What We Learned: Columbus' derby statement, Houston's big guns deliver | OneFootball

By Joseph Lowery

Matchday 18 is in the books.

What did we learn? Did the games confirm our priors or change the complexion of the league?

Let’s dive into some key takeaways from another weekend of MLS action.

WATCH: Every goal from Matchday 18!

1. Columbus Crew look like themselves in Derby win

This isn’t the same Columbus Crew team that won MLS Cup in 2023 or that made a run all the way to the Concacaf Champions Cup final in 2024. So many of the key pieces from the Crew’s previous era — Cucho Hernández, Diego Rossi, Darlington Nagbe, Wilfried Nancy, and others still — have moved on.

But after a bleak first three months of the season, the Crew are starting to look more like the team that took North America by storm earlier this decade.

Up against FC Cincinnati in a Hell is Real rivalry clash on Saturday night, the Crew triumphed to the tune of a 2-1 victory. Along the way, interim head coach Laurent Courtois had the hosts using the ball out of a similar, fluid back three setup to the one that served as the principled foundation to Nancy’s best teams. 

While former manager Henrik Rydström altered the team’s attacking setup during his brief spell in charge to start the season, so much of the team’s latest victory was familiar. Steven Moreira was back to making marauding attacking runs from his right-sided center back position. The midfield flowed. The attackers roamed. Notably, Courtois has maintained the 4-4-2 defensive structure that his predecessor installed. But the in-possession principles? They’re far closer to the best version of Columbus from years’ past than the version that began the year.

If Columbus can maintain chemistry and form under Courtois while adding new Designated Player attacker Brais Méndez and center back Eric Bailly (and maybe even another piece or two) to the fold, improvement should continue for the Crew.

Houston Dynamo’s attack shows promise

There’s little doubt that the Dynamo are yet to reach their final form yet this season. Closer to a full bill of health than at just about any point this year, though, Houston dominated Austin FC en route to a 3-0 home victory on Saturday.

With winter additions Agustín Bouzat and Lucas Halter in the starting lineup after missing most of the season thus far, the Dynamo had more steel in midfield and defense than viewers have become accustomed to seeing. Bouzat made only his seventh start of this league campaign while Halter made just his fifth. As chemistry develops further downfield, it may need to grow in attack, too, following the recent acquisition of striker Duncan McGuire from Orlando City.

Even with McGuire on the bench, Houston’s other attacking pieces performed and then some. Mateusz Bogusz scored a brace from this right wing position, while fellow DP Guilherme scored his team’s third goal just after the half hour mark. At their best (and they were on Saturday), those two form a formidable attacking threat. 

Should the structure around them continue to stabilize, Houston’s resounding win over Austin could end up looking like a trend.

3. Antoine Griezmann shines for Orlando City

Antoine Griezmann has wasted no time revitalizing Orlando City. In his debut, the Frenchman scored a goal and helped conduct a 4-0 midweek victory over the San Jose Earthquakes. In his encore, he shined as the Lions claimed a 1-0 win over a Supporters’ Shield-leading Nashville SC outfit on Saturday.

On balance, Orlando look a far cry from the team that shipped a half-dozen goals to FC Cincinnati in their final game before the 2026 FIFA World Cup break.

Griezmann is, without a doubt, the biggest catalyst behind the turnaround for the suddenly scary Orlando City. 

Playing as a No. 10 behind homegrown striker Justin Ellis, the former Atlético Madrid man has license to run the show. His touches against Nashville ran the width of the field, touched both boxes, and were consistently impactful. With clever combination play and well-weighted passes galore, it might be that only Lionel Messi is a more influential on-ball playmaker in this league than the fellow World Cup winner.

Plus, that Griezmann and Orlando are having so much early success — two wins from two games — without yet playing alongside the team’s other two best attackers in Martín Ojeda and Marco Pašalić speaks to just how transformative the new superstar can be. He’s already formed an impressive connection with Ellis, portending some special play alongside the team’s other stars.

Orlando City aren’t perfect, with defensive concerns looming. But they are surging towards the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs line and seemingly destined to climb above it. Would you want to match up against this Orlando City team in the postseason?

4. New York City FC are finding their footing

If you’re not already on board the New York City FC hype train, now’s the time.

Despite a lengthy injury list, the Cityzens took down the Chicago Fire in a 3-1 victory on Saturday, showing off their impressive depth along the way.

New DP Bénie Traoré made his home debut for NYCFC, playing the final 20-plus minutes mostly on the left wing after starting as a striker in his midweek inaugural MLS appearance. Traoré, who brings a strong European pedigree, has wheels. It’s easy to imagine the newcomer and Nicolás Fernández Mercau forming a tight bond in the attack.

But it’s not just Traoré’s appearance that should encourage NYC fans. It’s James Sands’ return from his spell in the Bundesliga. It’s Malachi Jones’ recent return from injury — against the Fire, the 22-year-old winger scored his first goal since his devastating leg break in 2024. Then, of course, there’s Alonso Martínez, who could be back from his ACL injury sometime this fall.

Even with seven key first-team players sidelined with leg injuries, New York City didn’t have an issue pushing past the Fire. There’s another level for this team to hit, too. Don’t be shocked if they climb into a home playoff spot in the East before the season is out.

5. LAFC’s stars are roaring

LAFC know exactly what they want to be: transition monsters.

Happy to defend in their own half for long stretches, LAFC rank 24th in possession so far this season, as per FBref. While compact defending is a mechanism to help keep the ball out of Hugo Lloris’ net – and a good one at that, with the team having allowed just 18 goals in 18 games this season – it amounts to something more for LAFC. By setting a low line of confrontation, the Black & Gold can bait opponents forward, win the ball, and attack into the swathes of open space.

That very setup worked a treat in a 3-1 midweek victory over Real Salt Lake and it had the same effect in a 4-0 demolition of Sporting Kansas City on Saturday. Sparked by Son Heung-Min’s opener and capped off by a goal from David Martínez and a brace from Denis Bouanga, every member of Marc Dos Santos’ attacking trio got in on the action. Though SKC knew what was coming, they still looked powerless to stop LAFC from making their own way in transition.

LAFC blitzing an opponent on the break is hardly an isolated incident. According to American Soccer Analysis, LAFC generate the second-most fast break xG in the league on a per-game basis.

Sure, Dos Santos will need to dip into his team’s possession play at times this year when they’re faced with battling a compact block. But as far as a Plan A goes? You’d be hard-pressed to find a more devastatingly effective one than LAFC’s in all of MLS.