10/14 - Matchday 29

Player of the Matchday

Bruno Damiani

Bruno Damiani took over the second half for Philadelphia as they came back to defeat 10-men Chicago 3-1. The Uruguayan scored twice and assisted Philadelphia's other as the Union made it 14 unbeaten in league play, the last 8 of those wins. For Damiani, it's his eighth goal since the start of September, putting him at 14 across all competitions. He brings so much to the team with his work rate and physicality, but now that he is putting the ball in the back of the net with frequency, Damiani has grown into a major piece for Philadelphia Union.

Photo via The Philadelphia Inquirer

Young Player of the Matchday

Peyton Miller

For the second time in 4 matchdays, our young player of the week is Peyton Miller. New England rebounded with a critical 3-2 win at TQL Stadium this weekend, and the comeback victory was led by Peyton Miller. The youngster has made a name for himself for his pace and directness on the left flank, but he lined up on the right wing in this game. Miller demonstrated that there is a lot more to his game than just his speed, as he had 2 beautiful assists that showed off his passing abilities. Then, with his team needing to close out the game, Mitrovíc shfited Miller to left back to help the Revs close out the game. This season, young players have been performing at a level that we've never seen before, and Miller's 2 way excellence has him near the top of that list.

Photo via Yahoo! Sports

Goal of the Matchday

Mateusz Bogusz

In a game filled with incredible goals, it was Mateusz Bogusz that scored the best of the bunch. With Houston trailing 1-2 in the first half, Guilherme lobbed the ball into the box, seeking out his opposite winger. Bogusz received the ball with 3 players on him from about 16 yards out, and what came next was absolutely special. With his back to goal, Bogusz controlled the ball perfectly with a cushioned chest touch, setting him up for an acrobatic bicycle kick into the bottom corner with his weaker left foot. The ingenuity and skill displayed on this goal shows why Bogusz is a difference maker for the Dynamo.

Assist of the Matchday

Lawrence Ennali

Lawrence Ennali assisted Guilherme's first goal, and while he did well to pick out the Brazilian superstar, it wasn't necessarily his pass itself that earns the assist of the matchday. Rather, it was the play as a whole. Houston possessed the ball from kickoff all the way to Guilherme's shot in a back to front sequence of 20 passes. Houston drew San Diego in with passes along their backline before cranking up the tempo, incisively slicing through midfield with quick progressive passes. Ennali was played down the right wing, where he carried the ball forwards to back up the San Diego defense before cutting it back to a wide open Guilherme at the top of the box. It was a beautiful team goal by the Dynamo that combined patience, intelligence, and quality.

Statistic of the Matchday

0 Shots on target

Roman Bürki did not have to make a single save on Wednesday against the Vancouver Whitecaps. It was a huge matchup between the best two teams in the west, and Vancouver began the game with far more intensity. This stat is important because it highlights numerous things. Firstly, Vancouver were unable to convert their early dominant into clear cut chances. This has hurt Vancouver this season, as they have consistently gotten into great positions without translating that into goal scoring opportunities. This leads us to the second part of this: St. Louis defended their box very well. They closed down space once Vancouver got into threatening positions, and when the 'Caps settled for long-distance shots, there was always a St. Louis defender in the way. Finally, after weathering the early storm, St. Louis grew into the game and limited Vancouver's attack.

Team of the Matchday

LF: Bruno Damiani

RF: Tai Baribo

LM: Guilherme

CM: Kaick

CM: Taha Habroune

RM: Peyton Miller

LB: Elías Báez

LCB: Justin Haak

RCB: Luc de Fougerolles

RB: Andy Najar

GK: Daniel

Team of the Matchday photos via MLSSoccer.com

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