Welcome back to another edition of our weekly review of the best goalscoring moments from the latest matchday in MLS.
As clubs in both the East and the West continue to jockey for position in the fight to reach the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, some familiar faces and unexpected names have cropped up to be included in this week’s installment of the top five goals from the MLS weekend.
5. Denis Bouanga vs Real Salt Lake
This strike from LAFC’s Denis Bouanga truly had everything you want from a team goal, with some extras added on top at the end.
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A one-two with budding attack-parter Son Heung-min allowed the Gabonese ace to slot home to pull the Black and Gold level against RSL, while also seeing him become the first-ever MLS player to bag 20 goals in three consecutive seasons.
We’ve seen similar strikes before across the annals of football history, but this was still special.
4. Kenji Cabrera vs Sporting KC
Your first MLS goal will always be a special moment, but to do it on the night when the gaffer put his faith in you from the start, that’s even sweeter.
Peruvian international winger Kenji Cabrera did just that at the weekend for the Vancouver Whitecaps when he sealed all three points away from home against Sporting Kansas City.
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With only 79 minutes in the books across three appearances, the first shot on target of the season for the 22-year-old probably could not have gotten any better.
3. MartĂn Ojeda vs Nashville
Orlando star MartĂn Ojeda has absolutely cemented his status as one of the elite names across MLS in the last two seasons.
The Argentine midfield maestro is once again in the MVP discussion as the Lions look to reach the postseason, and this expert hit to kickstart the goals against Nashville is the poster child for dead-ball artistry.
His first of two goals on the night that would help Orlando to a 3-2 home win over B.J. Callaghan’s troops was the best of the lot from a player worthy of top honors.
2. Marcel Hartel vs San Jose
Sometimes a poacher’s instinct doesn’t always kick in from less than six yards out, and this strike from St. Louis’ Marcel Hartel offers more than enough proof.
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The touch, the turn, the volley across his body and into the far corner – this moment of solo excellence is what the Köln-born midfielder is fully capable of on his day.
An iconic figure in recent FC St. Pauli lore, he’s fast become a fan-favorite along the Mississippi.
1. Brayan Vera vs LAFC
Goodness gracious me, as C-3PO would say.
A thunderous drive of this quality is not seen often, at any level of football, but for it to come from RSL center-back Brayan Vera en route to pocketing his first goal of the 2025 season (on just his fourth shot on target), well, there wasn’t a better goal at the weekend and arguably anywhere across the 2025 season in full.
What other hits do you think deserved a shot to feature among the best of the bunch this past weekend? Let us know in the comments!
đž Editorial Photo Credit: © Kelvin Kuo | 2025 Sep 21 – Imagn Images
