GOAL takes a look at some key storylines heading into Matchday 9 of MLS action in 2025
Matchday 9 is nearly here, and once it's in the books, we’ll officially be more than a quarter of the way through the 2025 MLS regular season.
Several teams are beginning to separate themselves from the pack. Inter Miami, the Vancouver Whitecaps, FC Cincinnati, and the Columbus Crew have all impressed in recent weeks, each becoming central to emerging storylines across the league.
The marquee matchup this weekend features the league’s last two unbeaten teams: Inter Miami and the Columbus Crew. Lionel Messi will try to crack Wilfried Nancy’s resilient Crew defense in what promises to be a heavyweight clash. These were the top two regular-season teams in 2024, and their last meeting in October was one of the year’s best matches.
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Elsewhere in the East, FC Cincinnati face Gregg Berhalter’s Chicago Fire – the only team to shut out Messi’s Miami in league play this season. Pat Noonan’s squad gets a major boost with the return of playmaker Evander from injury, while the Fire will look to ride the wave of excitement after this week’s high-profile transfer rumors involving Kevin De Bruyne.
Out West, red-hot San Diego FC meet Dean Smith’s Charlotte FC in a compelling cross-conference clash. Patrick Agyemang and Charlotte, currently third in the East, will take on Chucky Lozano and the second-place side from the West in one of the weekend’s most high-profile showdowns.
GOAL dives into all that and more in The Kickoff, a weekly preview of each MLS Matchday.
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Neither the Columbus Crew nor Inter Miami have yet to fall to defeat in MLS regular season action to begin the 2025 campaign. In the Eastern Conference standings, Nancy's men sit atop the throne at 18 points, while Messi and Co. are in fourth on 15 points – though they have a game in-hand.
This Saturday, they'll meet in what is becoming a highly-anticipated match between two of the league's finest minds: Nancy and of course, Messi.
Last October, in a match that ultimately settled the winner of the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield, the two sides played one of the best games of the campaign – with the coming out on top 3-2.
This time around, the Crew will look to find themselves with three points, and they'll look to do so with new striker Daniel Gazdag – whom they secured for $4.5 million last week in a trade from the Philadelphia Union. He'll look to wreak havoc in the final third alongside star winger Diego Rossi, while their resilient defense will attempt to keep attack quiet.
Miami, meanwhile, will look to the Argentine himself, while also getting Luis Suarez going. The Uruguayan has just one goal in seven appearances to begin the campaign, and has yet to show the best of himself in 2025. If he can find his shooting boots, it will lead to an entertaining affair – at minimum.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportSan Diego looks to get back on track
San Diego will be looking to bounce back this weekend after losing their second match of the season last weekend against the Colorado Rapids, while Charlotte has won four of their last five and is riding a streak of red-hot form.
However, CLTFC could be at a disadvantage this weekend, with both U.S. international Tim Ream and star attacker Wilfried Zaha questionable for the match. Zaha recently underwent hand surgery, but trained fully on Thursday, while Ream was off to the side during Thursday's session. What CLT does have going for them, though, is Pep Biel – who is in outrageous form with five assists and three goals in eight matches.
SDFC, meanwhile, will look to unleash Lozano in the final third with the Mexico international looking to continue his fine form. In five appearances this season, he has one goal and three assists, with three of those goal contributions coming in the last two games.
CLT FC sit second in the Eastern Conference, and SD in third in the West. It's a match between two of the league's best to start 2025, and it will surely be an entertaining contest as a result.
ImagnBattle for the East
News broke Thursday evening that Evander will return for Cincy this weekend after missing the past two matches due to injury. The Brazilian has four goals and one assist in six appearances this season, and is the heart of the attack for . FCC, riding a three-match winning streak, will look to pull off a result against the Fire – but Berhalter's men are resilient, and have shown that of late.
The Fire may be without a win in three matches, but they're the lone team to defeat the Supporters' Shield-leading Whitecaps this season, while also holding the scoreless last week. Led by U.S. international Brian Gutierrez and DP duo Jonathan Bamba and Hugo Cuypers in the attack, they're no easy foe to knock down – and it feels like they're due for a big performance.
Cincy, who sit third in the East, hold just a four-point lead over the eighth-place Fire. A win for Berhalter's men would close that gap to just one point, while a victory for the away side could see FCC shoot to the top of the conference, if both Charlotte and Columbus drop points.
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+ With two goals on Saturday, Vancouver striker and U.S. international Brian White can become the first MLS player since Chris Wondolowski in 2019 to score six goals across a two-game span. If he scores three, he will be the first player in MLS history to bag seven across two games.
+ With two goal contributions for Charlotte on Saturday, Biel will become the fastest player in CLT history to reach 10 goal contributions in club history. The Spaniard currently leads all of MLS in goal contributions heading into the Matchday, as well.
