Christian Benteke, Lionel Messi headline the Best of MLS for Week 10
30/04/2024 15:30
By Favian Renkel and Justin Ruderman
Welcome back to Week 10 of Justin and Favian's Weekly MLS Awards where SBI staff writers Justin Ruderman and Favian Renkel bring you a glimpse at the best of each week in MLS.
This Saturday saw Austin FC continue their revival in league action, the Houston Dynamo dig themselves into a hole in Copa Tejas, and the San Jose Earthquakes earn their first road point of the season while the Eastern Conference took over the Golden Boot race.
Let's start with that!
Player of the Week
Justin Ruderman: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
I know, I know. This is getting repetitive and predictable. But what do you expect me to do?
For the second game running, the boy from Rosario, Argentina bagged two goals and an assist to lead his team to a dominant victory. Even the goal for which Messi won't be credited with a contribution, he played a part by taking the shot whose rebound Benjamin Cremaschi scored from.
In the process, Messi retook the lead for the Golden Boot race with 9 goals in just 7 games this season. If he wasn't already, he's undoubtedly now the MVP frontrunner as well with 4 assists (7 including secondary assists) to go along with his league-leading goal tally. In addition, since MLS officially counts secondary assists Messi became the first player in league history to record multiple goal contributions in five consecutive games. Oh yeah, his team is also top of the league.
Whenever you think you've set expectations too high, Messi will shatter them.
His jaw-dropping ability may be getting repetitive and predictable as he settles into his first full season in MLS but one thing it will never become is boring. We're witnessing greatness every single week as the best footballer of all time tours North America playing his greatest hits from an unrivaled career in front of sold-out crowds clamoring for just a glimpse of history. What a privilege we get to enjoy.
Favian Renkel: Christian Benteke (D.C. United)
Just like in week one, Christian Benteke and Lionel Messi are our picks for Player of the Week. Both of these players were once again instrumental in securing a win this past weekend.
With five goal contributions in the last five games, Benteke has been on a tear. The Belgian is one of the best, if not the best, strikers with the ball in the air. Every single cross, every single set piece, DC United's superstar is the most dangerous person on the pitch. We saw that this weekend against the struggling Seattle Sounders when Benteke put two past them. What made these two goals even more special is that Benteke reenacted some famous LeBron "King" James celebrations, which I will get to later.
Benteke is taking a team that isn't expected to be a playoff team under the first year of their new head coach Troy Lesesne into a prime playoff position in a heavily contested Eastern Conference. Let's see if Benteke's form can hold up and if United stays in the playoffs as the season rolls on.
Young Player of the Week
JR: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire)
Chris Brady was so good on Saturday in Chicago that I can't tell you which was his best save of the game.
Perhaps it was in the 31st minute when he made a diving save to stop Saba Lobzhanidze's point-blank header from ending up in the bottom corner.
Maybe Brady tipping over Thiago Almada's dipping free-kick over the bar with his fingertips to keep the game level in the 76th minute was more impressive.
Or it could have been when the 20-year-old American secured the point for the Fire with another point-blank denial of a header in the 85th minute.
Whichever you liked best, combined they earned a clean sheet and a point for Chicago at home against Atlanta United. The Fire have conceded the joint-most goals in the Eastern Conference this season (18) through 10 matches and will need Brady to continue finding himself on this YPOTW list if they are to be a playoff team this season. Should he do so, the young goalkeeper will also have his eyes set on an Olympic roster spot with the United States in Paris.
FR: Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami)
Playing alongside Lionel Messi comes with perks, and if you take advantage of the situation you are in, it can truly be transformative. Benjamin Cremaschi has done just that, evolving from one of the most sought-after prospects in the United States to a league superstar— no easy feat for a 19-year-old. The USMNT midfielder has capitalized on the global attention on Inter Miami and has even secured a Ralph Lauren sponsorship deal. Yes, you read that correctly: an MLS player has a Ralph Lauren sponsorship deal. We have come a long way from MLS 1.0.
