The Switzerland star stepped up with his first direct goal contribution of the 2023 season during a busy Rivalry Week
Ahh, MLS Rivalry Week. It's a time for big games to be decided in big moments by big stars, although it isn't always the stars that shine brightest during these matches. From international superstars to overlooked MLS veterans, the first half of MLS Rivalry Week was certainly typical: fierce, chaotic, frenzied and, most of all, a bit weird.
A total of nine red cards were handed out over the weekend, adding an additional layer of messiness to a week that always promises chaos. And chaos is what we got. There were collisions on the field and off of it, with mayhem north of the border leading the way.
Some struggling clubs, like the Chicago Fire, New York Red Bulls and Sporting KC, put together what could be season-defining performances against a rival, while others, like Atlanta United and Toronto FC, fell flat on their face in big moments.
Big goals, non-celebrations, "criminal" defending and a thrown megaphone… Rivalry Week never fails to disappoint!
GettyWINNER: Xherdan Shaqiri
The critics have been coming for Shaqiri, and rightfully so. The former Liverpool attacker has been, at his best, okay and, at his worst, downright bad in 2023. In this league, you can't afford for a player on Shaqiri's salary to be playing at that level, and the Fire's record indicates that.
Head coach Ezra Hendrickson paid for it with his job, as the Fire begin a new-ish era under a returning Frank Klopas. Klopas' first game, though, saw a different Shaqiri, one that very much looked like the player everyone should expect him to be.
Shaqiri notched an assist in the 1-0 win over St. Louis City SC, teeing up Rafael Czichos for the game's only goal. It was the Swiss star's first goal contribution of the season after 18 (seven goals and 11 assists) in 2022. It wasn't just the assist, that stood out though, as Shaqiri, who was played as more of a No.10, finally made a massive impact on a game.
“Today [Shaqiri] played like a DP, like he should play every game,” Klopas said. The No.10 role may be the way forward for Shaqiri, who has been largely outplayed by 19-year-old starlet Brian Gutierrez. Those two connecting will likely be the difference between success and failure this season for a Fire team that still has a lot of work to do.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Toronto FC
For all of the club's spending and ambition, Toronto FC find themselves in last place in the Eastern Conference. And, after two losses to the rival CF Montreal in less than a week, you have to start wondering if this is rock bottom.
TFC fell to Montreal in both the Canadian Cup and in MLS, capping another disastrous week in what has been a disastrous season. Despite possessing stars like Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne, as well as a legendary MLS coach in Bob Bradley, TFC have been a total mess, with this week serving as the worst moment so far.
It was a week of frustration, with tempers flaring on and off the field. After the Canadian Cup defeat, Mark-Anthony Kaye got into it with a TFC supporter, while both sets of players came together during CF Montreal's league win.
“It was just a bad blip in the history of Toronto FC, and I hope that that never happens again," Kaye said of his back-and-forth with a fan, who ultimately threw his megaphone towards the Canadian star. "And from a player standpoint, I just want to say that we respect the fans wholeheartedly and we just expect the same respect back, so that we can work together to bring this club back to where it belongs."
Doing that will be difficult, based on what we've seen. With just two wins from 12 matches and plenty of key contributors out injured, it may be a while before TFC figure it out.
GettyWINNER: Troy Lesesne & the New York Red Bulls
If you value first impressions, you'd have to say that Lesense is off to a good start. In his first MLS match since replacing the fired Gerhard Struber, Lesense led the Red Bulls to a 1-0 win over rivals New York City FC. It was his second win since taking over, with the Red Bulls having topped D.C. United 1-0 in the U.S. Open Cup earlier in the week.
"It's been a lot," Lesesne said after the win. "It's been a lot this week, and it will be a lot going forward. But that's what you hope for. Whenever you get an opportunity like this, you want to obviously make the most of it.
"I'm at a great club and I've been given an opportunity that I want to try and maximize. And you know, when you play in a derby like this, you get a real sense of what it means to this club even more."
Saturday's win was far from pretty, with Omir Fernandez's 76th-minute strike being all that separated the two teams. Given the Red Bulls' situation, though, they won't worry about pretty. Right now, they really just need results.
Even with the win, the Red Bulls are in 14th place, with just 12 points through as many matches. Still, there aren't many better things to build on than a derby win, are there?
"It's beautiful, especially when I'm hearing those [NYCFC] fans shut up in the corner," homegrown star John Tolkin said on MLS 360 postgame. "I was hearing them all second half. So back in the stadium, any time you can get a derby win, it's like the best feeling in the world."
GettyLOSER: Minnesota United
Essentially, a defensive disaster. Facing a Sporting KC team that has been reeling all season, the Loons were pummeled 3-0 at Children's Mercy Park. It was a loss that left Adrian Heath fuming, as his side let a team that has been one of the league's worst run rampant.
Heath described the defending as "poor" and "criminal" postgame, and he isn't wrong. Add in a missed penalty from Sang Bin Jeong to make matters worse, too. With the loss, Minnesota have just one point from their last six games. This is a rough patch, to say the least.
On the other side of that, though, is Sporting KC, who have now won two straight after failing to win in their first 10. “Make no mistake about it, there's a side of me that is vengeful, for sure,” head coach Peter Vermes said after the match. “I want to show everybody that we are that good. And I know inside the locker room, inside the group that we want to show everybody that we are that good.”
Sporting KC still have a lot of work to do, and it remains to be seen if they can dig themselves out of their own hole. But on the flipside, this was a game Minnesota could not and should not have lost, as they now find themselves facing questions due to their own rough patch.
