MLS Week 19 Recap: Union Claim First Place, San Diego Close In as League Pauses for International Break

Matchday 19 of the MLS season delivered plenty of drama before the international break for the FIFA Club World Cup and Concacaf Gold Cup. The Philadelphia Union stole the spotlight, climbing to the top of the Supporters’ Shield race with a last-gasp 2-1 win over Charlotte FC. Markus Anderson netted the game-winner in the 98th minute, capping a comeback orchestrated by academy products Jeremy Rafanello and 15-year-old Cavan Sullivan, as noted by MLSSoccer.com in its match analysis.

Out West, the Vancouver Whitecaps remain on top with 35 points despite a 2-1 loss to Columbus Crew, where Diego Rossi and Ibrahim Aliyu led the charge early. San Diego FC took full advantage, pulling within two points of the lead after a thrilling 4-2 road win over Minnesota United. Anders Dreyer exploded with two goals and an assist, while Milan Iloski’s coast-to-coast stoppage-time goal sealed the result in style.

New York City FC routed Atlanta United 4-0, with Hannes Wolf starring once again and coach Pascal Jansen experimenting successfully with new roles for Julián Fernández and Andrés Perea. Atlanta, meanwhile, fell to 13th in the East with just one win in their last nine.

Nashville SC continued their unbeaten run, beating Chicago Fire 2-0 behind goals from Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge. CF Montréal upset Houston 3-1 thanks to a brace from Prince Owusu and a goal from Jalen Neal, while FC Dallas snapped a long winless streak with a 4-2 victory at Sporting Kansas City, led by Álvaro Augusto’s debut.

Heading into the break, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Nashville lead the East, while Vancouver, San Diego, and Minnesota pace the West. Matchday 20 kicks off on June 25, with the playoff race set to intensify.