Matchday 8: What to know for this weekend's must-watch matches | OneFootball

By Cal Meachem

We've got an action-packed slate this weekend: Saturday will feature nearly 10 hours of uninterrupted soccer, while Sunday's tripleheader includes away matches for the final two undefeated teams in MLS.

Can the San Jose Earthquakes build on last week's historic win? Will Gregg Berhalter's Chicago Fire FC earn their biggest result yet? Are the Columbus Crew the best team in the league?

Let's keep the good times rolling into Matchday 8.

LAFC vs. San Jose Earthquakes

It couldn't have gone much better for San Jose last weekend, as Bruce Arena's side pummeled D.C. United, 6-1, on the anniversary of the league's inaugural match. That result gives the Quakes a much-needed confidence boost, jumping back into the win column after a four-match winless streak.

San Jose made waves in the offseason when they retooled their attack by signing two of MLS's most prolific goalscorers in Chicho Arango and Josef Martínez. As they've gone, so have the Quakes. The pair have netted eight of San Jose's league-high 15 goals, and both scored in last weekend's thumping of D.C. Martínez especially turned back the clock, notching his MLS-record seventh hat trick to earn Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra honors.

Now, it's onto a matchup with in-state rivals LAFC, who are still searching for a marquee league victory to kick their season into high gear. A popular preseason pick for MLS Cup contention, the Black & Gold have struggled to consistently string together results. They've lost six of eight across all competitions, and recently suffered a Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal exit against Inter Miami.

Perhaps a key reason for their rollercoaster form is inconsistencies in the final third. LAFC have scored just eight goals this season and only one player, David Martínez, has found the back of the net more than once in league play. Most notably, star forward Denis Bouanga – the 2023 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi winner – has been held scoreless over his first seven MLS matches. Can LAFC's main man break out and vault his side back towards the top of the Western Conference?

Player of the Matchday 7: Josef Martínez

Chicago Fire FC vs. Inter Miami CF

The Gregg Berhalter era is off to a strong start, with Chicago unafraid to get into a track meet. Their 14 goals scored are the third-most in MLS, while their 12 goals against are tied for fourth-most.

But the Fire suffered a setback over the weekend, dropping a 2-1 decision at the New York Red Bulls. The good news is DP winger Jonathan Bamba got off the mark, scoring his first MLS goal to supplement his four assists. Bamba, alongside Golden Boot contender Hugo Cuypers (5g/2a), will look to cause problems for Inter Miami's defense.

Opposite them are Inter Miami, whose 2.33 points-per-game pace is better than last year's 2.18 mark when they won the Supporters' Shield in record-setting fashion. Though the Herons were dealt a minor setback last weekend in a 1-1 draw against Toronto FC, they're yet to lose in league play and just completed an epic Concacaf Championship Cup comeback against LAFC with a 3-1 second-leg victory.

Will the quick turnaround cause head coach Javier Mascherano to rotate his squad? Or does he run it back at Soldier Field with Lionel Messi in the starting lineup? After battling injuries in recent weeks, Messi looks to be back in fine form, producing 4g/1a in his last three games across all competitions.

Inter Miami: Does Lionel Messi need more rest?

St. Louis CITY SC vs. Columbus Crew

Through four matchdays, St. Louis CITY looked like a reborn side under new manager Olof Mellberg – they remained unbeaten and allowed zero goals. But things have since gone south, to the tune of three straight defeats, most recently a 2-0 loss at rivals Sporting Kansas City.

The most concerning part of STL's dip is their lack of final-third production. Mellberg's side has scored just four times, tied for the second-fewest in MLS. St. Louis have also been shut out in three straight games, last getting on the scoreboard nearly a month ago in a 1-0 win over Seattle. They could certainly use impactful performances from DPs Marcel Hartel and João Klauss, as well as forward Cedric Teuchert, when Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire comes to town.

The only issue? The Crew have one of the other premier backlines in the league, holding opponents to just five goals this campaign, and they lead the Eastern Conference with an unblemished 4W-0L-3D record.

As good as Columbus' defense has been, the biggest surprise is their attack hasn't fallen off after the wintertime departures of Cucho Hernández and Christian Ramírez. Diego Rossi (4g/0a) and Jacen Russell-Rowe (3g/1a) have picked up the slack, and they're reportedly soon adding Dániel Gazdag via a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Union.

As is often the case, this is a classic "bet against Wilfried Nancy at your own risk" scenario.

St. Louis CITY: Can they solve inconsistency issue?