MLS: Top 5 performances from Week 29

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PORTLAND, OR – SEPTEMBER 18:New York Red Bulls players celebrate Kyle Duncan’s goal during the game between the New York Red Bulls and the Portland Timbers at Providence Park on September 18, 2019, at Portland, OR. (Photo by Diego Diaz/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). /

There was plenty of MLS action this week, including some teams playing twice. There were plenty of goals and more twists and turns in the playoff race. Here are the top five performances.

It was a great week for last season’s Major League Soccer Supporters’ Shield winners, the New York Red Bulls, who secured the full quota of six points from their two games to guarantee a spot in the postseason. Atlanta United also won twice this week, the Five Stripes still looking to take home the Eastern Conference title.

They needed a last-gasp winner against San Jose on Saturday night, just like Colorado needed to come from behind with an 85th minute winning goal against Sporting Kansas City to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

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Meanwhile, the race for the six remaining postseason spots in the Western Conference is still well and truly alive, with only LAFC having already assured themselves of a place in the playoffs. Seattle, Minnesota and LA Galaxy currently hold the second, third and fourth places respectively, which would give them a home tie in the first round of the playoffs.

However, SKC, who currently sit in 11th in the Conference, can still mathematically make it into the postseason, but they will need a lot of things to go their way over the course of their remaining three matches.

Here are our top five performers from Week 29 in MLS.

HOUSTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 11: Minnesota United goalkeeper Vito Mannone (1) traps the ball during the MLS soccer match between the Minnesota United FC and Houston Dynamo at BBVA Stadium on September 11, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

5. Vito Mannone

First up on this week’s list of best performances from Week 29 in MLS is a goalkeeper who has placed himself on here a few times already during the 2019 campaign. That man is Italian shot-stopper Vito Mannone, who earned a 12th clean sheet of the season for Minnesota United at the weekend, as they drew 0-0 with the Portland Timbers.

Mannone, who is in his first season with the Loons, has already broken their single-season clean sheet record. But against Portland on Saturday, he also broke the club’s record for the number of saves made in a match. The former Premier League goalkeeper made 12 saves as MNUFC inched their way closer to a first post-season berth since their move up to the top flight of American football in 2017.

With his performance, Mannone earned himself a spot on the MLS Team of the Week and was also Audi’s Player of the Week. With their goalkeeper in such fine fettle, breaking record after record for the Loons, could they go all the way in only their third season in MLS? They will be hoping that Mannone can maintain his form to fire them deep into the playoff run.

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