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Expected Goals: Upcoming Milestones for Matchday 28

August 24, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


St. Louis Closing in On Win No. 15

After a 6-3 dismantling of Austin FC on Sunday, St. Louis CITY SC has eyes on expansion club history in the next two weeks. With the best record in the Western Conference, St. Louis is just two wins shy of tying LAFC (16) for the most wins by an expansion club in their debut season (excluding the shootout era).

On Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass), St. Louis will travel to face a former expansion team, Orlando City SC, with a victory bringing them level with Atlanta for the second-most victories in their debut season. Forward Nicholas Gioacchini has been a revelation for CITY SC and will look to continue his strong form against the Lions. Gioacchini is just two goals shy of entering the top-10 for the most single-season goals by a player on an expansion team and can do so against his former club.

Cristian Espinoza Putting Together MVP-Caliber Season

Plenty of dynamic midfielders have cemented their place in the Landon Donovan MLS MVP chase - Nashville SC's Hany Mukhtar, FC Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta, and the New England Revolution's Carles Gil to name a few. One player often overlooked who remains firmly in contention is San Jose Earthquakes All-Star midfielder Cristian Espinoza. The Argentine is tied for the third-most goal contributions (19) in the league and leads MLS with six game-winning goals in 2023.

His sixth game-winning strike came on Sunday when he scored in the 43rd minute against the Vancouver Whitecaps to record a crucial road victory. With the goal, Espinoza scored in his fourth consecutive game, and he can become the fourth player in club history to do so in five-consecutive matches with a goal on Saturday against the Portland Timbers (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass). Only Chris Wondolowski has recorded a goal in five straight matches in the past two decades of 'Quakes history.

Giakoumakis' Goal-Scoring Gift in Atlanta

Atlanta United forward Giorgos Giakoumakis was in the goal-scoring groove on Matchday 27, notching both of Atlanta's goals in a 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC. The Greek international has not let up on the goal-scoring front in his debut MLS season, as he is tied for second in the MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi race and just one goal off current leader and reigning Golden Boot winner Hany Mukhtar.

The early returns on the club's investment into Giakoumakis point towards a long-term replacement to former goal-scoring sensation Josef Martínez, and the rate at which he is scoring has shades of Martínez's lethal finishing to it. The 2023 MLS All-Star is currently tied for the third-most goals scored in the first 1,100 minutes of an MLS career, which is one off of Mamadou Diallo for second and five behind Martínez, who holds the current record with 17.

Giakoumakis has played 1,063 minutes in MLS and while five goals in 37 minutes is a tall order, a Southeast rivalry match against Nashville SC on Saturday, August 26 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass) is sure to inspire the forward to put his name on the scoresheet more than once on Matchday 28.

Puig's Premier Passing Leads Galaxy

With the LA Galaxy returning to MLS regular-season play against the Chicago Fire (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass), All-Star midfielder Riqui Puig will look to pick up where he left off as he aims to lead the Galaxy into the hunt for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.

In the Galaxy's last four regular-season matches, the 24-year-old Spaniard registered two goals and four assists, including a helper in four consecutive matches, while helping guide the club to a 2-1-1 record over the span. With an assist against the Fire, Puig would tie Robbie Keane (Aug. 16 - Sept. 10, 2014) and Mauricio Cienfuegos (Sept. 19, 1997 - April 11, 1998) for the second-longest regular-season assist streak in club history at five games.

Only Cristian Pavón has had a longer streak in club history, assisting in seven consecutive games from Aug. 25 through Sept. 29, 2019.

Clark Keeping it Clean for the Dynamo

In his 10th MLS season, Houston Dynamo FC goalkeeper Steve Clark is in the midst of a career season with a career-best nine clean sheets - a figure that currently ties for the second-best mark in the league this season.

Clark, who has recorded clean sheets in consecutive MLS regular-season matches, sits on the verge of club history entering Houston's match at Real Salt Lake on Saturday night (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass). With his next shutout, Clark would become the third different goalkeeper in Dynamo history to record at least 10 clean sheets in a single season, joining Tally Hall (12 in 2012) and Pat Onstad (11 in 2017 and 10 in 2009).

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