Credit: Michael Pimentel - ISIPhotos.com
The 2025 Major League Soccer regular season started at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, where LAFC shutout Minnesota United 1-0. Jeremy Ebobisse scored the first goal of the new MLS season in the 78th minute.
“I think, when you look at the roster that the club has assembled, goals can come from a lot of different places,” Ebobisse said. “I need to do my job to take opportunities when they do come. I’m a different player than Bogusz. He had an incredible season last year and, obviously, has left a little bit of a void to fill for the rest of us. We’re up for that challenge.”
Atlanta beat Montreal 3-2 at home, taking the lead from an Emmanuel Lath goal in the 41st. Nathan Saliba equalized for Montreal. Lath scored again in the 63rd with Montreal’s Prince Osei Owusu leveling the score in the 71st. Edwin Mosquera put Atlanta up for good in the 85th minute.
“I was very happy with scoring three goals, creating numerous chances, and I was happy with the first-half,” Atlanta coach Ronny Deila said. “I thought we did really good with the high-press, spent a lot of time in their half, and we were direct when we won the ball. The second-half, I was not as happy with it because we lost momentum in the match, lost too many balls, were not able to collect passes, and we were very, very open when attacking. When you get too open, anything can happen, so we have to take the first half and do that period longer to be a really, really good team.”
Columbus came back to beat Chicago 4-2 at home after falling behind to a Brian Gutierrez goal in the 13th. The Crew’s Jacen Russell-Rowe equalized in the 19th. Gutierrez put the Fire back up in the 22nd with an own-goal leveling the score in the 37th. Diego Rossi put Columbus up for good a minute into stoppage time, scoring again in the 50th minute.
DC United and Toronto FC drew 2-2 at Audi Field. Boris Enow put DC up at home in the 8th with Toronto’s Jonathan Osorio equalizing in the 27th. The two teams traded goals again when Christian Benteke returned the DC lead in the 35th and Federico Bernardeschi converting a Toronto penalty in the 70th minute.
“Overall, I thought it was really good,” Toronto coach Robin Fraser said. “I thought we started off with a few nervous mistakes and I think we grew into the game. Guys got more comfortable and the spots they needed to be in and knew what their options were going to be. And I think as confidence grew, certainly our stance changed, and we started to be a little bit more aggressive and at times we were able to control the game. So overall I was really pretty pleased with it. I think we probably will regret missing some of the chances that we did, but the fact that we’re creating the chances is really good.”
FC Cincinnati shutout the New York Red Bulls 1-0 at home on a 70th minute Kevin Denkey goal.
Inter Miami and NYCFC drew 2-2 in Fort Lauderdale, with Tomas Alives putting Maimi up in the 5th. Alives saw red in the 23rd and Mitja Ilenic equalized for NYCFC in the 26th. Adrian Martinez gave NYCFC the lead in the 55th, holding it until Telasco Segovia equalized for Inter Miami ten minutes into stoppage time.
“We have to keep overcoming the obstacles we encounter along the way, but I’m one of those who focus on the positives,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. “And today, beyond the result, I take away positive things, the fact that the team has soul, the team has life, and we are going to fight.”
Philadelphia won 4-2 on the road against Orlando City after falling behind to a Marco Pasalic goal in the 8th. Tai Baribo leveled the score for the Union in the 23rd, Daniel Gazdag put them up in the 48th, and Mikkel Uhre extended the lead in the 51st. Baribo scored again for Philadelphia in the 64th. Pasilic scored a second goal for Orlando in the 79th minute.
“There was a period between the 50th minute and the 63rd minute when we collapsed,” Orlando City coach Oscar Pareja said. “We made mistakes that don’t belong to this game, at this level. We have to say, this is obviously our responsibility as well. The other team came out with energy that forced us to make mistakes that were very unnecessary. We didn’t have the rhythm that we should have. Then we corrected and we realized that we do have it, but it was late. It was 4-1 already.”
Austin shutout Sporting Kansas City 1-0 at home on a 76th minute Osman Bukari goal. “The game was one in which they had more of the ball for the most part,” Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes said. “We suffered a little bit defensively just because we kept defending and defending, which is what you have got to do sometimes in situations like that. I thought that, in a lot of situations, we were very good for the majority of them. Unfortunately, we give away a set piece with a corner. We probably could have done something else in that situation.”
FC Dallas came back to win 2-1 at Houston in a week one derby. Amine Bassi put the Dynamo up in the 18th. Peter Misa equalized for Dallas in the 55th and Anderson Julio put them up in the 76th minute.
Nashville drew 0-0 at home with New England, putting three shots on goal to the Revolution’s two.
St Louis and Colorado finished 0-0 at Energizer Park. St Louis put five shots on goal to none for the Rapids.
“I think it was a valuable point on the road,” Colorado coach Chris Armas said. “The shutout was really important for us as we’ve tried to address just the overall team defending so many little details in their big effort over the last month and a half to just defend our box better. I think the guys did a good job of that. Although there was lots of action in our box, from long throw-ins, free kicks, corner kicks and the run of play, I thought we were pretty organized and solid. So, a big plus.”
San Jose shutout Real Salt Lake 4-0 at home with Jamar Ricketts opening the scoring in the 28th. Rodrigues doubled the Earthquakes’ lead in the 70th, Oisseni Bouda added a goal in the 74th, and Vitor Costa finished off the scoring in the 83rd minute.
Seattle drew 2-2 at home with Charlotte. Jordan Morris opened the scoring for the Sounders in the 19th and Adilson Malanda equalized in the 35th. Morris scored again in the 49th with an own-goal leveling the score two minutes into stoppage time.
On Sunday, Vancouver won 4-1 at Portland with the Timbers going a man down in the 11th when Kamal Miller saw red. The Whitecaps took the lead from a Ryan Gauld goal in the 24th, Pedro Vite scored in the 32nd, and Sam Adekugbe extended the 53rd. Jayden Nelson made it 4-0 Vancouver in the 61st. Antony scored for Portland in the 73rd minute.
“There was, I would say, some unusual circumstance with the red card, but I think, already before that, we started out pretty well,” Vancouver coach Jesper Sorensen said. “I think the players were looking fresh. The pace in our play was good. I think we had a very nice and fluid play with the ball from the beginning. I think it was a good win, always starting out. It has been a tough week, but of course a great win, first game of the season, it was beautiful.”
Week 1 ended in Carson, where the LA Galaxy lost 2-0 to San Diego FC. Anders Dreyer scored San Diego’s goals in the 52nd and three minutes into stoppage time.
Photo by Michael Pimentel – ISIPhotos.com
All quotes courtesy of MLS press releases.
