This Week in MLS – September 4, 2018

• World Cup veterans, debutants among nearly 60 MLS players called to national team duty

• Young MLS-led U.S. MNT tasked with bout vs. Neymar, five-time champion Brazil

• Toronto-area native Osorio’s star rises as he leads Canada’s MLS contingent

• Jonathan dos Santos called in for Mexico’s first post-World Cup match

• Red Bulls clinch berth for Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs

• MLS Week 28: Match Notes

World Cup veterans, debutants among nearly 60 MLS players called to national team duty

Nearly 60 MLS standouts will report for national team duty this week during the September FIFA International Window with players ranging from World Cup veterans to young stars making their national team debuts. Across the league, players will look to carry over their strong performances from league play to make a difference on the international stage in the first national team action since the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Among the players to participate in the 2018 FIFA World Cup that will play with their national teams this week include Peru’s Raúl Ruidíaz (Seattle Sounders FC) and Yoshimar Yotún (Orlando City SC), Mexico’s Jonathan dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Sweden’s Gustav Svensson (Seattle Sounders FC) and a combined nine players representing Costa Rica (four players) and Panama (five players).

Another team to watch loaded with MLS talent is Venezuela, led by Josef Martínez (Atlanta United) who recently broke the MLS single-season goalscoring record and is among the top scorers in the world with 28 this season. Martínez is joined on Venezuela’s roster for matchups against Colombia and Panama by Real Salt Lake’s 21-year-old Young Designated Player Jefferson Savarino, who has a combined 16 goals and assists this season, D.C. United midfielder Júnior Moreno, and LA Galaxy defender Rolf Feltscher.

Young MLS-led U.S. MNT tasked with bout vs. Neymar, five-time champion Brazil

Averaging younger than 24 years old, nearly half of the call-ups for the U.S. Men’s National Team roster hail from MLS clubs. Twelve of the 25 call-ups are regular contributors in MLS this season.

Among the notable call-ups is D.C. United midfielder Paul Arriola, who with 11 U.S. caps, has played a pivotal role since joining during the Secondary Transfer Window of the 2017 season. With four goals and eight assists for his club, Arriola’s collaborations with co-stars Wayne Rooney and Luciano Acosta have lifted D.C. United from last place in the Eastern Conference to a surging late-season powerhouse that is one spot away from a berth to the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Arriola and the USMNT will take on five-time champions and 2018 FIFA World Cup Quarterfinalists Brazil – led by renowned striker Neymar – at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Friday (7:30 pm ET, FS1 / UniMás / UDN).

The stars and stripes will close out the international break against Mexico at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Tuesday, September 11 (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN / UniMás / UDN).

Toronto-area native Osorio’s star rises as he leads Canada’s MLS contingent

Toronto FC midfielder and Brampton, Ontario native Jonathan Osorio, one of the Reds’ strongest players in 2018, headlines an exciting group of 10 MLS players representing the Canada National Team for its Sept. 9 match against the U.S. Virgin Islands in Bradenton, Fla.

The 26-year-old Osorio signed a contract extension with Toronto last week, and the Reds have benefited from the local star’s rise. This year, Osorio has blossomed to the tune of a career-high nine goals in league play, was the top scorer with three goals en route to the 2018 Canadian Championship crown and notched four goals to earn the 2018 Concacaf Champions League Golden Boot.

In the midst of his sixth season, Osorio helped TFC to last year’s MLS Cup crown and Supporters’ Shield and three consecutive Canadian Championship titles (2016-18), and he will look forward to potentially adding to the trophy case when Toronto hosts Liga MX’s Tigres UANL in the inaugural Campeones Cup on Sept. 19 at BMO Field.

Four Vancouver Whitecaps FC players are on Canada’s exciting 23-man roster, including 17-year-old star Alphonso Davies, the youngest player among the group. Davies leads Whitecaps FC with 10 assists (tied for seventh in MLS) along with six goals. In addition to Vancouver and Toronto, two other MLS clubs are represented with center back Dejan Jakovic from the Los Angeles Football Club and winger Tesho Akindele of FC Dallas.

Jonathan dos Santos called in for Mexico’s first post-World Cup match

LA Galaxy midfielder Jonathan dos Santos was called into Mexico’s 25-man roster in preparation for their matches against Uruguay on Friday in Houston, followed by the Sept. 11 game against the U.S. in Nashville. The 28-year-old dos Santos played in his first FIFA World Cup earlier this year in Russia, appearing in Mexico’s Round of 16 match against Brazil. Dos Santos has earned 29 appearances for Mexico, which embarks on its first post-World Cup matches of the year. He and older brother and Galaxy teammate Giovani dos Santos became the first MLS brother pairing to compete in the World Cup.

