MLS: Top 5 performers that dominated from the past week

3. Alexander Ring

Taking the No.3 spot on our list of the best performers from the past week’s action is New York City FC’s Alexander Ring, with the Sky Blues captain being influential in both of their victories over the last seven days.

The Finnish midfielder got his week off to a great start by scoring the only goal of the game in their Eastern Conference clash with the table-topping Columbus Crew SC. Ring netted in the 59th minute of their match on Monday evening, after Heber had picked up the ball in an advanced position and slid in his captain on goal.

Five days later, Ring scored the insurance goal for New York City FC against Chicago Fire, as they overcame another Eastern Conference rival, this time by a 3-1 scoreline.

Keaton Parks and Anton Tinnerholm had already scored for the Sky Blues, with Mauricio Pineda getting one back for Chicago on the stroke of half time. However, in the 75th minute, the Finnish midfielder put the game to bed, as he got on the end of Tinnerholm’s ball across the box, finishing back into the opposite corner of the goal. With the six points from their two games, thanks to a double from Ring this week, the Sky Blues are now into the playoff places in the East.

2. Chris Mueller

Another man to have played a key part in two victories this week is Chris Mueller, who scored in both of Orlando City’s convincing wins over the course of the week.

The Lions continued their great form after the MLS is Back tournament with a pair of good wins over the past week, as they downed both Nashville SC and Atlanta United. Their first clash of the week came against the expansion side, where they fell behind through a Dave Romney strike in the opening quarter of an hour. Mueller scored the equaliser, which brought Orlando back into the game before Daryl Dike scored twice in the second half in a 3-1 win.

Four days later, and the Lions made the trip to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to face the 2018 MLS Cup champions, with Mueller being influential once more. The USMNT international set up the first, with his corner kick being headed home by Junior Urso, before he scored the second, slotting home into an empty net after starting off a wonderful team move.

Nani then bagged an insurance goal in the 86th minute after the Five Stripes had threatened a comeback after Brooks Lennon got one back. Orlando held on the win to make it a perfect six points from six this week.

The Lions now sit in 4th spot in the Eastern Conference, sitting just four points behind leaders Toronto FC. Mueller now has six goals and three assists in eight regular-season matches this year and has fast become one of the Lions’ key stars.

1. Kacper Przybyłko

Our player of the week is a Philadelphia Union star, who scored 15 goals for the club in his debut year in 2019, and has now started to found his form this time around. Kacper Przybyłko scored three goals this week as the Union secured two comfortable victories and made their way into the top three in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia started their two-game salvo on Tuesday evening, with a home tie against the New York Red Bulls. It was Przybyłko who netted the only goal of the game, as he surged in at the back post to tap home a Raymon Gaddis cross across the six-yard box.

On Saturday evening, the Union took apart D.C. United, scoring four times as they showed their class to make their move up the standings. Przybyłko made his mark on the game inside the opening quarter of an hour, as he netted twice to put Philadelphia into a commanding position in the match.

The German forward had already scored once before he netted this exquisite goal, as he picked up the ball on the edge of the area, before curling the ball into the far corner. Sergio Santos then got his name on the scoresheet before Przybyłko added an assist to his night’s work. He set up Brenden Aaronson for the Union’s fourth goal on the night, with the victory seeing them jump up to 3rd spot in the Eastern Conference. The German now has four goals and an assist on the year, with three of those goals coming over the past week.