MLS Roundup: Son delivers for LAFC, Union thrash DC, Cincy dealt late blow

Tom Weber

• Updated: 29 Sep 2025 15:12 CDT
• 4 min read

News

The 2025 Major League Soccer Supporters' Shield race is entering its final phase, and things took a surprising twist over the weekend.

The MLS regular season is slowly but surely drawing to a close. After the weekend's games, there are only two full slates of matches left until the playoffs, and the race for the Supporters' Shield is close to being decided.

Eastern Conference: Union extend Supporters' Shield as Cincy drop points

Indeed, it is fair to say that the Shield is now the Philadelphia Union's to lose after they smashed a hapless DC United 6-0, while FC Cincinnati and the Vancouver Whitecaps only mustered draws and San Diego lost.

DC, rooted to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, recently fired general manager Ally Mackay and have accepted that this season is a write-off. They put up little resistance as the Union's attackers ran rampant.

The Union are now four points clear of Cincinnati at the top of the East. Cincy thought they had the beating of Orlando City when Kevin Denkey scored in the 73rd minute, but they were dealt a gut punch by Alex Freeman in the 95th minute. They are on 59 points.

Elsewhere in the East, New York City FC beat the Red Bulls 3-2 in a thrilling Hudson River Derby to climb above Charlotte and Inter Miami, who both dropped points. The Chicago Fire moved five clear of the Red Bulls in the final playoff spot after beating Columbus 2-0.

Western Conference: Whitecaps draw Sounders in Cascadia clash

Over in the West, the Whitecaps played out an exciting 2-2 draw with the Seattle Sounders, who had scored twice in two minutes to overturn a 1-0 deficit. Mathias Laborda tied the game for Vancouver in the 69th minute.

San Diego suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss to San Jose, who now sit in the final playoff spot after overtaking FC Dallas. This loss allowed Minnesota to inch closer to the top of the West, although they only managed a draw with the Colorado Rapids.

LAFC continued their amazing form with a 3-0 victory over St. Louis, with Son Heung-min (two goals) and Denis Bouanga (one goal) starring again. They have now set the MLS record for most consecutive goals scored by a pair, having netted all of LAFC's last 17 goals.

Elsewhere, Real Salt Lake kept their playoff hopes alive with a vital 3-1 victory over Austin FC. Former USMNT right-back DeAndre Yedlin scored his debut goal for RSL after joining in August.

There are four playoff spots left in the West, currently occupied by Austin, Portland (both 44 pts), Colorado (40 pts) and San Jose (38 pts). Dallas (38 pts), RSL (37 pts) and Houston (36 pts) could still get in.

Matchday 37 - all results

Toronto FC 1-1 Inter Miami

New England 2-0 Atlanta United

DC United 0-6 Philadelphia Union

Charlotte FC 1-4 CF Montreal

NY Red Bulls 2-3 NYCFC

Chicago Fire 2-0 Columbus Crew

Nashville SC 3-1 Houston Dynamo

St. Louis City 0-3 LAFC

Real Salt Lake 3-1 Austin FC

Colorado Rapids 1-1 Minnesota United

Portland Timbers 2-2 FC Dallas

LA Galaxy 4-1 Sporting KC

San Diego FC 0-1 San Jose Earthquakes

Seattle Sounders 2-2 Vancouver Whitecaps

FC Cincinnati 1-1 Orlando City

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