Sports
Lamenting lack of rest, LAFC face slumping San Diego FC
Apr 25, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Football Club forward Denis Bouanga (99) shoots during the second half against Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images Los Angeles FC have experienced dominating results on the field this season but coach Marc Dos Santos is not too happy with the MLS schedule-makers entering Saturday night’s road match at San Diego FC.
LAFC are coming off a big 2-1 victory over visiting Toluca FC in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals on Wednesday night. Los Angeles doesn’t have much time to prepare before it visits a rival that didn’t play a midweek match.
Dos Santos isn’t just fretting about this weekend assignment. He pointed out he has been frustrated with the schedule since late March.
LAFC played eight matches in April between MLS and Champions Cup play and has five more coming in the first 17 days of May.
“The schedule is a scandal. It’s a scandal,” Dos Santos told reporters. “I don’t understand why MLS … who is the genius in the meeting that says, ‘I have a good idea?’ At some point, it’s enough. Saturday we have to go to San Diego.”
Regardless, LAFC (6-2-2, 20 points) have been thriving and have outscored MLS opponents 17-6. In Champions Cup play, LAFC have outscored their foes 16-5 and are 5-0-2 entering the second semifinal leg at Toluca on May 6.
LAFC also get star forward Denis Bouanga back from a suspension for yellow-card accumulation. He has four goals and four assists in MLS play.
Last season, San Diego went 2-0 against LAFC during its stellar expansion campaign when it won the Western Conference.
Things are much different for San Diego FC (3-5-2, 11 points) this season. The club has lost five straight matches, is winless in its last seven MLS games (0-5-2) and eight overall, counting a loss to Toluca in the Champions Cup Round of 16.
Nobody associated with San Diego was expecting to be sitting in 11th place entering May.
“It’s been a tough period for San Diego FC, five losses in a row,” said San Diego star forward Anders Dreyer, who has five goals and four assists in MLS play. “It’s not what we wanted, but that’s the reality. That’s how it is and we can’t run from that.”
Last weekend, San Diego lost 2-1 to visiting Portland when the Timbers scored the decisive goal in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time.
San Diego coach Mikey Varas is hoping the turnaround begins Saturday.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to take the next step and get back on track,” Varas said. “We know we’re in a tough moment and haven’t been at our best. But we’re working very hard and doing everything possible to get back to it.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dallas hunting for first win at Red Bulls in 20 years
Apr 22, 2026; Frisco, Texas, USA; FC Dallas forward Petar Musa (9) brings the ball to the Minnesota United FC net during the second half at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images FC Dallas are winless in their past 11 visits to the New York Red Bulls across all competitions. The skid dates back nearly two decades.
The Red Bulls rarely conceded goals in those matchups and hope to clamp down defensively Saturday night in Harrison, N.J., especially after their most recent MLS home game.
The Red Bulls are 9-0-2 at home against Dallas since May 24, 2006. The first 10 meetings were MLS regular-season games, and last year the Red Bulls earned a penalty kick win in U.S. Open Competition on May 21.
Six of those games were shutouts and New York would certainly welcome a blanking after blowing a pair of two-goal leads and settling for a 4-4 tie against visiting D.C. United two weeks ago. New York (3-4-3, 12 points) followed up its disappointing defensive showing with last Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Cincinnati, when it conceded two goals in the final 10 minutes of the first half and dropped to 1-4-3 after winning their first two matches.
New York also is hoping to improve defensively after allowing three goals off corner kicks during a 3-1 loss to New York City FC in Wednesday’s 3-1 loss in a U.S. Open Cup contest.
“It’s something that we have to continue to work on,” New York coach Michael Bradley said about the defense. “Obviously, the makeup of our team from a physical profile standpoint means that it’s an area where on some nights we’re going to be really challenged.”
Besides trying to get its first road win over the Red Bulls in 20 years, Dallas (3-3-4, 13 points) is attempting to halt a four-match winless skid. Since scoring four goals apiece in consecutive wins over Houston and D.C. United, Dallas has scored four times and gone 0-2-2.
Last Saturday, Dallas took a 2-1 loss at Seattle, marking the fifth time it was held to one goal or fewer. Nolan Norris scored but his goal wasn’t enough after Dallas trailed by two through the opening 30 minutes.
“Obviously disappointed about the result, but I thought we played pretty well, and I think we’re going to regret seeing the couple moments that led to their goals,” Dallas coach Eric Quill said. “Those moments are fixable.”
Dallas forward Petar Musa is tied for the league lead with nine goals, while teenager Julian Hall paces New York with six goals.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski no-hits Nats thru 5 1/3, leaves with cramp
May 1, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals but left the game with a right hamstring cramp.
After throwing a 98.9 mph swinging strike one to James Wood with one out, Misiorowski looked into the dugout. Manager Pat Murphy and trainer Brad Epstein came out, and Misiorowski left the game.
The right-hander was in the midst of a dominant effort, having struck out eight and walked two. He retired the last 12 batters he faced, the final four by strikeout.
Aaron Ashby came on with Milwaukee leading 4-0, struck out Wood and got Luis Garcia Jr. to ground out, extending a combined no-hitter to six innings.
After Ashby returned for the seventh, Washington’s CJ Abrams drew a one-out walk and Daylen Lile broke up the no-hitter with a double to left. Brady House drove in Abrams with a groundout to put the Nationals on the board.
Misiorowski, 24, leads the majors with 59 strikeouts. He has a 2.84 ERA through seven starts this year.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Soaring Nashville has date with struggling Union
Apr 28, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville SC forward Warren Madrigal (41) dribbles the ball as Tigres UANL defender Jesus Angulo (27) defends during the second half of their Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinals game at GEODIS Park. Mandatory Credit: Alan Poizner-Imagn Images Nashville SC will look to continue their winning ways when they return to MLS action Saturday night against the Philadelphia Union in Chester, Pa.
Nashville (7-1-1, 22 points) is unbeaten in its last three matches in league play but returns to the pitch Saturday following a 1-0 midweek loss to Tigres UANL in CONCACAF Champions Cup action.
Sam Surridge, who leads Nashville with nine goals through seven MLS appearances this season, is out week-to-week with a back injury and likely to miss Saturday’s match.
It’s the second injury this season for the English forward, who missed two contests in April due to a hamstring injury.
Despite multiple injuries, Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan isn’t concerned about the overall health of his star goal-scorer.
“I would say they’re two separate types of injuries,” Callaghan said. “We’ll lean on the medical team and doctors to guide his recovery and his return to play.”
Surridge is tied with Dallas’ Petar Musa early in the Golden Boot race.
Saturday is the first of two MLS meetings between Nashville and Philadelphia this season. Nashville hosts Philadelphia on Oct. 28 to conclude the season series.
Nashville swept the season series in 2025, winning 3-1 at the Union before posting a clean sheet in a 1-0 home victory.
Philadelphia (1-7-2, 5 points), on the opposite end of the Eastern Conference standings, returns home aiming to snap a three-match winless skid.
The Union’s lone win of the season came away at Montreal 2-1 on April 11. Philadelphia is without a win at home (0-3-1).
“It’s not good enough for the club standards that was set many years before us,” forward Milan Iloski said. “Especially at home, we have to be better. We have to pick up three points. We’re in a must-win mindset, and we have to come out with three points, no matter what it looks like or how it happens.”
Iloski and midfielder Danley Jean Jacques pace Philadelphia with two goals apiece.
–Field Level Media
