⏮️ Messi stars for Inter Miami; Evander leads Cincy over Portland, and more | OneFootball

Welcome back to another action-packed weekend across the 2025 MLS season as the post-season edges closer, with Matchday 29 now coming into full view.

As ever, stick with us across all the action tonight!

KEY FIXTURES AND RESULTS

📸 Lead Photo Credit: © Troy Wayrynen | 2025 Aug 16 - Imagn Images

That's it from us on another full Saturday night of MLS action as the final whistle blows at Providence Park, with Cincinnati holding on for three points against Portland.

Check back in tomorrow for more of the same!

LEAD EXTENDED!

Orlando add a third on the night in the 83rd minute, with Nicolás Rodríguez poking home from close range. A first goal for the Colombian!

Ojeda keeps rolling during a career season for the Argentine

ORLANDO CLOSING ON TOP-FOUR RETURN

Ramiro Enrique comes off the bench for Orlando to bag a goal inside the final 15 minutes of action to put the Lions 2-1 up against Sporting KC.

ONE MORE TO GO!

Portland battle back to make it 3-2, this time from the penalty spot after Juan Mosquera was brought down in the box by Stiven Jimenez.

Kevin Kelsy converted the effort from 12 yards out, completing his brace in the process!

THE YOUNGSTER TURNS UP!

Chicago starlet Brian Gutiérrez unloads from range to hit the potential match-winner as the Fire take a 3-2 lead in the final minutes of normal time!

Basically, don't let this dude shoot. Ever.

GUESS AGAIN!

A mazy run from Philip Zinckernagel makes it 2-2 in Chicago, as the Fire look to get back into the lead and on course for a vital three points for their playoff ambitions

COMEBACK COMPLETE

Marcel Hartel finishes emphatically at the near post to make it 2-1 to St. Louis. Can they hold on for the final half-hour?!

IT'S ALL KICKING OFF IN PORTLAND

Evander has stolen the show on his return to Portland, adding his name on the scoresheet with an expert hit from range to temporarily make it 3-0 on the night for Cincinnati.

He's now on 16 goals and 9 assists for the season, with MVP shouts sure to continue.

But Portland responded immediately after, with youngster Kevin Kelsy chopping back to separate from two defenders before slotting home for the Timbers!

SPORTING ANSWER THE CALL

Dejan Jovelić is the man of the moment once again for SKC with a tap-in goal from less than a yard out after a cut-back ball from Mason Toye gifts the Serbian with an impossible to miss finish.

That's his 14th of the season.

NAVARRO BAGS HIS BRACE

A first-time hit from the Brazilian striker is lucky to trickle over the line under Brad Guzan, but the in-demand striker will. hardly complain after completing his brace and extending the Rapids' lead to 3-1 on the night.

ST. LOUIS BATTLE BACK

The away side have struck in the Windy City to level the score against Chicago, with a clever touch by Tomáš Ostrák creating enough space for the Czechia winger to curl an effort into the back of the net.

Game on!

CINCY ARE FLYING!

It's now 2-0 at Providence Park, with Evander once again involved - this time bagging an assist - as Pavel Bucha smashes an effort into the top corner.

The home crowd have been stunned to silence.

RAPIDS STRIKE A SECOND TIME

Colorado are back in front against an underwhelming Atlanta thanks to a converted effort from the penalty spot by key striker Rafael Navarro

CINCINNATI OFF THE MARK

Evander's return is already going the way of the visitors with Kévin Denkey converting from inside the box in the 10th minute to open the scoring, bagging his first goal in a month away from the starting XI.

The dummy by Evander created enough space for the Togolese striker to slam it home.

AFTER A THREE-HOUR DELAY!

Orlando strike quick and in a hurry in the wake of a mammoth weather delay, with Tyrese Spicer slamming home a volley from inside the box to put the Lions in front.

Welcome back, Evander

THE LOONS BREAK THE DEADLOCK

A 73rd-minute strike from Joaquín Pereyra puts Minnesota into a huge 1-0 lead at Allianz Field in a massive Western Conference clash against Seattle

Safe to say that Timbers fans are primed to make Evander's return to Providence Park as uncomfortable as possible.

Stay tuned for what could be an action-packed fixture to bookend the night in the PNW

CUYPERS STRIKES!

A 15th MLS goal of the season for Chicago's Hugo Cuypers gives the Fire a 1-0 lead against visiting St. Louis.

INSTANT REPLY FROM ATLANTA!

The Rapids enjoyed their advantage for one minute before Aleksey Miranchuk unleashed an unstoppable drive from range to level the scoreline, giving him six in his last eight appearances for the Three Stripes!

YAPI ON TARGET ONCE AGAIN!

Local lad and Rapids youngster Darren Yapi contineus his emergence with another goal tonight, opening the scoring against Atlanta inside the first 20 minutes of action.

Is he pushing for an outside chance of a USMNT call-up by next summer?

NYRB's home fortress could prove vital in the run-in to a hopeful MLS Cup Playoffs appearance, and maybe beyond?

