Game of the Matchday week 10 - ranked
By Alex Windley
Week 10 in Major League Soccer packed a punch.
Leonardo Campana was the hero Inter Miami needed stop their losing streak, Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar showed why he mustn’t be counted out in the MLS MVP race and Orlando City showed no mercy as they picked up their fourth win of the year.
Now, not all of these wins were pretty or pleasing to the neutral viewer to watch, but - tactically, there were many intriguing concepts showcased on the field.
That said, here are three games from match date ten that are worth taking a closer look...
3. Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew
Inter Miami picked up their third victory of the season with a scrappy 2-1 win over the Columbus Crew.
With manager Phil Neville on the hot seat, the Englishman needed to tweak his personnel for the Herons to grind out a win. Miami lined up in a 4-2-3-1 that morphed into a 3-4-2-1 in possession, with midfielder Nicolas Stefanelli and Benjamin Cremaschi playing just under forward Leonardo Campana.
The Herons aimed to match Columbus in numbers by adopting a back-three formation. As the game kicked off, it was clear that Miami’s main goal was to pressure the Crew’s midfield and to make it uncomfortable for the likes of Aidan Morris and Darlington Nagbe.
They did that successfully, limiting the duo to two combined chances created and two total shots.
Typically in attack, Miami is fairly predictable with their propensity to spam crosses into the box. But, against the Crew, they tried a different approach, forgoing possession in favor of attacking in transition.
In the 7th minute, the Herons secured their first goal of the match, kick-started by a well-executed cross from Stefanelli to Cremaschi.
Cremaschi then smartly headed the ball down to Campana, resulting in Miami's first MLS goal since March 25th.
The Crew answered shortly after through a Cucho Hernandez thunder-strike that fizzed past Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender just four minutes afterward.
However, the Herons stuck to their game plan and persistently kept the pressure on Columbus.
Their next goal-scoring opportunity would come in the 41st minute as Jean Mota would notch his third assist of the season off a corner kick that Campana would calmly slot home for the second goal of the night, sealing all three points for Miami.
It wasn't the prettiest game from either side, but for the men in pink and black, they did just enough to get themselves back in the win column.
2. Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy
Orlando City is a team filled to the brim with talent.
That talent was displayed as the Lions got their fourth win of the season with a 2-0 victory over the LA Galaxy.
Orlando and Galaxy both came out in a 4-4-2, with Martin Ojeda and Ercan Kara as the forward duo for Orlando. Likewise, Dejan Joveljic and Chicharito led the attack up top for Galaxy, who were without Riqui Puig.
With Puig not an option for the G's, the Galaxy had to find another way to build up offensively.
Instead of playing through the middle, they wanted their wingers Tyler Boyd and Douglas Costa to isolate Orlando defenders one vs. one to get a shot off or get to the end line and cross.
Orlando deployed similar tactics, but they were able to get more bodies through the middle of the field, which saw them exploit LA in transition.
Their first goal came from a situation where the Galaxy had yet to get into a defensively stable position. Orlando struck quickly, getting the ball to fullback Michael Halliday who lofted it into forward Ercan Kara, who then nodded it home for the Lion's first goal of the night.
Without Puig, the Galaxy looked toothless in attack, and Orlando capitalized on that.
Their second goal of the night came thanks to Facundo Torres. Orlando, once again, hit the Galaxy in transition and pulled their defense out of shape.
The Uruguayan was able to comfortably fly past the Galaxy backline and put the game to bed.
Though the tactics were relatively straightforward, Orlando got it done using space on the wings and picking their chances to go forward when the Galaxy was undisciplined in their defensive positioning.
1. Nashville SC vs. Atlanta United
It was the Hany Mukhtar show as Nashville SC sent Atlanta United home packing after a 3-1 victory at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennesse.
Both teams have exciting attacking talent that any MLS team would be jealous of. However, Nashville they were the only team on that field that day that put it to good use.
Lining up in a 4-3-1-2, Nashville withstood waves of early pressure by Atlanta to score in the 35th minute off a corner kick launched in by Mukhtar and slotted in by winger Fafa Picault.
Though Atlanta dominated most of the ball, Nashville is the master at defending in a low block and limited the Five Stripes to just two shots on target.
Offensively, the less of the ball Nashville had, the more likely they would strike in transition.
Nashville’s second goal of the game came via forward Teal Bunbury in the 56th minute. Once more, the men in gold caught Atlanta’s defense flat-footed and hit them in transition.
A lovely ball over the top by Alex Muyl saw Mukhtar beat the high line that Atlanta deployed and got in behind their backline. Atlanta goalkeeper Clement Diop then spilled the subsequent shot Mukhtar hit, which saw Bunbury put it in the back of the net.
Atlanta would get a goal back in the 72nd minute to no avail.
Nashville would put the game to bed in the 91st minute with Jacob Shaffelburg sliding in a right-footed shot to the bottom right corner, assisted by Mukhtar.
Perhaps the most highly anticipated matchup of the MLS weekend, Nashville didn’t disappoint. They were clinical, defensively sound, and Hany Mukhtar showed why he’s the reigning MLS MVP.
This win sees Nashville earn their fourth win of the season.