Welcome again to season two of Justin and Favian’s Weekly MLS Awards the place SBI employees writers Justin Ruderman and Favian Renkel convey you a glimpse at the very best of every week in MLS. Weekly awards will likely be printed each Tuesday and canopy the earlier week, Monday by Sunday. The cutoff for Younger Participant of the Week eligibility is 22 years previous or youthful on the date of the match. Aside from that, all classes needs to be quite self-explanatory. Let’s get began with week 1!
Participant of the Week
Justin Ruderman: Jayden Nelson (VAN)
Heading into Sunday I believed this was going to be a tricky resolution, then Jayden Nelson put forth his finest Gareth Bale impersonation, leaving Portland’s Joao Ortiz within the mud as Bale did to Marc Bartra within the 2014 Copa del Rey Remaining, however as an alternative of ending selected to sq. a cross to Sam Adekugbe for his third help of the match on his Vancouver Whitecaps league debut. At that time, my resolution was simple.
After all, Nelson made it even simpler when he lower by the Timbers’ protection like a butterknife yet another time for a purpose of his personal to finish the 4-1 battering at Windfall Park. As a former Canadian rival enjoying with Toronto FC, main a thrashing of a Cascadia Cup rival is an effective option to ingratiate your self with a brand new fanbase. To cite the legendary Max Bretos on commentary, “A star is born.”
Favian Renkel: Cristian Espinoza (SJ)
How the very best participant of the week ended up on the bench of MLS’s Gamers of the Week lineup is past me. The disrespect towards Cristian Espinoza continues, but he retains quietly cementing his identify in Quakes historical past. Two assists within the first recreation is nothing wanting spectacular—the Argentinian led the league in purpose contributions earlier than the Sunday video games and guided his staff to a dominant 4-0 win. The Bruce Enviornment period has formally begun, and Espinoza is the primary to reap the advantages.
Now, if Espinoza can get Chicho Arango on the top of considered one of his crosses, count on to see his identify on this listing much more. They already linked as soon as within the match for a disallowed purpose, however simply know—it’s coming. It looks like folks neglect there are nice Argentines in MLS who don’t put on pink.
Check out this help, insane.
Younger Participant of the Week
JR: Brian Gutiérrez (CHI)
It’s too unhealthy the Chicago Fireplace protection couldn’t discover the ball besides to place it in their very own web on Saturday night time as a result of Gutiérrez was in peak type, bagging his first MLS brace in 22 minutes to place the Fireplace forward on two events. The Crew got here again each instances to ultimately win 4-2 in Columbus however nonetheless, these are constructive indicators for Chicago.
Newly arrived designated participant (DP) striker Jonathan Bamba assisted each of Guti’s targets, highlighting a blossoming relationship between the 2 attackers of their first recreation collectively. If the pair can invite Hugo Cuypers to the social gathering, the Fireplace might need the power to outscore opponents even when they’ll’t hold them out of the again of their very own web.
FR: Jacen Russell-Rowe (CLB)
With the Columbus Crew surprising the MLS world by transferring away what many would argue is the very best expertise the Black and Gold has ever seen—Cucho Hernández—this staff now wants to search out new leaders. As if that wasn’t sufficient, additionally they despatched striker Christian Ramírez to the LA Galaxy, leaving many to surprise: the place will the targets come from?
Enter Jacen Russell-Rowe. The 22-year-old Canadian striker is primed for a breakout season, and he wasted no time proving it by scoring the Crew’s first purpose of the 2025 MLS marketing campaign. Whereas Columbus followers mourn the lack of Cucho and Christian, a 4-2 win over the Chicago Fireplace provides reassurance. Wilfried Nancy and firm appear to have issues underneath management, and Russell-Rowe will likely be a significant a part of that. Count on to listen to his identify typically this season.
Objective of the Week
JR: Anders Dreyer (SDFC)
Tomás Ángel to Anders Dreyer…again to Ángel…again to Dreyer…GOAAAALLL!
A play-by-play of the counterattack purpose that secured San Diego FC’s first win in membership historical past, courtesy of yours really. Dreyer’s thunderous end off the underside of the crossbar prolonged the SDFC result in 2-0 in stoppage time, placing the historic victory to mattress in iconic vogue. What else might the GOTW be?
FR: Jeremy Ebobissse (LAFC)
Jeremy Ebobisse is a reputation that many round MLS appear to have forgotten. After struggling by the powerful years with the San Jose Earthquakes, he by no means fairly reached his full potential within the Black and Blue. That every one modified this offseason when he joined LAFC, tasked with easing the goal-scoring burden alongside Olivier Giroud.
King Jebo wasted no time making his mark, scoring a shocking purpose in his LAFC debut to assist safe all three factors of their house opener. That is additionally the primary purpose for MLS within the 2025 season.
Crew of the Week
JR: San Diego FC
As I wrote in my recreation recap for MLSSoccer.com, it’s one factor to win your first recreation as an growth staff, however to do it on the defending MLS Cup champions? That’s an entire totally different degree of spectacular. And it was.
San Diego didn’t are available in fearful or cautious. As an alternative, they got here in assured and warranted with conviction in Mikey Varas’s tactical recreation plan. They knew they wished to dominate the sport by possession and that’s precisely what they did within the first half, imposing themselves on the Galaxy earlier than breaking the scoring open within the second half to snap the house facet’s unbeaten streak at DHSP which had lasted everything of final season.
Anders Dreyer mentioned they wished to kill the social gathering. They might have accomplished that in Los Angeles however they subsequently created one in San Diego.
FR: San Jose Earthquakes
With a brand new coach on the helm and a less-than-stellar displaying of their Coachella preseason, Bruce Enviornment has everybody proper the place he needs them. Regardless of fielding two gamers who had by no means began earlier than—Beau Leroux and Jamar Ricketts—Enviornment’s squad dominated a fatigued and depleted Actual Salt Lake facet recent off their CONCACAF Champions Cup match.
The San Jose Earthquakes have the potential to be a playoff staff, but when they hold enjoying like this, they might be the very best staff in California and a high contender within the Western Convention.
Neatest thing we noticed this week
JR: A brand new MLS staff
In what’s more likely to be probably the most literal interpretation of this award all season, I used to be in attendance to see Main League Soccer welcome staff No. 30 within the league’s thirtieth season. A pleasant spherical quantity. Maybe this might be the top of growth? No, you’re proper. Most likely not.
If we’re to have additional growth franchises be a part of the fray, they’re moments we should always savor not dread, as a result of there is not going to be too many extra and it is a very distinctive, very MLS expertise. Within the large world of soccer, it isn’t typically you get to witness the delivery of a model new membership from scratch play the primary recreation in membership historical past. That’s what I and 25,224 of my closest buddies acquired to get pleasure from on Sunday night time and it’s a second I’ll always remember.
FR: Sunday Evening Soccer
Ever discovered your self on a Sunday night time wishing there was some MLS motion to look at with your loved ones? Nicely, this season, Apple TV and MLS heard the complaints about followers having to choose and select between a number of video games as an alternative of getting one primetime matchup. They made a change, and it’s already paying off.
Within the first version of this new setup, San Diego FC performed their inaugural match in opposition to the LA Galaxy at Dignity Well being Sports activities Park, surprising the reigning champions in entrance of all the league. Because of Apple TV’s modifications, each MLS fan acquired to witness the assertion win. That is simply one of many many constructive updates for 2025, proving that if followers are loud sufficient, Apple will pay attention.