GOAL looks at the biggest storylines of the weekend in MLS, with a dream start for San Diego and hard-earned point for Miami
What to make of expansion franchises? History shows us that the record is mixed. Joining MLS as a new league is a dangerous thing. Some, such as St. Louis, hit the ground running. Others, such as Cincinnati are forced to embrace years of disappointment before fighting their way to league relevance. For most, the reality is in between. No one really knows where San Diego will end up after becoming the league's 30th club this offseason. But it was a hell of a start for Mikey Varas' side. They seldom looked threatened, and scored two clinical goals to win their first fixture in franchise history – knocking off the reigning MLS champions in the process.
Inter Miami, too, were involved in a fascinating contest. They drew their first game of the season, but put in context — playing a man down for most of the game — it looks a fine point (although NYCFC deserved more). And elsewhere, there were plenty of big performances from expensive strikers like Emmanuel Latte Lath and a disappointing start for Gregg Berhalter's Chicago Fire. It all made for a compelling start to the MLS campaign in which no one really learned anything, but there were plenty of reasons for early excitement.
Columbus Crew, meanwhile, topped the opening weekend of MLS Power Rankings, while the Portland Timbers had a weekend to forget.
GOAL rounds up the biggest storylines of the first weekend of the 2025 MLS season…
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportSan Diego make magic on Matchweek 1
What were we expecting from San Diego FC? Here was an expansion team, which was largely assembled thanks to a Right to Dream network whose best club is in Denmark. This roster largely does not have much MLS experience. it's the kind of thing that could be, in theory, disastrous or brilliant. The jury is still out here; but what a start it was for the expansion franchise. Two things need to be established here.
The first is that LA Galaxy were very poor, and they look a shadow of the side that won MLS Cup last year. Part of that is injuries as Joseph Paintsil suffered a quad injury and lead star Riqui Puig remains out while recovering from a knee surgery after being injured in the Western Conference final. It also be down to turnover as the Galaxy had to move on from several key veterans due to the salary cap or it could be a championship hangover. We're 90 minutes into the season. Sweeping conclusions are dangerous, but this could be a tricky few months in Los Angeles.
But the second, and most important, is that San Diego looked very, very good. They controlled the game with aplomb, came to Los Angeles, and did everything a visiting team should in a hostile environment. They soaked up pressure at times but were also ferociously direct on the break. Chucky Lozano was the buzzing, dangerous presence that many hoped he could be. U.S. international Luca de la Torre looked every bit the kind of playmaker that can run MLS midfields. And the second goal – a finely-tuned counter against an exhausted defense – was ruthless. The Galaxy will surely improve. San Diego may struggle at times. But this was a fine introduction to MLS.
AdvertisementLionel Messi saves Inter Miami
Miami did not play well against NYCFC on Saturday night. They were sloppy at times, languid in the final third, and, rarely for a side led by Messi, a bit too predictable. NYCFC, to be sure, did their part, and probably deserved the three points, but this all seemed to point towards the early-season post-mortem of a tragic Miami loss.
Or so we thought. Of course, the inevitable happened. NYCFC gave Messi just a bit too much space. Messi drove. Telasco Segovia made the run. The pass was on time, the dink was perfect. Sure, it is ridiculous that a goal can be scored in the 100th minute of play. But this is Miami and Messi, and the Argentine tends to be fairly inevitable in this league. What this all means is tough to tell. Miami's win against Sporting KC in the CONCACAF Champions League midweek was big. A point to open their MLS campaign will hardly kill them. And considering they were playing with 10 men for 70 minutes, the 2-2 isn't bad (and manager Javier Mascherano looked fired up enough). Still, Miami, it seems, can be got at.
IMAGNThe big money strikers pay off
Everyone knew that Latte Lath would be fairly good at soccer. The new Atlanta United striker had supposedly turned down Premier League offers to come to Atlanta. This is a striker with enough raw quality to dominate MLS. But most foreign players, especially No. 9s, are afforded a grace period in this league. The spaces are too open, and the defenders too physical. The players here are elite athletes, but not quite soccer players of the absolute highest level – on a global scale. Not that any of that mattered to Latte Lath. The former Middlesborough man scored either half of half-time to lead Atlanta to a 3-2 win on opening night. Atlantastill looked like a pretty new team. They won't like that they conceded twice. But the win — especially with their main man on target twice — is hardly much to complain about.
The same can be said for the excellent Kevin Denkey. Like Latte Lath, he cost a lot of money, and similar to the Atlanta United star, he had an impressive goalscoring record at the highest levels of European football. And like Latte Lath, he was on target in an impressive win. New York Red Bulls are a good side and controlled the contest for long periods. A retooled Cincinnati wasn't quite cohesive. But Denkey got one real chance and took it. Here was a clinical striker showing that he can make a difference in this league.
IMAGNMoments you might have missed
+ It was hardly a fairytale start for Berhalter's Chicago Fire. It was, admittedly, a tough assignment for the former USMNT manager, as his side traveled to Columbus Crew for his first game back in MLS. But the 4-2 defeat was pretty comprehensive.
+ Christian Benteke showed that he should be there or thereabouts in the Golden Boot race again, a towering header giving D.C. United a 2-2 draw against Toronto.
+ Cavan Sullivan was in the matchday squad, but didn't make an appearance off the bench. It didn't matter, though, as Philadelphia Union beat Orlando 4-2.
+ The battle of two trendy picks for MLS Cup ended in a 2-2 draw, as Seattle and Charlotte shared the spoils. Jordan Morris enjoyed a fine start to the campaign, bagging a brace. New Seattle signings Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola both came off the bench – and will surely be worked into the fold in the coming weeks.