Benjamin Cremaschi has been sidelined with a sports hernia for the last three months, but in his return to MLS action, the youngster found the back of the net with a rebound off a shot that blocked Messi's opportunity to score his first hat trick in Inter Miami pink.
When I say Cremaschi has chemistry with Lionel Messi, that’s an understatement. Take a look at this flick by Cremaschi that opens up the play for Messi to assist Suarez for the fourth goal in the match against the New England Revolution. What a beautiful and smart play from the wonder kid.
This is a player that now healthy will be in the conversation for Young Player of the Year over here at SBI Soccer.
Goal of the Week
JR: Alex Katranis (Real Salt Lake)
Can you imagine what it would feel like to send your team to the top of the table with a volleyed last-minute winner? Alex Katranis doesn't have to.
Near the end of RSL's hard-fought battle with the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park, the visitors earned a set piece just inside the Union half. Limited on time, the Utahns sent a cross into the box despite being heavily outnumbered. Jakob Glesnes easily cleared the incoming cross out of his box with a header.
The clearance landed on the foot of Alex Katranis 25 yards out from goal who took a touch to control, allowing the ball one bounce to settle, and smashing a looping half-volley into the opposite side netting with his left foot.
Cool as a cucumber, the 25-year-old Greek fullback celebrated by pushing his palms toward the floor and telling everyone to calm down. No worries, he was carrying the winner in his back pocket the whole time.
FR: Denis Bouanga (LAFC)
Beautiful shot, game-winner, perfect celebration. It doesn't get much better than this. LAFC is back, and they did it right in front of the home crowd at BMO Stadium. Only 3 points away from first place in the West, LAFC is starting to get hot at the right time and right back where they belong.
Take a look at this goal; it will put a smile on your face.
Team of the Week
JR: Real Salt Lake
On the surface, this may seem a curious pick but nobody said TOTW nominations had to be pretty. If it was that simple, I'd pick the dominating victory by Inter Miami or the impressive win produced by LAFC.
More deserving in my eyes however, Real Salt Lake earned my nomination by pushing themselves to the top of the Western Conference table in accomplishing something no team has done for over a year – beat the Philadelphia Union in an MLS game at Subaru Park.
Sure, RSL was gifted the opening goal but they made no mistake about capitalizing on the opportunity. Playing mostly against the ball away from home, the Claret and Cobalt did their best to create problems with their press while remaining structured behind the ball. It was a game the Union had the better of at most times and when they found the equalizer, you expected a winner to follow. In fact it did, just not for the Union.
Of course, it helps that the 89th-minute winner produced by Alex Katranis is also my GOTW selection. Beyond that, it is a promising sign for an RSL side trying to convince the league – and perhaps themselves – that they are a true contender and a team to be feared. Beating the Union in Chester, Pennsylvania makes half of that statement. The other half comes in the fashion in which they did it. Good teams find a way to pick up points even when they're not at their best, facing a difficult opponent, having limited opportunities, or all of the above. RSL did exactly that.
FR: Austin FC
The age-old question everyone is asking about Austin FC is whether it’s “To be or not to be,” or “To be Wolff in or not to be.” Will the Verde keep their manager on board through the season, despite him being on the hot seat for what feels like two years now? Wolff has strung together some impressive wins and may be in the perfect position to make the playoffs this year. Austin FC has arrived.
From hosting the President of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, to beating down the number one seed in the West, LA Galaxy, they have shocked the league this past weekend.
Austin FC has been on a hot streak, winning three out of four games, and they had a rare opportunity this weekend. They were slated for a true "Primetime" match against the LA Galaxy. With everyone expecting the LA Galaxy to assert their dominance and maintain a firm grasp on first place, they did the exact opposite. Austin FC played spoilers to what everyone was predicting last Saturday morning. They beat down on the LA Galaxy while the whole league was watching. If the league doesn't place Austin FC in a playoff position after that match, they are all wrong.
