Players of the MLS Matchday 15 - ranked
By Alex Windley
Week 15 in MLS saw goals galore as multiple games ended with several names on the score sheet.
From Hany Mukhtar showing why he’s making a strong case to win back-to-back MLS MVPs to Julian Carranza carrying the Philadelphia Union to victory with a brace, Match day 15 didn’t disappoint. As MLS heads into the summer months, the grind will continue. But, that doesn’t mean the quality on the field will dip. Week 15 exemplified this.
Here are the top five players from week fifteen...
5. Hector Herrera
Héctor Herrera was on fire again as he helped seal all three points for the Houston Dynamo in their 2-1 Copa Tejas victory over Austin FC.
Herrera was the engine in the Dynamo midfield, as the men in orange had a slight edge in possession over their opponents.
Herrera was a constant thorn in Austin's defense as he finished the match with a goal, seven total shots, two chances created, and five passes into the final third.
This win sees the Dynamo jump to seventh in the Western Conference on 18 points.
4. Bobby Wood
Bobby Wood stood out among the rest in a monstrous clash that ended with six goals between the Chicago Fire and the New England Revolution.
The 30-year-old made himself a nuisance to Chicago’s backline, ending the game with a goal, assist, and two recoveries. Though Wood isn’t the most notable name (Carles Gil, Jozy Altidore) on the Revolution roster, this match showed that he has the capability of being a game-changer when needed.
The win helped the Revolution maintain its stronghold at the top of the Eastern Conference with 25 points through 14 games played.
3. Hany Mukhtar
Hany Mukhtar does it again.
It’s no surprise that the 28-year-old is on this list once more. The Nashville SC attacker is putting out a compelling case to repeat as MLS MVP. In their latest match vs. the Columbus Crew, Mukhtar showed his skill as an elite scorer in the league.
He finished the game with two chances created, seven total shots, a goal and assist, and six recoveries.
The win sees Nashville stay second in the East, just five points behind leaders FC Cincinnati.
2. Lorenzo Insigne
Despite the off-field drama for Toronto FC, Lorenzo Insigne blocked out the noise and put on an excellent performance for the Reds in their 2-1 win over DC United.
The Italian speedster ended the game with two assists, four chances created, and two passes into the final third.
Though they are lingering in the basement of the East at 14th, Insigne’s display should be the catalyst for the Bob Bradley-led team to climb up the table.
1. Julian Carranza
Julian Carranza got back on the score sheet for the Philadelphia Union in their 3-1 thumping of East rival NYCFC.
Although the game was hotly contested by both teams, the Union were - by far, the more clinical team in the final third with an expected goals tally of 1.67 vs. NYCFC's 1.51.
Led by Carranza, the Union were able to finish their chances and come out on top with three points. The young Argentine finished the match with two goals on four total shots and four recoveries.
These three points helped the Union jump to fourth in the East, just a single point back from third place New England Revolution.