MLS opened its 2023 season in dramatic fashion: 5 takeaways

Doug McIntyre

Football Journalist

It takes something really special to house the expansion side of St. Louis City SC won its first Major League Soccer game on opening day of the 2023 season.

The 2022 World Cup winner provides it.

Atlanta United’s Thiago Almada, who two months ago helped Argentina’s Lionel Messi to the top prize in Qatar, scored a spectacular double in added time to stun the San Jose Earthquakes in Saturday’s match in front of nearly 68,000 fans in Georgia.

Twenty-two of the league’s now 29 clubs are in action Saturday. Two more games remaining on the Week 1 roster: Sunday night primetime tilt between the Seattle Sounders and Colorado Rapids (8 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX Deportes and AppleTV) and Portland-Timbers-Sporting Kansas City on Monday—a game that was postponed 48 hours because of the bad weather in the west.

Here’s a summary of Saturday’s action:

Stunning six minutes from Almada

In December, the 21-year-old playmaker became the first active MLS player to win the World Cup. On Saturday, with his side losing 1-0 to Quakes after more than 90 minutes inside a packed Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Almada proved he was more than just a passenger on Messi’s rocket ship.

His first goal came out of nowhere, remote bomb who kissed the bottom of the crossbar. By the time Almada lined up for a 25-yard free-kick in the 98th minute, there was a sense that there was more magic in store. Before:

Almada’s opening day performance was a statement of intent. After taking some time to adjust during his first season in the United States, he seems determined to become one of MLS’ leading players in his second campaign en route to a European transfer next January—which could be a record-breaking $26 million currently. Miguel Almiron moved to Newcastle in 2019.

St. Louis started off with a win

It doesn’t matter that MLS’ newest team looked destined to lose this game when Austin FC’s Jon Gallagher put the hosts 2-1 up at Texas. Journeyman St. defender’s first-half header Louis Tim Parker has made history for the rookies, giving them the club’s first goal and an unlikely 20-minute lead against opponents who finished second in the Western Conference to eventual LAFC Cup champions last season.

Then Jared Stroud pulled the visitors level and Brazil star striker João Klauss put City ahead with a precise finish from the far post with four minutes remaining.

Louis held on to claim a winning debut ahead of what promises to be his home opener against Charlotte next week.

Nashville Peak NYCFC in the opener

US World Cup centre-back Walker Zimmerman scored first goal of 2023 campaign in Nashville’s 2-0 afternoon win over New York City FC:

The Pigeons were missing starting goaltender and captain Sean Johnson – Zimmerman’s team-mate with USMNT in Qatar – but struggled mostly in attack at Tennessee, managing just two shots on target.

Canadian winger Jacob Shaffelburg put the result beyond doubt when he doubled the hosts’ lead with 10 minutes remaining:

Toronto lost Insigne, the lead streak at DC United

TFC missed the playoffs in 2022, their first season under veteran coach Bob Bradley. The Reds still enter the year with a lot of justifiable optimism; having arrived midway through last season, Italy internationals Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne have been there since the start of this year and now fully understand the unique challenge that MLS presents.

But Bradley’s plans for a start to 2023 came to an end, as he was forced to replace the former Napoli forward at half-time after Insigne went down with a non-contact foot injury. Bernardeschi overturned the hosts’ early lead from the penalty spot, and TFC looked to have got all three points when Mark-Anthony Kaye made it 2-1 with seven minutes remaining.

DC had other ideas, getting stoppage-time goals from Christian Benteke and Theodore Ku-DePietro to stun their guests and snag all three points.

No traffic, no problems

The weekend marquee game was supposed to pit MLS Cup champions LAFC and city rivals the LA Galaxy in the Rose Bowl, but bad weather ruined it too. [It’s been rescheduled for July 4.] Whatever. There was no shortage of drama on Saturday, as the words and video above prove. But that’s not all.

Last season’s runners-up Philadelphia Union beat the Columbus Crew, who lost their first test under new coach Wilfried Nancy 4-1. New England Revolution and Minnesota United both posted 1-0 away winsin Charlotte and Dallas respectively.

Finally, on Saturday night’s drink north of the border, Real Salt Lake also earned a comeback win in Vancouver, surviving a first half attack by Javain Brown before getting two second set goals from Justen Glad and Damir Kreilach.

If opening day is any indication, the 2023 MLS season won’t disappoint.

Doug McIntyre is a football writer for FOX Sports. Prior to joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer for ESPN and Yahoo Sports, and he has covered the United States men’s and women’s national teams at several FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @byDougMcIntyre.

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