The Supporters’ Shield race is over
Yes, I said that.
Inter Miami looked in complete control in their 2-0 victory over FC Cincinnati on Saturday night, even after being down to ten men in the first half. The win puts Miami four points ahead of second-placed LA Galaxy in the Shield race with one game left. There are other teams with chances at the top spot too – LAFC would be three points behind if they win their two games in hand, while Columbus would be four points behind if they win their three games in hand.
But those ifs are gigantic. The Crew have a rough stretch to end the season and a whole lot of games ahead of them. LAFC doesn’t have a walk in the park in the playoffs either. Miami’s road, however, aside from a showdown with Columbus on October 2, is paved with pastries. And don’t forget Lionel Messi has not yet recovered from his ankle injury.
So let’s just call this game what it was – it was a passing of the torch (or in this case, the shield). Miami gave Cincy a little brother. They lulled the Ohio powerhouses to sleep with dreams of forward depth and a healthy defense. And they made sure that, barring a complete collapse, they would be the winners of the Supporters’ Shield and the number one seed in the Eastern Conference in the MLS playoffs (with Tom Brady no less than present).
Supporters’ Shield Rating:
1. *Inter Miami, 56 points (26)
2. LA Galaxy52 points (27)
3. FC Cincinnati, 48 points (26)
4. LAFC47 points (24)
5. Real Salt Lake44 points (26)
*Playoff spot secured.
Note: The games played are indicated in brackets.
Watch out for New England
There’s a reason to laugh in Foxborough for a change, and it’s not because of the Patriots (did someone say Brady?). The Revolution thrashed CF Montreal 5-0 in Quebec on Saturday, with no Canadian courtesy whatsoever.
Head Coach Caleb Porter said after the game that he wanted to see his team “go all out.” Do you think that message got across?
The Revs have struggled with injury problems throughout July, but this weekend they were finally able to field something close to their starting lineup. Brandon Bye looked completely fit, newly acquired Will Sands had its first start, and most importantly, Carles Gil has stepped out on the field for the first time since June. This team’s potential increases dramatically when the former MVP is on the team. Porter seems to agree.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Carles is the first game since Cincinnati,” he said. “It’s a completely different feeling when he plays for us.”
Carles Gil’s presence is so dynamic that it Bobby Wood the ability to score while sitting with his back to the goal while there are three defenders around him. That is inspiring. Speaking of the former USMNT striker, he has scored five goals in as many games in all competitions. New England has been looking for a talisman ever since Adam Buksa left. A woodenGiacomo Vrioni Tandem might be the answer they’ve been looking for…at least this season.
By far the most exciting thing about this game for Revs fans will be Luca Langonithe franchise’s record signing. The winger made his debut in the second half and took advantage of Montreal’s stretched defense, assisting Vrioni on his team’s fourth goal and scoring one himself a few minutes later.
If the Argentine continues to live up to his price tag, we’re talking about New England as a playoff team. I told you this team would be exciting.
Real Salt Lake loses at home to San Jose
For Real Salt Lake, losing their second home game of the season this weekend is a bitter pill to swallow, but the fact that the loss comes against the San Jose Earthquakes makes things even worse.
And I give Zac MacMathor rather, Pablo Mastroeniwho insists on rotating it and Gavin Beavers. MacMath has made one terrible mistake after another this season (you could make an AND1 mixtape out of all of them), and today he added another clip to the tape. In San Jose’s opener, MacMath let a ball that should have been a routine save for a professional goalie slip under his arms and into the net.
A good way to measure a goalie’s ability to save shots is FBref’s Post-Shot xG +/- metric, which quantifies a goalie’s ability to save shots on goal compared to average. A positive number means the goalie is better. MacMath’s value this season is -0.5, while the Beavers’ is +1.1. Whether it’s the eye test or the hard-hitting stats, the 19-year-old has outperformed the league veteran. Mastroeni, let the kid start every week!
To make matters worse, RSL conceded an unfortunate goal from a set piece. Chico Arango had to be substituted in the first half due to injury. That was the death sentence for any chance of RSL making a comeback. There is no chance that this team will collect chances without Diego Luna or Arango or Andrés Gomez (sold to French club Rennes last week) will be on the pitch at some point. Hopefully he won’t be out for long.
Mastroeni was asked about Arango’s early exit from the game in his post-match press conference.
“It’s tough,” Mastroeni replied. “You lose Chicho and Andrés – his ability to score goals himself. Those are two guys we rely on a lot. We have to get to work this week and think of a different mechanism to be a bit more creative in the final third.”
RSL doesn’t want their form to get any worse than it already is – they haven’t won a league game in four matches. The new attacking players will have to adapt quickly.
