Luca Orellano and Darren Yapi lead MLS’ top teams in Week 23

Authors: Favian Renkel and Justin Ruderman

Welcome back to Week 23 of Justin and Favian’s Weekly MLS Awards, where SBI journalists Justin Ruderman and Favian Renkel break down the best moments from each week in MLS.

MLS clubs have less than 10 games left in the regular season, which increases the importance of each match. The battle for playoff spots and seedings is sure to intensify over the next few weeks.

Here’s a closer look at the action:

Player of the week

Justin Ruderman: Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati)

Two free kick goals in one match? Luca Orellano is This Good.

In fairness, his first goal was well deflected to surprise the keeper, but that was after he had hit the crossbar with another free-kick that required a save from the top corner, and before he scored my Goal of the Week, which I’ll go into more detail about below. Orellano came tantalisingly close to scoring a hat-trick from direct free-kicks alone – a feat usually reserved for the world’s best strikers, such as Robert Lewandowski, Wayne Rooney, Matt Le Tissier and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Remember at the beginning of the season when people (myself included) questioned whether FC Cincinnati would find replacements for Alvaro Barreal and other departing stars? Luca Orellano has consistently dispelled those concerns throughout the year.

Favian Renkel: Luis Suarez (Inter Miami CF)

Now, we have a new favorite to win MLS MVP honors: Luis “El Pistolero” Suarez. Lucho hasn’t slowed down. After putting the Herons in prime position to lift the Supporters’ Shield, he immediately boarded a plane to Montevideo to make a big announcement: his retirement from the Uruguayan National Team.

Despite the MLS MVP Power Rankings being the last thing on his mind, Suarez still managed to lead Inter Miami to a convincing victory in front of 55,000 fans, putting on a performance that could rival Jason Derulo’s half-time performance. Suarez scored twice and forced a third, which ended in an own goal after his shot was deflected. He currently sits second in the Golden Boot race with 16 goals, just one behind Cristian Benteke and Chicho Arango.

Luis Suarez has the potential to have the greatest first season in MLS history. There are rumors that he could retire after the MLS Cup, so we could see a player win Rookie of the Year, MLS MVP, Golden Boot, Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup, all in his first season.

At this point in the MLS season, Luis Suarez has a better chance of winning the MLS MVP award than the world’s best player and his teammate, Lionel Messi.

With this goal, Suarez made history for Inter Miami by scoring his 16th goal of the regular season, equaling Gonzalo Higuaín’s 2022 record for the most goals scored in a single season in Inter Miami CF history.

What a player. What a legendary career. If you have the chance to watch Suarez in these last few games, don’t miss it – you won’t regret it.

Young Player of the Week

JR: Darren Yapi (Colorado Rapids)

Darren Yapi reached a milestone this summer!

Let me set the scene: After returning from a frustrating first two years in MLS without a goal, one of Major League Soccer’s most talented young forwards scored his first goal to cap a 4-1 win over St. Louis CITY SC on July 7 in the 90th minute, then advanced to the Leagues Cup with a 90+6’ winner off the bench against Toluca on August 13.

Now, in late August, Yapi has found himself playing a super sub in the MLS, scoring the winning goal 90+3′ in Dallas. At just 19 years old, Yapi has found his groove with a late scoring streak that any forward would love to have as the playoffs approach. Producing that kind of moment in a postseason game could etch him into Rapids history forever.

France: Ajani Fortune (Atlanta United)

“There are good times and bad times, but our mood changes more often than our fate.”

This is life as an Atlanta United fan—still clinging to a playoff spot despite losing all of their superstars this MLS season. Last week, 21-year-old Ajani Fortune rose to the occasion, scoring his first MLS goal to secure three points in a key competitive match just four hours down the road.

The Trinidad and Tobago international left his mark on the MLS, hoping the goal would be the catalyst for his career in the league. In a match that was supposed to be USMNT star Tim Ream’s moment with Charlotte, it was the T&T player who once again stole the spotlight and changed the narrative from what could have been a great day for USMNT fans.

Goal of the week

JR: Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati)

Luca Orellano scored his second goal on Saturday with a free kick against CF Montréal from 64.5 yards from goal.

By comparison, the longest goal in MLS history was scored by David Beckham just ten yards out, 75 yards out — but that was a counterattack into an empty net, not a dead ball with the keeper to beat. Simply put, it’s not just the best goal of the week, it’s one of the best goals in MLS history.

