By Favian Renkel and Justin Ruderman
Welcome back to Week No. 15 of Justin and Favian’s Weekly MLS Awards where SBI staff writers Justin Ruderman and Favian Renkel bring you a glimpse at the best of each week in MLS.
Can you believe we’re halfway through the season already? No time to waste in this double gameweek including Matchday 17 and 18, so let’s get into it!
Player of the Week
Justin Ruderman: Chicho Arango (RSL)
Chicho Arango was given his first rest of the season midweek but he didn’t need two matches to earn this Player of the Week nomination.
Led by a goal of the year candidate (which Favian will have more on), Chicho bagged a hat trick at home against Austin FC to go top of the Golden Boot race with a staggering 16 goals through 17 games. If your somebody who cares for secondary assists, he got one of those two.
It’s truly incredible when you put into perspective that Arango is outscoring legends like Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez (both 12 goals). Not even Christian Benteke (13 goals) seems able to catch him.
Entering the season, Chicho had a personal target of 18 goals this season. Halfway through, he’s nearly hit that mark already.
Favian Renkel: Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF)
In what seems to be Inter Miami’s worst month since Lionel Messi joined the team, Jordi Alba delivered a performance that provided some optimism that the Herons can still pick up points in MLS while nearly half of the players are away at international tournaments.
The 35-year-old looked like his old self, easily beating the outside back from St. Louis on every offensive possession. With Miami seeking leaders, it appears Jordi Alba will be the player to step up this next month now that he seems fully healed from the injury that set the Spaniard back at least a month.
With a goal and two assists in the match, including the game-tying goal in the final minutes, Alba saved Miami from dropping a point at home in the Supporters Shield race.
With Jordi Alba and Busquets leading the team this next month, Inter Miami will be in good hands if the Barcelona legends maintain their form without Messi on the pitch.
Young Player of the Week
JR: Esmir Bajraktarevic (New England Revolution)
A first MLS goal has a high likelihood of landing you a Young Player of the Week nomination from me and nobody deserves it more than Esmir Bajraktarevic.
The 19-year-old winger found himself furthest forward as the Revs pushed forward in transition, receiving a delicious pass from striker Giacomo Vrioni which forced him to slow down to control at the top of Nashville’s box. With momentum lost, Bajraktarevic gave his defender a little shimmy of the hips to open up a shooting lane before smashing in a first goal on his weak right foot.
As the Summer Olympics approach, keep your eye on Bajraktarevic. I expect him to be on the flight to Paris.
FR: Ted Ku-DiPietro (D.C. United)
This selection became crucial, especially after the injury scare to Christian Benteke in the 2-2 tie against Toronto FC this past weekend. Down 2-0, Benteke was subbed off with 13 goals already this season. DC United now faces an age-old question: who will score the goals to support Benteke this season?
United found two goals from unlikely sources. Klich scored a penalty in Benteke’s absence, and Ted Ku-DiPietro scored his second goal of the season, becoming the first DC United player besides Benteke to have two goals this season. The 22-year-old stepped up when needed most to secure an important point in a highly contested Eastern Conference. Many offensive question marks still plague the team, but Ted Ku-DiPietro’s performance offers a glimmer of hope as Benteke recovers from his muscular issue.
With 10 goal contributions in 28 games over the last two years, this youngster isn’t a bad option to consider as a potential producer in the future of this league. Sorare fans, this is one to bookmark.
Goal of the Week
JR: Mateusz Bogusz (LAFC)
While I appreciate Favian’s generosity below, his choice wasn’t the only Goal of the Year candidate this week! (Incredibly, neither will even win their respective official MLS Goal of the Matchday award.)
After a less than eventful week in the golazo department in week fourteen of our awards, week fifteen brought at least five goals worthy of a Goal of the Week nomination. Bogusz topped the lot.
