MLS Matchday 6 has wrapped up. With only Saturday featuring the matchday, a whole lot happened.
Denis Bouanga netted a hat-trick for LAFC in a dominant win over Orlando City during MLS Matchday 6. The Philadelphia Union lost its sixth straight game and remains with zero points on the year. Inter Miami drew in its new stadium debut, San Jose topped San Diego, and lots more.
We also saw a burner of a match between Toronto FC and Colorado Rapids. Toronto picked up a 3-2 win, but there were three red cards given out.
Nashville lost 1-0 to the Chicago Fire but remains atop the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, LAFC remains at the top, but the Vancouver Whitecaps are now one point behind.
Here is a breakdown of some of the best matches from Saturday.
The Union has never won a game in Bank of America Stadium, and that trend continues. In the hopes of picking up points on Saturday night, the Union lost a 2-1 heartbreaker to Charlotte FC.
Ashley Westwood put Charlotte ahead in the 30th minute to have a lead going into the second half. Danley Jean Jacques equalized for the Union in the 78th minute off a perfect prior touch from Cavan Sullivan. But Philly's lead only lasted a whole two minutes.
Wilfried Zaha put Charlotte back in front with a 2-1 lead in the 80th minute. What looked like a potential draw for Philly ended up as another loss. The club keeps adding to its worst-ever start to a season.
Denis Bouanga and LAFC put this match against Orlando City away early. David Brekalo scored an own goal for Orlando just 7 minutes in to kill the early momentum.
Bouanga netted a hat-trick (20', 23', 28') within 10 minutes to put the match way out of reach for Orlando. Sergi Palencia added the fifth goal of the first half, and then Tyler Boyd added the sixth in the 70th minute.
Heung-Min Son picked up four assists in this one. The Son and Bouanga duo looks unstoppable.
The opening of the Nu Stadium didn't go completely to plan for Inter Miami against Austin FC.
Guilhereme Biro scored the first-ever goal at Nu Stadium, for Austin FC, that is. Biro managed to connect for a header from a corner kick. But it didn't take long for Miami to respond. It was no other than Lionel Messi to score the first goal for Miami in their new home in the 10th minute.
Jayden Nelson tilted the game back in Austin's favor in the 53rd minute. In the 83rd minute, Luis Suárez brought Miami level again for his first goal of the season.
This one ended in a 2-2 draw, but it was an eventful opener for Miami's new home.
A battle between two West powerhouses this season. The San Jose Earthquakes blanked San Diego, 3-0. San Jose sits third in the West while San Diego slides down to seventh.
Niko Tsakiris converted twice for the Quakes in the 13th and 34th minutes, and then Preston Judd tripled the lead in the 45+3'. Manu Duah was given a red card in the 32nd minute for San Diego, which gave Tsakiris a penalty kick in the 34th minute.
This was a crazy one to start Saturday. Jackson Travis was sent off in the 32nd minute for Colorado; Raheem Edwards was sent off in the 49th minute; and Miguel Navarro was sent off for Colorado again in the 74th minute.
Paxten Aaronson put Colorado ahead in the 51st minute, followed by Keegan Rosenberry, who doubled the lead three minutes later.
After Colorado's two quick goals, Toronto took over. Richie Laryea got one on the board in the 65th minute. Colorado goalkeeper Zac Steffen scored an own goal in the 77th minute, and then Josh Sargent scored his first MLS goal in the 85th minute to give Toronto the lead and the win.
Toronto FC 3-2 Colorado Rapids
New England Revolution 3-0 CF Montreal
Real Salt Lake 3-1 Sporting Kansas City
Atlanta United 1-3 Columbus Crew
Charlotte FC 2-1 Philadelphia Union
DC United 0-4 FC Dallas
Inter Miami 2-2 Austin FC
NYCFC 1-1 St. Louis City
New York Red Bulls 4-2 FC Cincinnati
Chicago Fire 1-0 Nashville SC
Houston Dynamo 0-1 Seattle Sounders
LAFC 6-0 Orlando City
LA Galaxy 1-2 Minnesota United
San Jose Earthquakes 3-0 San Diego FC
Vancouver Whitecaps 3-2 Portland Timbers
Nashville SC - 13 pts
NYCFC - 11 pts
Charlotte FC - 11 pts
LAFC - 16 pts
Vancouver Whitecaps - 15 pts
San Jose Earthquakes - 15 pts
Real Salt Lake - 13 pts
Seattle Sounders - 13 pte
FC Dallas - 11 pts
San Diego FC - 11 pts
Colorado Rapids - 9 pts
Minnesota United - 8 pts
Houston Dynamo - 6 pts
Austin FC - 6 pts
LA Galaxy - 5 pts
St. Louis City - 5 pts
Portland Timbers - 4 pts
Sporting Kansas City - 4 pts