Red Bulls clinch berth for Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs

Eight weeks remain in the 2018 MLS Regular Season, and the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs picture is starting to come into frame. Following Week 27 matches, the Eastern Conference-leading New York Red Bulls (17-7-4, 55 points) became the first team to clinch a postseason berth. This marks the Red Bulls’ ninth consecutive playoff berth and 18th overall in club history as they attempt to piece together a run toward a first MLS Cup crown. In the Western Conference, the San Jose Earthquakes were officially eliminated from 2018 postseason contention. Other potential berths for the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs could come to fruition over the upcoming weekend, but not following Wednesday’s lone MLS match between hosts New York City FC and the New England Revolution.

MLS Week 28: Match Notes

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

New York City FC vs. New England Revolution, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• NYCFC had their winless streak extended to three games, falling 2-1 to Columbus Crew SC at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday evening. The three-game winless run is the longest of the season for NYCFC.

• The Revolution put an end to a three-game losing streak but still had their winless streak extended to nine games, reaching a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers at Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening.

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season, having reached a 2-2 draw on March 24 at Gillette Stadium.

• The Revs are undefeated over the past three meetings in Foxborough; NYCFC have won once at Gillette Stadium, a 1-0 victory on July 6, 2016.

• NYCFC’s win in the last meeting at Yankee Stadium, a 2-1 victory there on Aug. 20, 2016, ended a three-game winless streak vs. the Revolution in home matches (0-1-2). NYCFC’s last previous home win vs. New England came in the first meeting ever between the clubs, a 2-0 triumph on March 15, 2015, NYCFC’s first victory in club history.

Saturday, September 8, 2018

New York City FC vs. D.C. United, 4:55 p.m. ET (Univisión)

• Ismael Tajouri-Shradi scored his 11th goal of the season in NYCFC’s 2-1 loss to Columbus Crew SC last weekend, taking over the team lead from David Villa. Tajouri-Shradi’s goalscoring mark is tied for the fourth-most goals in a single season in the club’s history; Villa has the first three, in leading the club in goals each season in their three years in MLS.

• D.C. United put an end to a brief two-game losing streak, defeating Atlanta United 3-1 at Audi Field on Sunday evening.

• Wayne Rooney played a part in all three D.C. goals, scoring one, his fourth in MLS, and setting up two, now with five MLS assists. Luciano Acosta netted a pair of goals and has now scored six goals in the past six games.

• The teams split their two meetings a season ago, each winning on their home ground. Villa scored two goals and set up another, and Maximiliano Moralez added a goal and two assists, as NYCFC rolled to a 4-0 win on March 12 at Yankee Stadium; then, D.C. United returned the favor with a 2-1 win on April 8 at RFK Stadium.

• NYCFC have won all three meetings between the clubs all-time at Yankee Stadium. United won the final two meetings between the teams at RFK Stadium, their third win in four meetings in the Nation’s Capital.

Sporting Kansas City vs. Orlando City SC, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• Sporting had their streak of four consecutive victories – all by shutout – put to an end in a 3-1 loss to Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field on Saturday afternoon. Diego Rubio scored for a third consecutive game and is now with eight goals on the season.

• Orlando City SC put an end to a quick two-game losing streak but still saw their winless run extended to seven matches, reaching a 2-2 draw with the Philadelphia Union at Orlando City Stadium on Saturday evening. Dom Dwyer scored his 12th goal this season and is tied for third-most in a single season in the club’s MLS history.

• The teams have met three times all-time, each winning once, with one draw, that coming last May 13 in a 2-2 result at Orlando City Stadium.

• The home team won the first two meetings between the teams. Orlando City won the first meeting ever, a 3-1 victory on Sept. 13, 2015 at the Citrus Bowl; Sporting took a 2-1 triumph on May 15, 2016 at Children’s Mercy Park.

Portland Timbers vs. Colorado Rapids, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The Timbers gained a result for a second consecutive match, reaching a 2-2 draw with the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening.

• The Rapids return to action following a week off, after a 6-0 loss to Real Salt Lake at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Aug. 25. The defeat equaled the largest margin of defeat in the club’s history (also losing 6-0 to the LA Galaxy at StubHub Center on Sept. 5, 2014).

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Samuel Armenteros scored twice as the Timbers took a 3-2 win on May 26 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

• The Rapids have won twice in the past 10 meetings between the teams, dating back to the 2015 season, both coming in the past five encounters. The Timbers have won four games over that stretch, with two draws.

• The Timbers have a seven-game home winning streak alive vs. Colorado. The visiting team has won just three times in the all-time series, with the Timbers winning in Commerce City in 2015 before this year’s win. The Rapids’ lone win in Portland came on June 11, 2011.