MLS Monday: Everything you need to know about Matchweek 15

MLS is back from a long international break, and easily playing the best professional soccer in all of North America and Europe. Fully five of the week’s 16 games were 1 - 1 draws: Parity is real in this league.

Top Games

Philadelphia Union 1 - 1 FC Cincinnati
Cincinnati are..not bad? Not only did they equalize in the 39th minute with a Brandon Vazquez header on a set-piece, scoring against a Philadelphia team that doesn't give up many goals, they were the more aggressive side for most of the second half, and threatened to grab a tough away win. Looks like the Cincinnati project is starting to click into gear.

Seattle Sounders 1 - 1 LAFC
Seattle can feel hard done not to get the win at home at league-leading LAFC: They created chances against one of the best-performing team in MLS. At the same time, LAFC was this close to earning a road win against a resurgent Sounders that seem fully recovered from their CONCACAF Champions League hangover. Albert Rusnák’s 58th-minute goal for Seattle was the first of the season for the deep-lying midfielder.

New Jersey Red Bulls 2 - 0 Toronto FC
A comfortable home win for a New Jersey team that has struggled in Harrison this season. Red Bulls got on the board in the second minute of the game behind a Lew Morgan header off a corner, then sealed the game when Luquinhas jumped on a deflection and chipped Toronto keeper Quentin Westberg from outside of the box. New Jersey now sit in second place in the Eastern Conference, one point behind NYCFC.

FC Dallas 0 - 2 Vancouver Whitecaps
A dangerous Dallas team that was making a run at top of the Western Conference table was humbled at home by a streaky Vancouver that was shut out by Seattle Sounders 4-0 earlier last week. Once again, a goal in the second minute set the tone for the game: A cross in from the left, a bumbled clearance, then a sloppy attempt by Lucas Cavallini off of Dallas keeper Maarten Paes deflects off the crossbar and behind the line. It wasn't pretty, but it put Dallas on the back foot, and they never recovered.

Goal of the Week

Call us biased, but the goal Talles Magno scored for NYCFC was as elegant as it was deadly: Maxi Moralez lofted a pass into the box that Talles Magno controlled with his chest then lashed into the back of the next on the volley. More of that, please.

Scoreboard

Tuesday, June 14

Seattle Sounders 4 - 0 Vancouver Whitecaps

Wednesday, June 15

New England Revolution 1 - 1 Orlando City

Saturday, June 18

Seattle Sounders 1 - 1 LAFC

Los Angeles Galaxy 1 - 1 Portland Timbers

New Jersey Red Bulls 2 - 0 Toronto FC

Columbus Crew 1 - 1 Charlotte FC

CF Montréal 0 - 1 Austin FC

Philadelphia Union 1 - 1 FC Cincinnati

Orlando City 2 - 1 Houston Dynamo

Chicago Fire 1 - 0 DC United

FC Dallas 0 - 2 Vancouver Whitecaps

Real Salt Lake 2 - 0 San Jose Earthquakes

Sunday, June 19

Atlanta United 2 - 0 Inter Miami

New England Revolution 2 - 1 Minnesota United

NYCFC 1 - 1 Colorado Rapids

Nashville 1 - 2 Sporting Kansas City

Tables