Messi continues to cement his name in MLS lore with another performance tonight, hitting his 40th goal in just 44 appearances.

AUSTIN PULL LEVEL!

Young midfielder Owen Wolff pounces from close-range header to pull matters level at one-all against visiting Dallas

Delgado is enjoying a career year in 2025 after his game-winning goal against New England.

LAFC SEAL THREE POINTS!

Son Heung-min turns provider to bag his first MLS on what is Mathieu Choinière's first league goal to make it 2-0 against New England.

Unselfish play by the South Korean star there, when many would have thought he'd have a go himself.

A big result for the Black and Gold.

OH MY WORD!

Luis Suárez makes it 3-1 to close out all three points on the night for Inter Miami, but an outrageous one-touch ball from Messi is the star of the show on this one, with De Paul starting the move off.

Just out of this world stuff.

THE MAN HIMSELF DELIVERS!

Lionel Messi strikes in familiar fashion to put Inter Miami back into the lead, with the Herons now 2-1 up with six minutes remaining after the Argentine dispatched an inch-perfect hit in the wake of dancing his way into striking range.

We've seen it once, we've seen it a hundred times. And that's his 19th of the season.

DALLAS STRIKE ON THE ROAD

Dallas continue to be hot away from home, opening the scoring at Austin in the 37th minute thanks to a low drive by right-back Shaq Moore

Petar Musa was in the thick of the action as usual, settling the ball before laying it off for the American defender.

TORONTO PULL LEVEL!

The Crew have let the lead slip in the final 15 minutes, with a debut strike from Jules-Anthony Vilsaint, who got on the end of a fantastic ball from new man Djordje Mihailovic

AND THEY MAKE THE BEST OF IT!

The Red Bulls bag the first goal of the night against the Union in the 75th minute, with Emil Forsberg and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting combining to pick out Dylan Nealis in the box, who slots into the bottom corner.

Was it a cross? They won't care!

NYRB CONTINUE TO HANG ON!

A massive penalty save by NYRB's Carlos Coronel denies Philadelphia a second-half opener in Jersey, sprawling to palm away Bruno Damiani's effort from the spot!

WE ARE LEVEL IN SOUTH FLORIDA!

The Galaxy strike back thanks to a characteristic darting, direct run from Joseph Paintsil before he slots home low at the near post to make it 1-1 on the night.

If this result stands, the Herons surely will feel hard done, given the balance of play.

WHAT A HIT! LAFC TAKE THE LEAD!

Mark Delgado unleashes a piledriver into the top corner from just outside the box to send the Black and Gold into an early second-half lead just moments after Son Heung-min nearly opened his MLS account

Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are introduced just before the restart, replacing Telasco Segovia and Tadeo Allende.

The big guns are all together now.

No Messi? No problem.

BARÇA DNA

Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets combine to finally lift Inter Miami into a one-goal lead late in the first half, with the veteran full-back being put into space by his compatriot before slotting past Novak Mićović

THAT DIDN'T LAST LONG

Montréal levels the scoreline at one-all through left-back Luca Petrasso, who finishes calmly from close range at the near post after being picked out by Prince Owusu

TOKLOMATI TAKES FLIGHT

Charlotte youngster Idan Toklomati rises highest to head the Crown into a 1-0 lead at home against Real Salt Lake, bagging his seventh of the season as he continues to fill the hole left by the departed Patrick Agyemang!

DCU BREAK THE DEADLOCK

Jackson Hopkins gets the legacy MLS side on the board at Montréal with a lovely long-range hit after an initial driving run into the final third.

Top stuff from the 21-year-old to bag his first MLS goal.

HOW DID HE MISS THAT?!

Charlotte's Kerwin Vargas fluffs a glorious chance to get the Crown on the board from point-blank range, reacting fastest on the rebound in the wake of Idan Toklomati's effort.

You simply have to score there.

ROLLING BACK THE YEARS

Hugo Lloris makes a superb save to keep the Revs out early, denying Leo Campana's belter from inside the box in expert fashion.

COLUMBUS STRIKE EARLY

The Crew have hit the first goal of the night away from home against Toronto, with Diego Rossi pouncing in just the 8th minute of action.

Orlando City vs Sporting KC has been hit by Florida summer weather, with a delay keeping the two sides from locking horns on schedule.

Matchday 29 is live. Stay tuned for regular updates across all the action, with Heung-min Son in search of his first goal for LAFC.

Cincinnati and league star Evander returns to Portland tonight in the late fixture, and here's what he had to say to the press before tonight's clash at Providence Park.

New LAFC man Son Heung-min will lead the line for the Black and Gold against New England, flanked by Denis Bouanga and David Martínez.

Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul start on the bench for the Herons this evening as they welcome the Galaxy to South Florida.

Marco Reus and Gabriel Pec lead the attack for the Galaxy, with the MLS Cup holders on the hunt for an upset win.

To kick-start the night before the 7:30pm EST matches, take a look below for the full scenarios surrounding the race for 2025 MLS Cup qualification, with league debutant San Diego with a chance to book passage to the post-season at the first time of asking.