But I think that’s what we should expect from Orellano, who not only scored two free-kicks in this game, but has also scored twice from inside his own half this season.

France: Facundo Torres (Orlando City)

Facundo Torres played a phenomenal match against Nashville SC, crowning it with being named Orlando City’s top goal scorer with 52 goals.

This goal perfectly illustrates what Torres means to Orlando. He sets up the play, quickly gets into position to receive the cross he just initiated, and finishes with a karate kick into the back of the net.

Facu is quickly becoming an Orlando City legend, slowly regaining his form just before the MLS Cup playoffs.

Watch out for Orlando City, they could prove to be a dark horse in the fight for the Cup during the playoffs.

Team of the week

JR: Houston Dynamo

Only two teams have defeated the defending Western Conference champions at BMO Stadium all season.

The first was the Columbus Crew in a crushing 5-1 rout in the middle of LAFC’s last two losses to the Ohioans. The second was this week, when Ben Olsen’s Houston Dynamo traveled to Los Angeles, took the ball from the first whistle and dominated LAFC on their home turf, winning 2-0 in a way that would have been more flattering if not for the heroics of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Sure, LAFC was tired after the League Cup final and the US Open Cup semifinal, but this team doesn’t lose at home, much less dominate. As mentioned, the only other team to do so is the arguably best team in the league — not bad company if you’re Houston. The Texans also witnessed the club’s record-breaking summer signing Ezequiel Ponce and the club’s biggest ever U22 signing Lawrence Ennali, both of whom scored their first MLS goals. Unfortunately, Ennali also left the field with a torn ACL in the final minutes of the game and will miss the rest of the season.

Ironically, last season the Dynamo pulled off a double-double over LAFC in two consecutive matches, with a combined score of 5-0. Now we’ll see if they can repeat that feat in the immediate rematch in Houston next weekend.

FR: Inter Miami CF

With LAFC and LA Galaxy both losing and FC Cincinnati finally snapping a four-game winless streak, Inter Miami are doing what others can’t – continuing to win no matter who’s playing or where they’re playing. With at least a four-point lead over the only team that can realistically challenge them for the Supporters’ Shield, Columbus Crew, Inter Miami look set to get the job done and lift the Shield at the end of the season.

Inter Miami CF are in full control of the Supporters’ Shield race. With seven games remaining, it would take a monumental collapse for the Herons to not win the Shield, especially with the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, finally fit and back in the team.

With an MVP candidate in Suarez, young talents surviving throughout the transfer window, and Tata Martino making the most of his squads and formations, Inter Miami should be able to win The Shield and make a final push for the title.

Over the next few months, Miami will become an even bigger party – but it isn’t already.

The best thing we’ve seen this week

JR: Tomas Hartel makes it 3 for 3

Tomas Hartel is clearly the most underrated (or at least undervalued) signing in MLS this summer. Hartel doesn’t exactly have the name recognition of a top-five European league player, but he certainly should, having been at the heart of last season’s highly regarded St. Pauli, who were promoted under current Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hürzler. St. Louis CITY SC sporting director Lutz Pfannensteil’s extensive German connections helped the Missourians secure the 28-year-old striker, who scored 21 goals and provided 14 assists in 37 league and cup appearances for St. Pauli last season.

He quickly began producing for St. Louis in a similar manner.

On Saturday, in his sixth game for his new club, Hartel scored his third goal, all of which were second-half game-winning goals. In addition to his two assists last week, Hartel has overseen a turnaround for the team from 13th in the Western Conference, which has won half of its six games and lost just one. It would be a long road for the newest MLS team to make the playoffs again in its second season, but positive signs for a competitive run in its third are certainly visible.

FR: New MLS players called up to international teams or returning

Mateusz Bogusz to Poland, Cucho Hernandez to Colombia, Ryan Gauld to Scotland and Facundo Torres to Uruguay all head off to represent their nations during the international break. For some, it’s a long-awaited return, while for others it’s one of their first opportunities to impress their national team coaches.

There is nothing better for the league and its fans than watching their favorite MLS stars shine on the world stage.

Luca Orellano and Darren Yapi lead MLS’ top teams in Week 23

Player of the week

Young Player of the Week

Goal of the week

Team of the week

The best thing we’ve seen this week

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Luca Orellano and Darren Yapi lead MLS’ top teams in Week 23

Player of the week

Young Player of the Week

Goal of the week

Team of the week

The best thing we’ve seen this week

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