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MLS: Top 5 performances from Week 24

By Matt Coles

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 24: Valentin Castellanos #11 of New York City FC celebrates his goal with teamamte Maximiliano Moralez #10 in the first half against the Chicago Fire at Yankee Stadium on April 24, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 24: Valentin Castellanos #11 of New York City FC celebrates his goal with teamamte Maximiliano Moralez #10 in the first half against the Chicago Fire at Yankee Stadium on April 24, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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MLS, Valentin Castellanos
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 24: Valentin Castellanos #11 of New York City FC celebrates his goal with teamamte Maximiliano Moralez #10 in the first half against the Chicago Fire at Yankee Stadium on April 24, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

There was plenty of MLS action over the weekend, with nearly 40 goals scored and a change of leader at the top of the Eastern Conference. Here are the top five performances.

The best action of the Week 24 Major League Soccer slate came in Montreal, as the visiting FC Dallas had to rally from three goals down to salvage a draw in the second half of their clash. Elsewhere, both Toronto and Minnesota also needed stoppage-time goals to earn a point in their respective matches with the Crew and Orlando City.

NYCFC put four past MLS-newboys FC Cincinnati, while the Chicago Fire downed the Philadelphia Union. That paved the way for Atlanta to take top spot in the East, with Josef Martinez scoring in an 11th-straight MLS game to help them to victory over Portland.

light. Related Story. Portland Timbers Vs Atlanta United: 3 things we learned

Here are our top five performances from the weekend’s action.

5. Lassi Lappalainen

Finnish star Lassi Lappalainen showed his class on his debut in the league earlier this season, and he did it once more for the Impact this weekend. The winger, who has been in MLS for less than a month so far after signing from Bologna, scored twice on his debut, and he did the same against FC Dallas on Saturday.

The Finn opened the scoring inside just eight minutes, as he pounced on an error from FCD defender Matt Hedges to slot the ball home. His second was from another mistake. This time, he picked off a pass from Jesus Ferreira, and took the ball forward before scoring past Jesse Gonzalez for a second time in the match.

When Orji Okwonkwo, the other Bologna loanee with the Impact, made it 3-0, it looked like the game was won for the Canadian side. However, goals from Zdenek Ondrasek and a Reto Ziegler penalty kick brought the visitors back into the game with five minutes to go. FC Dallas completed the comeback in stoppage time, as Ryan Hollingshead headed the tying goal to make it 3-3.

The Impact will be looking for Lappalainen to continue his great scoring record so far. His two braces mean he has four goals in four games for the Impact, and if he can continue that form, Montreal should reach the post-season.

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