MLS Roundup: Messi breaks another record as Miami make history, Muller saves Vancouver

Tom Weber

• 13 Oct 2025 15:00 CDT
• 4 min read

News

The Major League Soccer playoffs are now just one game away, with Decision Day coming up on Saturday.

Some teams still had to catch up on some games over the weekend. Despite it being a compressed matchday, these matches delivered plenty of drama and have had big implications on playoff positioning.

Eastern Conference: Messi and Miami make history

In the East, Inter Miami dispatched a despondent Atlanta United 4-0 and reached a significant landmark in the process, becoming only the second team in MLS history to achieve back-to-back 60-point seasons after FC Dallas in 2015 and 2016.

Lionel Messi hit a brace and notched an assist for Jordi Alba to not only surge ahead of Denis Bouanga and Sam Surridge in the golden boot race, but also to become the first player in MLS history to have nine multi-goal games in a single season.

The record of eight games was previously held by three players, including former LA Galaxy superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic. With his assist for Alba, Messi also went level with Anders Dreyer atop the assist charts with 18.

If FC Cincinnati drop points against Montreal and Miami win in Nashville on Decision Day, the Herons would finish the regular season second in the East.

Western Conference: Muller saves Vancouver, Austin beat LAFC

Over in the West, the Vancouver Whitecaps jumped ahead of San Diego into first place thanks to some stoppage-time heroics from Thomas Muller against Orlando City. All they need to cement their place at the summit is a point against FC Dallas on Decision Day.

Speaking of Dallas, they suffered a hugely disappointing 2-1 loss to the Galaxy and could technically still drop out of the playoffs on Saturday. RSL, who lost 1-0 to the Seattle Sounders, could also surrender their place.

If Dallas and RSL lose on Decision Day (the latter play St. Louis), they could get overtaken by the Colorado Rapids and the San Jose Earthquakes. Colorado need just a point to climb from 10th into 8th due to having won more games than Dallas, while the Quakes need a win against Austin.

However, Colorado will face a tough task as they have to play LAFC, who will have a point to prove after Austin ended their good run of results with a 1-0 win courtesy of a late Owen Wolff goal. LAFC were without Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min, who are away on international duty.

Top spot in the West is now out of reach for LAFC, but they can still jump San Diego into second, as can Minnesota United. The latter face the Galaxy, while San Diego will travel to Portland on Decision Day.

All the results

Inter Miami 4-0 Atlanta United

Orlando City 1-2 Vancouver Whitecaps

Seattle Sounders 1-0 Austin FC

LA Galaxy 2-1 FC Dallas

Austin FC 1-0 LAFC

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