Cincinnati

League play has come to a halt but watching Matchday 26, you’d never be able to tell. With the All-Star Game around the corner and the highly advertised Leagues Cup set to kick off in less than a week, teams were still in high gear across the league. 

Along with two thrilling Gold Cup semifinals, Wednesday featured a final midweek MLS matchday before teams take a break from interleague play. New signings across the league hit the ground running as the push for the playoffs begins to approach its thrilling climax in a few months. 

The summer transfer window is almost here, and we’re about to see some real changes. There’ll be new faces and some returning aces, but they aren’t allowed to take the field just yet. For now, teams are still struggling with players out on international duty in a stretch that can make or break a team’s season.

MLS is now past the halfway point in its season, and the summer break for the new Leagues Cup is quickly approaching. Players are missing important games thanks to international play, including the CONCACAF Gold Cup, but as we saw on Saturday night, some teams’ struggles are other sides’ gains, so let’s see what we learned on MLS Matchday 21.

5 takeaways from MLS Matchday 21

#1. Philly loves a 4+ goal win

What’s the saying about guarantees in life? Death, taxes and the Union scoring 4+ goals against weak opposition? It's not? Well, maybe it should be. 

FC Cincinnati winger Álvaro Barreal is one of the few who prefers to crush our “cupset” dreams. Fortunately for us, he lessened the blow with a goal so technically brilliant, we’re just glad we got to see it.  

We can't believe it either.

@alvarobarreal00 pic.twitter.com/2QbK58I4oY

As we approach the halfway point in the season, destinies become clear. Moments become more important as every point carries increased weight in the race for the postseason. Hosting in the playoffs is great, but winning is better, and many teams have set themselves up for both outcomes after Matchday 17. 

As the tail end of the nation’s oldest and most storied soccer tournament approaches, two second-division teams continue to linger. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Birmingham Legion both welcomed MLS opposition into their humble abodes for the US Open Cup Round of 16 and won more than just the hearts of those watching.

Thank you, Pittsburgh

Thank you, Birmingham

In a word, forgettable. Following one of the most exciting matchdays of the MLS season, the league’s first foray into midweek play definitely did not live up to the billing, but there were still a few moments that caught our attention. Despite MLS Matchday 13 being promoted as a continuation of Rivalry Week, there were few games that truly fit that description, and it showed both on the field and in the scorelines.

Major League Soccer is bound by parity and married to the chaos that comes with it. With late goals, monumental upsets and high-scoring affairs, Matchday 8 was one for the books.