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MLS Winners and LosersGOAL

MLS Winners and Losers: Josh Sargent proves quality for Toronto FC, Portland Timbers make history, and how good is Cavan Sullivan?

Portland Timbers broke a 15-year-old cold streak, while a young prince in Philadelphia proved that he could be one of the league's best

Tom Hindle

  • Here's a fun fact for you. The Portland Timbers have existed as an MLS franchise since 2011. Prior to Saturday night, they had participated in 521 games. And not once has a player scored a hat-trick wearing a Timbers shirt. Sixty-seven have scored twice in one game. But not one had turned two into three.

    Enter Vincent Janssen. Remember him? The Dutch journeyman of sorts who served as an agreeable backup to a Harry Kane-led Tottenham from 2016-2019? Well, he made a little bit of franchise history Saturday, bagging the first hat-trick after 522 games. It might have a few wider implications for the season, too.

    Elsewhere, MLS delivered in spades. Eight teams scored three or more goals. Favorites lost, outsiders won, and weather made a massive impact throughout. It was one of those weird weekends before the stretch run starts, the mid-to-late season chaos where most teams will still believe they have something of a chance, especially with 20(!!) playoff spots up for grabs. GOAL captures the winners and losers of a chaotic weekend...

  • WINNER: Cavan Sullivan

    imago-sport-1082454226.jpg
    Icon Sportswire

    Sullivan has rewarded his new coach's faith with a run of fine form for Philly

    Sullivan was always going to be good enough for MLS. Man City do not sign 14-year-olds if they can't even cut it, with all due respect, for the Philadelphia Union. Indeed, it was a question of when, not if, he would be ready to establish himself in the league fully. Last year was a little early. The Union were rolling through the season. Sullivan didn't have to play. No need to force it.



    Now, though, there's freedom. Philly have fired their coach. At one point they were 15th in the East. What more can go wrong? Well, interim manager Ryan Richter, who has been coaching Sullivan since he was (even more of) a child, has let the kid play. The return? Goals in three straight and a total return of four and three assists across 1,218 minutes in the league alone. He proved his quality again Saturday evening with a delightful strike in a 2-0 win over Montreal. It's important to keep it rational here. Lots can still go wrong. But turns out the kid can play a bit.

  • LOSER: Colorado Rapids

    Colorado Rapids
    Getty

    The Rapids went without some of their new big names and slumped to a disappointing loss.

    Well, it was never going to be perfect. Colorado got busy this transfer window, signing four impactful players after seeing their best center back and deadliest finisher leave for a combined $35 million. It was admittedly uncharacteristic for the Rapids, who typically have tight purse strings.

    It represented immense faith in first-time head coach Matt Wells, too, who has failed to get the attack firing - Colorado have scored 31. This team's calling card, statistically at least, is their ability to keep others out - not a relentlessness in attack that Wells articulated to GOAL before the season. Chucking some attacking talent into the mix might have helped in the effort to turn that around.

    And it was a bit of a rough start Saturday. Colorado lost 3-0, and the two big acquisitions - Morgan Whittaker and Sayed Abu Farkhi - did not appear. The Rapids have a bit of waiting to do.

  • WINNER: Vincent Janssen

    Vincent Janssen
    Getty

    Janssen bagged the first hat trick in Timbers franchise history in a 5-4 win over Minnesota

    Janssen looked a tidy piece of business when the struggling Portland Timbers brought him in from Royal Antwerp at the end of July. But heading into Saturday night's game, he hadn't scored since April. That's quite a slump for a striker. He recovered in style, though.

    The Dutchman bagged his first of the night from the penalty spot after 11 minutes, and added a second 15 minutes later. And then, in the 55th minute, came the third, a tap-in to complete a lovely flowing move. Portland ground out the most thrilling of 5-4 wins.

    The big striker is only in Portland on a one-year deal, and it remains to be seen where he fits in with the long-term plans of the club. But they're clinging onto a playoff spot, and a few more goals from him would do them the world of good.

  • LOSER: FC Cincinnati, D.C. United

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    Ball Raw Images

    DC United and FC Cincinnati didn't play a minute Saturday night due to inclement weather.

    Well then, about the weather... Inter Miami's match against Atlanta United was pushed back an hour Saturday night due to thunderstorms in the area. This, to be fair, is hilariously nothing new for the Herons, who have developed a bit of a habit of starting both first and second halves late (so much so that head coach Guillermo Hoyos was fined last month).

    FC Cincinnati and D.C. United, though, went one further Saturday night. Both teams were called out to warm up, and the match was delayed twice before being postponed outright. The worst part, though? This grammatical blunder from D.C. United's official X account, which tweeted "THE D.C, UNITED."

  • WINNER: Josh Sargent

    imago-sport-1082463005.jpg
    NurPhoto

    Sargent bagged a hat-trick in a gritty draw for Toronto on Saturday night.

    Toronto are a really confusing team. They're not really very good at much, but their payroll is eighth in the league. If money equals success, then 11th in the East is not good enough. Watching them is a curious experience. They are 20th or worse in every attacking metric other than goals per 90 (where they are 14th). Only one team has conceded more goals from set pieces.

    The signature of Josh Sargent, completed back in February, seemed to be throwing a big fat band-aid over far deeper issues. But even he has not provided much. That is, until Saturday night. Sargent bagged three and showed flashes of the fringe Premier League striker he truly is. They earned themselves a scrappy 4-4 draw against Chicago. Oh, and Toronto haven't lost in six. Weird times north of the border...

  • LOSER: Prince Owusu

    imago-sport-1082456281.jpg
    NurPhoto

    Oh dear, Prince Owusu.

    One of the worst penalties you'll ever see.