This team has undergone a complete transformation in mentality over the last couple of years. It begins with Driussi being finally healthy and having the hunger to lead the Verde to the promised land. Rigoni is finding the net, and, most importantly, their transfers are making a significant impact, with Obrian scoring the second goal in the last match. This team is primed to compete and will undoubtedly upset many higher seeds this season. It’s time for everyone to take notice because Austin is back.
Best Thing We Saw This Week
JR: Diego Chara
"Records are meant to be broken" as the old cliché goes.
Years from now we may see Chris Wondolowski's MLS goalscoring record (171 goals) broken but on Saturday Diego Chara took down Wondo's first major record.
From April 23, 2011 through April 27, 2024, Chara played a total of 377 regular-season MLS matches for the Portland Timbers, passing Wondolowski (376) as the player with the most appearances for a single club in MLS history. Exemplifying his immovable nature, Chara set the record for the most starts for a single club in MLS history (370) at the same time.
Throughout his career, Chara has been an MLS All-Star, a Best XI selection, an MLS Cup champion, and of course, has become the all-time leader in fouls committed in MLS. For that reason, it was perfectly iconic to see Chara sent off in his record-beaking game in Los Angeles.
As Timbers head coach Phil Neville jokingly put it when I asked him about Chara postgame, "Sending Diego Chara off on his 377th game is MLS."
Prior to Saturday's match, Chara had picked up 115 regular-season yellow cards in MLS but only seven red cards. Normally such a master of playing on a caution, his record-breaking start will be all the more memorable now.
I poke fun and joke because although Portland potentially lost the game as a result of Chara's sending-off, he's been the lynchpin of the Timbers on the pitch for over a decade and without him the club likely wouldn't have accomplished half of what they have during that time.
“It's an honor to coach him, to have him as part of our group," Neville reflected. "He's disappointed, he feels he’s let the team down, but he's carried this football club for the last 10, 12, 13 years.”
FR: MLS Players are gaining influence and creating more viral moments
With the introduction of Lionel Messi to Major League Soccer, many stars of the league were excited about the attention that the reigning Ballon d’Or winner was bringing. Unfortunately, Messi’s phenomenal play may have overshadowed the other stars in the league and the other stars may have started doing more "viral" things. This weekend saw many goals some of the league’s stars, with many of the superstars or potential MLS MVP who scored doing something extra to go viral.
Christian Benteke had already scored a goal earlier in the season and celebrated like LeBron James, but in the last match, Benteke took it to another level. He scored a penalty goal and performed the usual “knee-ups” celebration, but what many fans enjoyed was when Benteke doubled down after his second goal. He grabbed a bunch of chalk and waved it in the air like LeBron does before a match. The link-up needs to happen, or LeBron should send Benteke a jersey to swap and to show his appreciation.
The only problem with Benteke’s celebrations is that the Lakers are currently losing to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs and are on the brink of elimination. These celebrations are providing content for the overlapping fanbases of both leagues, who are enjoying the representation of both sports.
Denis Bouanga scored a game-winner against Western Conference rivals, the Portland Timbers, and decided to celebrate the goal with a security usher.The usher tries his best to continue working, but Bouanga wanted to show him some love, along with all the other LAFC players. It was a moment that gained attention outside of the MLS world on social media. This moment is such a cool experience for the security guard and can resonate with anyone who has worked in soccer around the world. It shows how humble these players are, recognizing that they are just humans as well. This makes the team even more lovable to people worldwide.
Luciano Acosta is one of the best players to have ever played in MLS. The Argentine may face a tough task repeating his MVP year, and he even recognizes that Messi will have a great first full season in MLS. Luciano Acosta was one goal away from becoming the leading goal scorer in FC Cincinnati history and decided to change his hairstyle to something completely different from what he usually has. The hairstyle instantly went viral throughout MLS circles. Do you like the new look for Lucho?
With MVP-caliber players doing more viral celebrations or becoming more beloved, it only grows the sport more stateside and hopefully steals them some more MVP votes from Lionel Messi.
