James Rodriguez debut to forget
By James Nalton
James Rodríguez performs in MLS
In some methods, Minnesota United’s signing of the 34-year-old Colombian seems like an old-school MLS signing: a languid South American playmaker within the twilight of his profession with assorted membership expertise however famend at worldwide stage. Not adequate to nonetheless be enjoying for high golf equipment, however probably in a position to carry out some magic in MLS if the opposite gamers do their working.
Whether any of that magic arrives stays to be seen, and MLS has seen a substantial rise in high quality because the outdated days, however with a World Cup on the horizon, James shall be trying to impress.
He lastly made his debut for Minnesota on Sunday, however not in the most effective of circumstances. By the time he entered the pitch, his crew have been already 5-0 down to the Vancouver Whitecaps, who ended up successful the sport 6-0.
There was some encouragement from James, although, particularly in the way in which he was in a position to get entangled, with 41 touches after approaching within the sixty fourth minute.
There was not a lot he may do concerning the one-sided scoreline as soon as coming into the sphere late within the sport, however there’ll now be anticipation that he’ll quickly make his first begin.
Given how a lot he was in a position to get on the ball in a brief area of time on Sunday, Minnesota hope that if their play finally ends up going principally via him and he can create for these round him, issues may begin trying up.
Two excellent data stay
Vancouver’s emphatic win took them to the highest of the Western Conference, making it 4 wins from 4 to keep their excellent file to begin the season.
They’ve solely conceded eleven on this run, and the six targets towards Minnesota made them the league’s high scorers with 14.
Just behind them within the West, solely on objective distinction, is the opposite crew with an ideal begin to 2026, Los Angeles FC.
LAFC are but to concede a objective, and continued their run of stable outcomes with a 2-0 win towards St Louis City.
So far, the 2022 MLS Cup champions have constructed steadily following their headline-grabbing 3-0 defeat of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami on the opening day, with some 2-0 and 1-0 wins whereas balancing that with Champions Cup video games.
But it is Vancouver who look probably the most spectacular general, and the underlying numbers again that up as they cleared the path for xG and the bottom xG awarded.
Player of the week
At a time when golf equipment world wide are playing loads of cash on strikers, FC Dallas have discovered a really helpful one.
Petar Musa He may find yourself enjoying an element for Croatia on the upcoming World Cup, however for now, the 6-foot-3 striker is making an impression for the Texas crew, which he joined in 2024 for the decent-sized sum, particularly by MLS requirements, of $13 million.
The club-record signing averages greater than a objective each different sport in MLS, and managed to rating three towards probably the greatest sides within the league early in 2026, San Diego FC.
With a little bit of assist from the direct play of winger Bernard KamungoMusa helped himself to a hat-trick in a 3-3 thriller. It was the primary dropped factors for San Diego this 12 months, and the primary targets they’ve awarded.
Musa’s efficiency ranked him because the highest-rated participant in Matchday 4 per the FotMob scores.
NYC’s striker experiment bears fruit
Nicolás Fernández Mercau he has performed numerous positions down the flank and in attacking midfield all through his early profession with San Lorenzo, Elche, and now New York City FC, however till lately, striker was probably not one among them.
With Costa Rican goal-getter Alonso Martinez out injured, NYCFC’s depth within the center-forward place out of the blue seemed worryingly skinny, however as they did on the very finish of final season, they’ve turned to the 26-year-old Argentine to attempt to remedy the issue.
Not solely has he been in a position to do a job within the position, however he has emerged as probably the greatest within the place in MLS within the early levels of the 2026 season.
He has 4 targets and an help in 4 video games, and scored two of these in one other spectacular efficiency from the Pigeons towards Colorado Rapids at residence on Saturday night time, leading to a 3-1 win.
He’s a special proposition for defenders than the extra conventional center-forward like Musa at Dallas, or the spectacular Englishman Sam Surridge at Nashville, however his busy attacking play and quickness to shut down in protection fits the model of Pascal Jansen‘s aspect.
With Magno Sizes Coming off the bench to play alongside Fernández Mercau and grabbing a objective of his personal, NYCFC have gone from trying wanting depth in assault to having some very helpful choices.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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