Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 13 matches played on the 19th matchday of the 2025 MLS regular season from June 12-14.
Highlights of the matchday included:
- The Philadelphia Union (37 points, 11-3-4) have jumped back into the Supporters’ Shield lead, eclipsing Vancouver Whitecaps FC, after Markus Anderson scored the latest game-winning goal in club history (90+8’) against Charlotte FC.
- Several Homegrown teenagers contributed on Matchday 19 – Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo (one goal), CF Montréal’s Aleksandr Guboglo (one assist), and the Philadelphia Union’s Frankie Westfield (one assist).
- João Klauss’ hat trick for Louis CITY SC saw the club became the 31st in MLS history to have a player score a hat trick, leaving only the Portland Timbers and San Diego FC without one in MLS play.
- San Diego FC’s Anders Dreyer moved into the league lead for goal contributions (17) after scoring twice and adding an assist in the club’s 4-2 victory over Minnesota United FC.
- Each of the top five teams in the Eastern Conference won on Matchday 19, while only San Diego among the Western Conference’s top six secured a win (LAFC and Seattle Sounders FC did not have fixtures).
Anders Dreyer’s On Fire
San Diego FC faced arguably their toughest task of the 2025 season on Matchday 19 when they traveled to Minnesota to take on the best defense in the league without Hirving Lozano. For the 2025 expansion side, the adversity did not seem to faze them as they left Allianz Field with a 4-2 victory and in standalone second place in the Western Conference.
With Lozano out due to injury, the creative load fell on Anders Dreyer, who once again stepped up by recording two goals and an assist in the win. Dreyer has been sensational in his debut MLS season, totaling eight goals and nine assists, becoming the first player to accomplish this for an expansion club since Diego Rossi and Carlos Vela in 2018. Dreyer’s performance was highlighted by a sensational strike from 53.52 yards out in which he chipped the Loons ‘keeper for his first goal of the evening (Watch Here).
Dreyer now sits on an MLS-high 17 goal contributions this season while building his case to be among the leading contenders for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award. San Diego sit third in the Supporters’ Shield chase and will next meet Vancouver Whitecaps FC on June 25 (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / Apple TV+) in a clash of the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Klauss’ Hat Trick Heroics Highlight Thrilling Saturday Matinée
The first game of Saturday’s 11 match slate delivered as St. Louis CITY SC and the LA Galaxy played to a thrilling 3-3 draw at Energizer Park. St. Louis forward João Klauss played hometown hero by scoring his third goal of the match in the 90+5’ with a vicious volley to earn a point (Watch Here). Klauss’ hat trick was the first in MLS play in St. Louis CITY SC history, and the home side became the 31st different club to record a hat trick. Only the Portland Timbers and San Diego FC are yet to have a player score three goals in an MLS match.
On the opposite side, the LA Galaxy showed promise in the thrilling draw on the road. The Galaxy scored three goals in a match for the first time this season and the attack looking lively behind two goals from Gabriel Pec, two assists from Marco Reus, and a goal and an assist from Matheus Nascimento in just his third start of the season. LA face a daunting battle to get back into Audi MLS Cup Playoffs contention but are showing signs of life before a Matchday 20 showdown with the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday, June 25 (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Andy Najar With Another All-Star-Caliber Performance
Nashville SC’s 2025 resurgence has featured strong form from Designated Players Hany Mukhtar (eight goals, seven assists) and Sam Surridge (12 goals, three assists). However, one of the unexpected contributors has been right back Andy Najar who contributed both assists in the club’s 2-0 win on the road over Chicago Fire FC. With the win, Nashville extended their unbeaten run to nine games, just one game shy of their single-season record (10 in 2023).
Najar’s two assists brought him to seven on the season, which is tied with Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union) for the most by a defender in MLS this season and is tied for the fourth-most among all players. His seven assists are already a career high and in Najar’s 15 starts this year, Nashville has an 8-3-4 record in regular season action.
With Najar contributing from defense and Nashville’s marquee players clicking in attack, the Coyotes look like a contender in the Eastern Conference. Following the FIFA Club World Cup break, Nashville will return to MLS action on the road against the New England Revolution on Wednesday, June 25 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Markus Anderson’s First Goal Boosts Union to Top of Supporters’ Shield Race
Sometimes it’s better late than never, and for the Philadelphia Union’s Markus Anderson that was evident on Matchday 19 in the 2-1 win over Charlotte FC. With the match tied in second-half stoppage time, Anderson latched on to a header from Frankie Westfield and volleyed home his finish as the clock hit 97:58 (Watch Here). The 21-year-old’s strike was his first career goal and also marked the latest game-winning goal in club history.
With the victory and a subsequent Vancouver Whitecaps FC loss, the Union (37 points, 11-3-4) moved to the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings. The road does not get easier for Philadelphia as three of their next four matches coming out of the FIFA Club World Cup break are against Eastern Conference clubs in an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs position.
Another Four Piece for Dallas on the Road
The theme so far of FC Dallas’ 2025 season has been their impressive knack to pick up points on the road, which continued with a 4-2 win at Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night. 76% of Dallas’ points this season have come on the road, which is by far the highest percentage in MLS. Additionally, they have scored most of their goals away from home, as evidenced by their second four-goal game of the season against Sporting Kansas City. This marked the second time in club history Dallas has had multiple games with at least four goals scored on the road (2014).
Dallas’ marquee players led the way on Matchday 19 as 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Luciano Acosta scored twice and club-record signing Petar Musa bagged his fifth goal of the season. Acosta has now scored at least five times in each of his last eight MLS seasons and is up to 77 goals and 97 assists in his legendary career. If Dallas is going to make a run up the Western Conference standings, they will need to add points at home and have an opportunity to do so in their next MLS match on Wednesday, June 25 against the San Jose Earthquakes (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