Hugo Lloris’ began the stunning move by pinging his distribution 60-yards on a rope to the right foot of Cristian Olivera who controlled the ball with one touch toward the sideline. As the Uruguayan turned away from goal, he played a backheel into the path of an onrushing Denis Bouanga. The reigning Golden Boot winner received a bit of luck (which Bogusz admitted postgame is necessary in any great goal) as his potential loss of possession turned into a pass to the feet of Bogusz who let rip from Calabasas.
Pace, dip, curve, knuckle, swerve. GOLAZO!
FR: Chicho Arango (Real Salt Lake)
I’m going to let Justin choose the same goal if he wants to in this week’s write-up. There aren’t many goals that make me stop in my tracks and think we just witnessed greatness. Fighting for the MVP this season, this goal puts the Colombian in the pole position to win the award halfway through the season. Let’s see if Chicho can get a big enough lead while Messi is away at Copa America to secure his first MVP trophy. Imagine a multiple-year MLS player beating out the reigning Ballon d’Or winner for the MVP. Many soccer fans will be shocked at the quality MLS already has if that ends up being the case.
Team of the Week
JR: LAFC
There is no MLS team in better form than LAFC.
Currently on a seven-game win streak in all competitions (5 in MLS), the Black and Gold aren’t just winning, they’re doing it with ease. Of the seven wins, the last six (all 5 in MLS) have all been clean sheets, setting club records for the longest shutout streak in MLS (480 minutes) and all competitions (575 minutes).
This team just never feels at risk of losing anymore.
That is exactly what head coach Steve Cherundolo said he felt when LAFC dispatched high-flying Minnesota United midweek in a 2-0 victory and I would be surprised if Saturday against FC Dallas was any different.
It almost doesn’t seem fair when you remember Olivier Giroud is coming soon to aid Denis Bouanga in the goalscoring up top. Are LAFC favorites to win the West once again?
FR: NYCFC
Nick Cushing went from being the obvious pick as the first head coach to be fired in the 2024 MLS season to achieving the most dominant win of the week, now potentially looking like he deserves an extension. With two coaches already fired this MLS season, it seems Nick Cushing will defy the predictions from last season.
NYCFC is a young and talented team firing on all cylinders. They know how to leverage their home field with late comebacks, finding ways to win even when it’s “ugly.”
If this core remains intact and Nick Cushing stays at the helm, this NYCFC team, despite lacking superstars, will be a significant threat in the Eastern Conference for many years to come.
On the flip side, the Quakes lost 5-1 at Yankee Stadium, and it’s looking bleak for Luchi Gonzalez. Fortunately, we don’t have to write about the worst team of the week.
Best Thing We Saw This Week
JR: Kellyn Acosta is “on it”
When we came up with the idea to add a “Best thing we saw this week” section to our weekly awards, this type of storyline is exactly what we had in mind…
The Chicago Fire have had a rough season and every fan is going to handle that differently. One took it upon himself to put on his detective monocle and find the culprit. Turns out, the Fire have been on a torrid run of form ever since striker Georgios Koutsias began tucking in his shirt on August 20th against Orlando City.
No, this is not a joke. Superstition is real.
Upon seeing a Twitter/X thread made by our original fan detective, a fellow Fire fan decided to track down Koutsias’ email address, sending him a screenshot of the thread, and asking him to refrain from tucking in his jersey. Unfortunately, the email bounced back.
Not to worry, this fan was as determined as the detective, choosing to DM Kellyn Acosta on Instagram with a request to pass on the message, and finally receiving a simple, “I’m on it” reply. Turns out, he was.
When Chicago hosted the LA Galaxy on Saturday, Koutsias didn’t tuck in his shirt and the Fire found their first win in two months. How can you not love MLS?
And don’t worry, nobody could make this up. Here’s the proof:
FR: History made at Yankee Stadium
Not only did NYCFC win 5-1 at Yankees Stadium this last weekend, but Alonso Martínez became the first player in MLS history to score all three goals of a hat trick in the 85th minute or later, with goals in the 85th, 92nd, and 95th minutes. Martinez came off the bench and made sure every single person in the building knew him name.
A “super sub” performance through and through as Martinez put in a heroic performance for the Pigeons.