Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
Welcome again to Week No. 6 of Justin and Favian’s Weekly MLS Awards the place SBI employees writers Justin Ruderman and Favian Renkel convey you a glimpse at one of the best of every week in MLS.
With the worldwide break within the rearview window, the celebrities have been again and shining brilliant.
Let’s check out our picks for Week 6:
Participant of the Week
Justin Ruderman: Carles Gil (NE Revolution)
The New England Revolution’s 2025 season was all the time going to be dependent upon captain Carles Gil. Would he be capable to present a bounce-back season or had age regression hit early?
On Matchday 6, the 32-year-old despatched Revs followers a transparent message: He’s again.
𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵. 𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦. 𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘸-𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦. 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘎𝘪𝘭 — C𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤. 🎩✨ pic.twitter.com/P6y4klWFdP
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) March 30, 2025
Starting with a bending free kick David Beckham would admire and ending with a profitable stoppage-time penalty, Gil steered the Revs to their first win of the season at dwelling, 2-1, over the reigning Japanese Convention champion, New York Crimson Bulls.
Favian Renkel: Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew)
Many questions have been requested about this Columbus Crew facet after Issa Tall offered Cucho Hernández, among the best gamers ever to play for the Crew. Would Nancy be capable to preserve the group enjoying on the identical stage with out their finest participant? Who would rating the targets for the group? Who would step up for the crew?
Versus D.C. United final weekend, a lot of these questions have been answered with Diego Rossi’s two-goal efficiency, which might have been a hat trick if the primary probability the Uruguayan received went into the again of the online. This was Rossi’s ninth multi-goal sport in his profession, and the Crew at the moment are six video games unbeaten, sitting in third place within the japanese convention. Let’s see if the Crew and Rossi can preserve this up till the reinforcements come in the summertime.
Younger Participant of the Week
JR: Chris Brady (Chicago Hearth)
Tip save, kick save, diving save, or volleyball parry – Chris Brady had all of it on Saturday night time.
The 21-year-old U.S. youth worldwide goalkeeper earned the Chicago Hearth a degree at dwelling towards CF Montréal in a 1-1 draw regardless of being omitted to dry by his protection time after time. He ended up bailing his group out on six events with varied distinctive stops to frustrate opposition attackers.
Even when he made a mistake by popping out of his field for an tried clearance – with Prince Owusu simply maneuvering round him towards purpose – Brady recovered in a full dash to clear the hazard with a middle again’s slide sort out inside the six-yard field which Manchester Metropolis’s Rúben Dias could be happy with.
FR: Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF)
We haven’t talked about this identify a lot this yr, however given the best way Inter Miami has quietly been enjoying this season, it was solely a matter of time earlier than 20-year-old Miami teen heartthrob Benjamin Cremaschi was on this checklist.
As the principle character of Inter Miami’s TikTok, Cremaschi has quietly develop into one of many group’s stars. Together with his charisma and appearances in massive moments throughout Lionel Messi’s first yr with the Herons, he positively performed like one for the group from South Seashore this weekend versus the streaking Philadelphia Union. Cremaschi didn’t have one of the best begin to this match because the younger midfielder might have simply been despatched off for a problem the place he arrived late and put some cleats into the Union’s Gazdag. A few minutes later, the 20-year-old makes a veteran transfer and passes a last ball throughout the face of the purpose as a substitute of capturing a Jordi Alba cross, giving Robert Taylot a straightforward tap-in to go 1-0 in a giant matchup with out Lionel Messi beginning.
Now linked with Tottenham Hotspurs, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than the Miami child spreads his wings and flies off like a Heron. Wait, Herons fly, proper?
Purpose of the Week
JR: Artem Smolyakov (LAFC)
Welcome to MLS, Artem Smolyakov!
The 21-year-old Ukranian youth worldwide launched himself to the league with a jaw-dropping first LAFC purpose in his fifth look on Saturday. After the ball squirted out to him about 25 yards from purpose, Smolyakov took a contact to settle and struck a dipping, curling strike with tempo over San Diego FC goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos in full stretch, but nonetheless smashing off the underside of the crossbar into the online.
