By Favian Renkel and Justin Ruderman
Welcome back to Week No. 8 of Justin and Favian’s Weekly MLS Awards where SBI staff writers Justin Ruderman and Favian Renkel bring you a glimpse at the best of each week in MLS.
The West dominated the awards this week, from Vancouver down to Los Angeles.
Here is a closer look at this past weekend’s action:
Player of the Week
Justin Ruderman: Emmanuel Sabbi (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Obviously Brian White was the POTW, but despite leaving him for Favian, the Whitecaps were so good this week that they claim both POTW selections (plus, spoiler alert: my TOTW selection).
White opened the scoring in Vancouver but it was Sabbi who helped break the game open with a connective assist for White’s brace before pouncing for the third goal himself. Within minutes of the second half, Sabbi turned an early lead into a sure three points.
I was very intrigued by his signing when Sabbi arrived in Vancouver this offseason and he seems to be picking up steam with a goal and assist to follow up his first MLS goal last week. My intrigue is only growing.
Favian Renkel: Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Four goals with a chance to tie Clint Mathis’s record of five in a single MLS match? Of course my pick had to be the New Jersey Mario Gomez—Brian White. Even after bagging four, White told Apple TV, “the win down at Pumas was more special.” Even if he doesn’t want the flowers, we’re handing them out right here on SBI’s Weekly Awards.
The Vancouver Whitecaps are soaring — top of the Supporters’ Shield standings, into the CONCACAF Champions Cup Semifinals, and doing it all without one of their best players, Ryan Gauld. The reason? Simple. Their other superstar, Brian White, is on a tear and now sits tied with Tai Baribo for the Golden Boot at six goals.
Take a bow, White. You deserve the recognition — whether you like it or not.
Young Player of the Week
JR: David Ayala (Portland Timbers)
The Portland Timbers handily beat Sporting Kansas City, 4-2, at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday. David Ayala was the main reason why.
Although Kevin Kelsy steals the headlines with a brace, that claim nearly went to Ayala. In my mind, it still should. Allow me to explain.
After opening the scoring with a well-timed run into the box and guided finish, Ayala went for his brace. He ducked around his defender, firing from the edge of the box. As the ball flew into the roof of the net, the announcer screamed, “Ayala!”
But wait, the ball actually deflected off Kelsy, who was making a diagonal run across the box, unintentionally scoring his first of the match. So, although Ayala got the goal and assist in his stat column rather than Kelsy’s two goals, he knew more about scoring the goals than Kelsy did.
FR: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire)
In one of the most anticipated matchups in recent Chicago Fire history, Chris Brady delivered a standout performance, keeping a clean sheet against an Inter Miami side riding all the momentum. The 21-year-old shot-stopper denied Lionel Messi the chance to create another iconic moment in front of more than 60,000 fans at Soldier Field. The young American goalkeeper played lights out, and now many USMNT fans are calling for Brady to get his shot with the national team.
Goal of the Week
JR: Sergi Palencia (LAFC)
Honestly, Sergi Palencia could’ve been my POTW selection, so I have to give him GOTW.
Palencia is in his third MLS season in LA after joining the club from AS Saint-Étienne in France, not long after Denis Bouanga made the same move. He has been an excellent addition in every aspect over those years — consistent, injury-free, defensively stout, strong leader – except one. He had never scored a goal for the club.
In his postgame press conference, he described not usually having confidence in himself to take the shot because he is not normally a goalscorer. However, on Saturday he said he flipped the switch on that attitude. The resulting evidence is overwhelming.
Reacting instinctually to a rebound from Bouanga’s shot, Palencia wound up the slingshot and blasted in his first goal in 2,888 days. His third-ever goal came nearly eight years after his second and marked his first in the top division. Most importantly, it was meaningful to picking up three points in a narrow 2-1 win over San Jose.
FR: Diego Fagúndez (LA Galaxy)
The LA Galaxy need a win—and not just three points, but a morale boost too. While the result didn’t go their way after a draw with the Houston Dynamo, they did have something to celebrate: a golazo from one of the league’s fan favorites. Diego Fagúndez curled in a stunning free kick from outside the box, a strike that felt straight out of Lionel Messi’s playbook. The Uruguayan was making his 400th career appearance and, with the goal, became just the second active MLS player to reach 150 regular-season goal contributions—trailing only former MVP Luciano Acosta.
Now, let’s see if the Galaxy can ride that momentum, grab a win, and get back on track—because they’ve definitely got their swagger back.
Team of the Week
JR: Vancouver Whitecaps
When the Whitecaps parted ways with Vanni Sartini after last season, I was disappointed. Sartini was the most entertaining manager in MLS, and I did not think he was too shabby on results either, winning three straight Canadian Championships while qualifying for the playoffs in three of four seasons. I was not confident a new manager would be any better.
It turns out the ‘Caps knew what they were doing.
Under new head coach Jesper Sørensen, who deservedly won his second MLS Coach of the Week honor this week, Vancouver have pulled off two of the biggest wins in club history over Mexican powerhouses CF Monterrey and Pumas UANM to book their first-ever trip to the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. Yet despite the extra games and travel, the ‘Caps are also flying high in league play at the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings through Matchday 8 with 19 points (6W-1L-1D).
Having said all that, their latest exhibition of newfound prowess in a 5-1 rout of Austin FC may not even be their most impressive feat of the season, but it certainly reminds everyone they are the real deal.
FR: Columbus Crew
If a team wins Sunday Night Soccer, that’s extra points in my eyes. A win in a primetime slot and sending a message to the league is always important. The Columbus Crew did exactly that with their 2-1 win over St. Louis CITY SC on the road. With Daniel Gazdag getting some minutes and even contributing to the game-winning goal, the Crew and Nancy are not looking back. The Crew are starting to pick up steam and could start to pull away in the league, especially with another shiny new toy in the attack in Gazdag.
Patrick Schulte came up big for the Crew in the match. In the dying moments, the USMNT international stopped two one-on-one chances against the St. Louis offense to keep the score at 2-1.
Columbus now sits first in the Eastern Conference and will play in a potential matchup of the season against Inter Miami next week in Cleveland, at the home of the Browns. After next week, we may be looking at a new king of the East.
Moment of the Week
JR: Joäo Klauss is back
Matchday 8 was filled with options for this award, from Sergi Palencia’s first goal in nearly eight years to Diego Fagúndez netting the first direct free kick for Galaxy since 2022, but I am going to highlight something many may have missed.
If you’re reading this, you probably remember Joäo Klauss taking the league by storm with five goals in St. Louis CITY SC’s first five games in MLS (all wins). But after a midseason injury and a knee injury last year, production slowed. In fact, entering Sunday Night Soccer at home against Columbus, Klauss was goalless in his last 22 MLS matches.
Finally, after 11 long months, Klauss ended his drought by heading in his own rebound off the crossbar to open the scoring for St. Louis. Because they went on to lose the match, this moment may have gotten lost in the MLS shuffle, but it could be a key one for CITY this season if reviving the confidence of their striker can spark their fruitless attack. Earl signs point that way as Klauss quickly hit the back of the net again for a second-half equalizer, despite the goal being disallowed for offside.
FR: The MLS zoo
From Raquinho to the raccoon in RSL, MLS has had its fair share of wild viral moments featuring furry friends. This week was no different. During Austin FC’s match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, a mouse found its way onto the pitch. Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver stepped in—literally—and used his goalie gloves to scoop up the little guy and escort him off the field.
Hey! Lionel Messi usually gets the pitch invaders, but this time the little guy just wanted Brian White’s autograph.
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