2026 MLS Regular Season

From Joe Lowery at Backheeled. Last year 0.23 players were sent off per game in the regular MLS season. This year so far it is 0.35 per game, raising the frequency from once every 4-5 games to slightly more than 1 every 3 games. I'm even surprised the number was as high as 0.23 last year. I never thought it happened that often. This year, besides us, Charlotte, Dallas, Colorado and Montreal have faced shorthanded opponents at least twice. Yesterday Cincinnati won in extra time while shorthanded itself.

Aside from small sample size, Lowery has no theories to explain the increase and neither do I. But there have been a lot of red cards this year around the league.
I've noticed this too and brought it up to Todd Dunivant at the Founding Member City Hall event. Maybe MLS just wants more controversy for clicks? Leads to more goals? Who knows...
 
Looks like Nu stadium was ready and looks like a fantastic venue. look forward to visiting it some day.

Makes me so excited to open our stadium in the fall of next year. I think our crowd will be much louder. Miami supporters were a bit disappointing noise wise.

based on renderings, it seems like our supporter section will be similar to that of LAFC and we'll potentially be even louder than them since etihad park will be more enclosed.
 
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Fairly impactful 5 game stretch coming up after 2 western and a USL opponent. 3 homes against beatable Eastern teams (Charlotte, Cincinnati and DC) a road game against Montreal and a Round of 16 tie against New Jersey.
In the MLS schedule, our opponents' H/A adjusted PPG to date is 0.96. Over the next 5 games (adding Home vs Columbus to your list) it will be 0.50. Over the next 13 after that it jumps to 1.72 with a 5H 8A split. The team has done well beating up on weak competition and needs to continue.
 
Anybody watching San Jose vs LAFC?

0-0 at the half and then San Jose bangs home 3 goals in 5 minutes not long after the 2nd half starts.

woof.
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Anybody watching San Jose vs LAFC?

0-0 at the half and then San Jose bangs home 3 goals in 5 minutes not long after the 2nd half starts.

woof.
I presume LAFC is prioritizing CCL because in 12 days they outscored Cruz Azul 4-1 but were down 6-2 to Portland and San Jose.
Prior to the Portland game LAFC was at 14-0 cume goals against the rest of MLS.
This is not to diminish what Arena has done with San Jose.

Also Gotham Gator's graphic bent my mind momentarily because the Sharks are San Jose's NHL team.
 
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FWIW, LAFC went pretty much with their A Team (Son, Bouanga, Martinez, LLoris. etc...) in this home match.

As I've mentioned in the past if you have Apple TV it's well worth sitting down and watching Western Conference matches if you have the time. They seem (to me, anyway) to play a more wide open, up and down style of football. Looks like Arena has San Jose at this years "fun team" to watch (Last year it was San Diego, two years ago RSL).
 
After falling behind early 0-1 to Austin, San Jose ties it at 1-1 (58').
They then proceed to bang home 4 more in an 11 minute span to break the game open at 5-1.
There's 14 minutes of extra time to see if they add to it. 🤣

ETA: 5-1 final. Wild night in MLS. If my math is correct there were 43 goals scored in 11 matches. Surprisingly LAFC was shut out in a 0-0 tie with Colorado. Would have thought they would have feasted at home vs the Rapids.
 
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