It proved solely to be a silver lining within the Black & Gold’s 3-2 loss in San Diego, however it was a hell of a silver lining.
FR: Evander (FC Cincinnati)
If you’re studying this, you already know that I really like some MLS superstars scoring targets. For the second consecutive time, I’ll inform you how a lot Evander is a star.
The Brazilian is beginning to warmth up and has scored one other free-kick purpose. The previous MVP finalist is beginning to warmth up; the query is, will Lionel Messi be capable to sustain with Evander this yr?
FC Cincinnati’s first street win got here because of targets from Evander and Kevin Denkey and an enormous efficiency from Roman Celetano.
Staff of the Week
JR: Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids entered Matchday 6 recent off a crushing 3-0 defeat to the Portland Timbers at dwelling, with Charlotte FC, arguably essentially the most in-form group within the league, coming to city. From a impartial perspective, the sport appeared unlikely to finish in a optimistic end result for the ‘Pids.
Luckly, Djordje Mihailovic will not be a impartial.
The 26-year-old U.S. worldwide joined the matchday pattern by scoring a brace to propel Colorado to a 2-0 triumph at Dick’s Sporting Good Park, their first MLS win in 2025. For his efforts, he additionally received MLS Participant of the Matchday.
After all, holding Charlotte scoreless was no easy activity both. The Rapids again line managed Wilfried Zaha, Patrick Ageymang, and Pep Biel skillfully as Zack Steffen got here up with just a few essential stops as properly. Marquee winter signing Josh Atencio additionally put in a powerful shift alongside Cole Bassett in midfield.
FR: San Diego FC
A brand new rivalry ignited: LAFC vs. San Diego FC. As two of Main League Soccer’s latest and flashiest franchises, it didn’t take lengthy for tensions to rise. From fights on and off the sphere, this match got here with fireworks whether or not you needed it. Whereas the mainstream headline of this matchup wasn’t the sport within the stadium, this was the primary dwelling win for San Diego FC, and it got here towards one of many contenders within the Western Convention. San Diego scored three targets within the first half on presumably among the best defenses in MLS, discuss sending a message.
SDFC nonetheless doesn’t have a wholesome Chucky Lozano, however they’re nonetheless discovering a approach to seize factors all through their inaugural season. San Diego presently sits in third place within the Western Convention with 11 factors. With reinforcements on the horizon, the sky is the restrict for SDFC.
Second of the Week
JR: The Peter Vermes run ends
This information was so paramount that Favian and I’ve determined to formally amend the SBI Soccer Awards Structure, renaming the ultimate award our “Second of the Week” as a substitute of the “Smartest thing we noticed this week” as a result of generally the essential moments aren’t notably optimistic.
Peter Vermes, the league’s longest-serving head coach, parting methods with Sporting Kansas Metropolis was a kind of moments.
After becoming a member of the membership in 2006 as technical director, Vermes took the pinnacle teaching place three years later, profitable the 2013 MLS Cup and three U.S. Open Cup titles (2012, ‘15, ‘17) for SKC throughout his tenure.
However over the previous few years, issues have turned bitter. SKC missed the playoffs in 2022 and started the 2023 season on a 10-game winless streak. Vermes seemingly rescued his job with a miraculous playoff qualification however missed the postseason once more final season, lastly reaching the tip with SKC on the backside of the MLS desk, winless after six video games.
Nonetheless, Vermes shall be remembered as one of many biggest coaches in American soccer historical past, with 609 matches coached throughout all competitions for SKC, together with essentially the most ever for a single membership in MLS.
FR: Messi is again!
Nicely, properly, properly, haven’t we been right here earlier than? It’s that point once more. Lionel Messi is wholesome and enjoying soccer once more. Not solely did Lionel Messi come onto the pitch, making all of the followers comfortable to see him, however the GOAT scored a purpose on his first contact, making it look extraordinarily straightforward. In Messi style, he celebrates with a tennis-inspired purpose celebration after going to observe Novak Djokovic on the US Open, which passed off in Miami throughout the week.
Lionel Messi’s return from harm couldn’t come at a extra essential second, as Inter Miami CF head to Los Angeles for a midweek showdown towards LAFC within the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
