Orlando City

After clinching MLS playoff berths with regular-season-ending wins on Saturday, CF Montreal and Atlanta United will square off in the Eastern Conference's wild-card match on Tuesday.

Pachuca 6, Union 0

Salomon Rondon's hat trick powered the hosts to a rout of Philadelphia in Pachuca, Mexico, sending Pachuca to a 6-0 aggregate victory.

Following a scoreless draw last week in Chester, Pa., Rondon opened the scoring with a seventh-minute penalty kick. He doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time when he exchanged quick passes with Erick Sanchez and fired home a left-footed shot from 12 yards out.

Inter Miami produced a result many fans have come to expect given their star power as the Herons cruised to a 5-0 victory at DRV PNK stadium vs. rival Orlando City. Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez both scored braces.

The expectations for Suárez are high after scoring 26 goals and adding 17 assists last season for Gremio in Brazil. He’d been receiving criticism lately for his slow mobility and lack of goals since joining Miami. 

Major League Soccer has become synonym to having some of the biggest soccer stars in the world and the list of their most valuable players shows just how much the league has grown in value over the past decades.

Inter Miami and Lionel Messi advanced to the Leagues Cup Round of 16 on Tuesday after defeating Orlando City 3-1 at DRV PNK Stadium. Messi scored twice in the victory, but that’s not the big discussion this time.

Some fans are questioning calls from the referee and joking that the tournament is rigged for Messi and Miami.

The two major incidents that raised eyebrows were a soft penalty call in Miami’s favor in the second half and the lack of a foul called against Messi.

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. 

Tucked between the Nations League final and Gold Cup kicking off, MLS Matchday 20 found a way to keep fans excited. The early games brought the heat while the late-night slate kept the stove warm on a day packed with goals despite stars across the league missing out. 

Rivalry Week in MLS is a special time. Chaos wrapped in pandemonium served with a side of unpredictability. The best sides find a way to rise above the volatility, to keep their heads when all about them are losing theirs. Rivalry week separates the wheat from the chaff, and MLS Matchday 14 embodied that.