Audi MLS Cup Playoffs position, currently sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference.

Trailing 3-2 late in the match, Ponce took over for Houston, scoring from the penalty spot in the 87th minute (Watch Here) before adding the game-winning goal in the 10th minute of second-half added time (Watch Here). The goal was the second-latest game-winning score in club history, behind only Daniel Steres’ 101st minute strike against the LA Galaxy last season.

The Dynamo travel to Utah to take on Real Salt Lake on Saturday night (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) as the club looks to make up more ground in the Western Conference table.