Week five in MLS was a goal-fest.
It certainly should’ve been entertaining to watch as a neutral, to say the least. St. Louis continued to break records, Seattle put a thumping on Sporting KC, and Orlando City got back to winning ways. The five players on this list showed out for their clubs when they needed them the most.
Here at the top five players from week five…
Denis Bouanga is unstoppable.
Not only did his trek back to LA take him thirteen hours (only just arriving at the stadium a little over an hour before kickoff) but the Gabon international’s travels didn’t stop him from getting the game-winning goal for LAFC in the 84th minute.
If Bouanga didn’t score in the match, it would’ve been understandable. A long flight back from international duty is exhausting and no player should be in the right state mentally or physically to play.
The fact that he was able to come on and affect the match the way that he did is commendable.
Orlando City invested heavily into their attack this last offseason; ne of those investments was Argentine winger Martin Ojeda.
Ojeda showed in Orlando’s most recent match against the Philadelphia Union that he was worth the hefty transfer fee. His second-minute goal caught the Union off guard and set the tone for the rest of the match.
Thanks to Ojeda’s early antics, Orlando carried that momentum that see out three points against a tough Eastern Conference rival.
Here comes Joao Klauss, here come Joao Klauss…
The 26-year-old Brazilian simply can’t stop scoring and is a monumental reason why St. Louis has the best form in the league at the moment.
His two-goal performance at Real Salt Lake saw them get their fifth straight win and Klauss shoot to second in the MLS Golden Boot race.
It’s truly remarkable what St. Louis has been able to accomplish. The scary thing is, they’re just getting started too.
Welcome back to MLS, Christian Ramirez!
After two years away, Ramirez returned to the league with the Columbus Crew and quickly got his 2023 goal-scoring count started. The 31-year-old notched two goals in the Crew’s thumping of Thiago Almada-less Atlanta United.
He ended the match with three passes into the final third, two goals, and four recoveries.
The Seattle Sounders reminded everyone why they’re serious threats in the West this year, especially with an in-form Jordan Morris.
The US international powered his side to a 4-1 win against Sporting KC, scoring all four goals in the process. The 28-year-old is enjoying a fantastic start to 2023, with seven goals through five matches.
His latest performance just goes to show that when Morris is healthy, he is – arguably, one of the best forwards in the league.
Credit: 90min.com
