Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 13 matches played on the 13th matchday of the 2023 MLS season, Wednesday, May 17.
Acosta and FC Cincinnati Can’t be Stopped at TQL Stadium
FC Cincinnati is an unstoppable force when the team takes the field at TQL Stadium, winning their seventh consecutive home game to start the season.
Cincinnati is just the fourth club in the post-shootout era of MLS history to accomplish this feat and just the second to do so in the last 20 years. After a 3-0 win over CF Montréal, Cincinnati has outscored its opponents 12-3 at home in 2023. Luciano Acosta, who scored Cincinnati’s second goal of the game, has scored all three of his goals this season at TQL Stadium and provided two of his three assists at home. Since joining the team in 2021, 33 of Acosta’s 51 total goal contributions for Cincinnati have come at TQL Stadium.
Acosta and red-hot Cincinnati will have the opportunity to make it eight wins from eight against bitter rivals the Columbus Crew when they face off in the Hell is Real derby on Saturday, May 20 in Matchday 14 action (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
Another Week, Another Golazo for Thiago Almada
When Atlanta United’s Thiago Almada is standing over a set piece, good things tend to happen for the Five Stripes. That trend was no different on Wednesday evening when Almada placed a perfect strike in the back of the net from a direct free kick in the 29th minute (Watch Here). The goal was Almada’s sixth of the season, already matching his total from 2022.
Additionally, the 2022 World Cup winner scored his third free kick goal of the season, becoming the 11th player and the youngest in MLS since 2003 (22 years, 22 days) to score at least three direct free kick goals in a single season. Only four other players since 2003 have scored at least four direct free kick goals, with the last being the Columbus Crew’s Lucas Zelarayán in 2021 (five).
Charlotte Crowns Cambridge After Game-Winning Performance
With Charlotte FC trailing 1-0 in the 59th minute, head coach Christian Lattanzio went to his bench and turned to 21-year-old Brandon Cambridge. In just his fourth MLS appearance, the former Portland Pilot standout made the difference, scoring two goals in the second half to steal all three points for Charlotte. In doing so, Cambridge became the third player in league history to score a game-tying and game-winning goal as a substitute within his first four appearances. The last player to do this – Zlatan Ibrahimović in one of the most epic El Tráfico games of all time on March 31, 2018.
Thanks to Cambridge’s performance, Charlotte also extended their home unbeaten run to five games, which is the longest in club history. The Crown won’t have to go far as they look to keep their hot home form going against Nashville SC on Matchday 14 on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
Brace For Dallas: Jesús Ferreira Scores Two in a Comeback Win
Jesús Ferreira scored a brace with goals in the 37th and 54th minutes against Vancouver Whitecaps FC to lead FC Dallas to a 2-1 victory on Wednesday night. The forward’s seventh and eighth goals of the season marked his eighth overall multi-goal game in MLS regular season play, surpassing Jeff Cunningham for the second most in club history.
All six of Dallas’ wins this season have occurred in matches in which Ferreira scored. Also of note, FC Dallas has won the last 15 home matches that Ferreira has scored in dating back to August 2019. Dallas will look to extend their win streak at home in a Rivalry Week matchup against Houston Dynamo FC on Matchday 14 (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
Dénis Bouanga First to Double Digits
The first player to reach 10 goals in MLS this season is none other than LAFC’s Dénis Bouanga, who has been on fire since the start of 2023. Bouanga leads the MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi race as he looks to become the third LAFC player to win the award, joining Diego Rossi (2020) and Carlos Vela (2019).
With his goal against Sporting Kansas City, Bouanga tied for the sixth fastest player in MLS history to reach 10 goals from the start of a season, doing so in the club’s first 11 regular season games. Bouanga has now scored in four-straight MLS games and eight overall in 2023 heading into Matchday 14.
