Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 10 matches played on the fourth matchday of the 2024 MLS regular season on Saturday, March 9. Due to inclement weather, the Philadelphia Union - Seattle Sounders FC match was postponed and will resume at a later date.
Matchday 4 action continues on Sunday, March 10, with three games in an afternoon slate. The 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield winners FC Cincinnati hosts D.C. United at TQL Stadium and Nashville SC welcomes LA Galaxy to GEODIS Park. Both games will air at 3 p.m. ET on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. To close out Matchday 4, Josef Martínez and CF Montréal will travel to Chase Stadium to face Inter Miami CF (5 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Evander's Late Game-Winning Goal Seals Portland Timbers Victory
With a 2-1 victory over New York City FC, the Portland Timbers tied Inter Miami CF with a league-high eight goals scored through three contests in 2024. The victory also extended the Timbers record to an unbeaten 4-0-0 when playing New York City FC at Yankee Stadium.
Midfielder Santiago Rodríguez scored first for the home team, notching New York City FC’s lone goal off the post in the 10th minute (Watch Here). It was the second time in the past three seasons that Rodríguez has scored in a home opener for the Boys in Blue at Yankee Stadium. It was the first home opening loss at Yankee Stadium for New York City FC, who are now 6-1-2 in home openers in the Bronx.
Portland Timbers forward* Antony* tied the match at 1-1 in the 85th minute (Watch Here). It was his third goal of the season after scoring twice in Portland’s season opener on Feb. 24. In his first appearance for the Timbers this season, midfielder Evander sealed all three points when he scored the latest game-winning goal in club history in the 97th minute with a terrific long-range strike (Watch Here).
Insigne’s Rocket Goal Extends Toronto FC’s Undefeated Streak in Home Openers
Hosting their 2024 home opener, Toronto FC defeated Charlotte FC 1-0 at BMO Field, thanks to a terrific goal from forward Lorenzo Insigne. The victory saw Toronto extend their hot start to the season to a 2-0-1 record, earning at least seven points through three matches for just the second time in club history (nine points in 2019).
The match was scoreless until the 80th minute, when Insigne scored a rocket shot outside the 18-yard box (Watch Here). Insigne’s goal marked his second game-winning goal of the season and the 12th goal of his MLS career.
With the victory, Toronto also became the fifth MLS club in the past decade to open the season with three straight shutouts.
Giakoumakis Hat Trick Lifts Atlanta United to Big Win
In their home opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta United produced a dominant 4-1 win over the New England Revolution. Since the start of 2023, it marked the fifth different match that Atlanta has produced at least four goals in. Forward Giorgos Giakoumakis led Atlanta with three goals, his first hat trick and the fourth multi-goal game of his MLS career.
Following a 1-0 lead, Giakoumakis found the back of the net on three different occasions (Watch Here) to score the 18th, 19th, and 20th goals of his MLS career. In doing so, he became the fifth player in MLS history to record 20 career goals in under 2,000 career minutes, joining Stern John, Josef Martínez, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and Mamadou Diallo.
Pukki and Hlongwane Goals Propel Minnesota’s Hot Start
Playing in Orlando for the first time since 2018, Minnesota United FC earned their second win of the season in a 3-2 victory over Orlando City SC.
Loons forward Teemu Pukki scored in the 4th and 38th minutes to record his second career multi-goal game in MLS (four on Oct. 7, 2023). In total, Pukki has recorded 12 goals since his MLS debut on July 8, 2023. Since July 1, 2023, the Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernández (14) is the only player to score more in regular-season play than Pukki.
Scoring just 14 seconds into the match (Watch Here), Orlando City SC forward Duncan McGuire tied Colorado’s Deshorn Brown (Oct. 5, 2013) for the fifth-fastest goal in MLS history while powering the Lions to a quick 1-0 lead. McGuire scored the second goal of the game to level the score against Minnesota in the 83rd minute (Watch Here).
However, Minnesota stole three points in the closing minutes, as Bongokuhle Hlongwane came off the bench in his 2024 debut and scored the winning goal in the 96th minute to give the Loons the victory (Watch Here).
Farsi Scores Late Goal for the Crew, Nancy Notches 50th Regular-Season Win
Behind the play of defender Mohamed Farsi, the Columbus Crew scored a critical goal late in stoppage time to top Chicago Fire FC 2-1. With the win, the Crew have won their first two home matches in three straight seasons, dating back to their first full season at Lower.com Field in 2022. All-time, the Black & Gold have opened 10 seasons with a 2-0-0 record at home.
Crew forward Jacen Russell-Rowe scored his first goal of the season and fifth career MLS goal in the 68th minute to give Columbus the 1-0 lead (Watch Here). The Fire's Fabian Herbers evened the score at 1-1 by sending the ball into the open goal for Chicago’s first goal in Columbus in five seasons (Watch Here).
Farsi’s game-winning goal in the 100th minute was the latest game-winning goal in regulation in club history, besting the previous record held by Lucas Zelarayán (94:35 on May 22, 2021). (Watch Here)
The victory was the 50th regular-season win in Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy’s MLS coaching career.
