Nashville SC off to Historic Start
21 games, 49 points, that’s the MLS record start for Nashville SC, a somewhat unheralded club in terms of starpower, but for manager B.J. Callaghan it’s all coming together. Nashville scored twice in just two minutes to secure a comeback win over the Columbus Crew at home. With 13 regular season matches remaining, and 9 points clear of the field, Nashville would enter the MLS playoffs as favorites to lift the cup. Top performers include forward Sam Surridge (12 goals) and Hany Mukhtar (9 goals). In August, Nashville has put together a 3-1-0 record in MLS play.
Struggles Continue for Inter Miami, while MLS Playoff Field is in Flux
Inter Miami remains second in the MLS eastern conference with an 11-6-4 record, it’s been a post World Cup swoon for the most expensive team in the league. After two losses in Leagues Cup, Inter Miami remains winless in MLS play in August, with two draws, and losses to Nashville and Toronto.
Debates online have ramped up about why Miami has struggled, the addition of Brazilian international Casemiro has only made them more defensively fragile in transition, while the goalkeeper position, whether it’s Rocco Rios Novo or Canadian international Dayne St. Clair remains a concern.
While Inter Miami can still generally score for fun, the defensive lapses mean it may be difficult to repeat as MLS Cup winners.
Further down the table, the MLS Playoff field remains in flux, all six bottom half teams in the MLS Eastern Conference are now within 4 points or less of 9th place Orlando, the team that currently occupies the final playoff spot. NYCFC on 27 points are in the first team in a direct qualification position. Toronto, DC United, Atlanta United, Philadelphia, Montreal, and Columbus all retain a real chance at reaching the playoffs.
In the Western Conference, Portland, Salt Lake, and Colorado are the last teams in, on 28 points. Minnesota, San Diego, LA Galaxy, and Seattle Sounders are all within 3 points of that mark, meaning that nearly every MLS Team retains a chance at reaching the playoffs at this phase in the season.
Leagues Cup Quarterfinals Return This Week
Leagues Cup is back this week and the attention will be on two matchups in particular. Hugo Cuypers was Chicago Fire’s star striker, he asked for a transfer when Robert Lewandowski arrived as a DP in the same position, and he arrived in Monterrey. Now he returns to Chicago to face off with his old team on Tuesday. The Fire have been in-form lately, while Monterrey lost on the weekend to Leon 2-0 and are prone to defensive lapses.
Leon’s surprise run in the Leagues Cup has Colombia looking at calling up Daniel Arcila. The 24-year-old Arcila will lead Leon against Real Salt Lake on Tuesday. Both Monterrey and Leon are aiming to win to secure their place in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Wednesday it’s all about Club America, Las Aguilas lead Liga MX and just added former River Plate striker Miguel Borja to the squad. America will be the favorites in Southern California against a Columbus Crew side that are not currently in the MLS playoff field.
Toluca matches up with Austin FC, another side not currently in the MLS playoff picture.
River Plate and Santa Fe Will Settle Final Copa Sudamericana Quarterfinal Position
Due to Colombia’s earthquake, the River Plate vs Santa Fe clash was pushed back. Now on Wednesday night, the Argentine giants will host the Cardinals of Bogota in Buenos Aires, after both sides played out a scoreless draw in the first leg. Santa Fe are at a financial disadvantage to River, but River Plate continue to show fragility in the Liga Argentina, and can’t look past this match.
The other Copa Sudamericana Quarterfinals are set, in September, Boca Juniors will have a famous clash with Sao Paulo, Neymar and Santos take on Brazilian rivals Atletico Mineiro. Peru’s Cienciano will play Montevideo City Torque from the Uruguayan Primera Division.
Four Brazilian Sides in Copa Libertadores Quarterfinals
In the Libertadores, Deportes Tolima (Colombia) trail Independiente del Valle from Ecuador 1-0 after the first leg. The winner will face Flamengo after Flamengo slipped past Cruzeiro in the round of 16.
LDU Quito defeated Mirassol on penalties and will face Palmeiras in the quarterfinals. Breno Bidon’s goal in the 80th minute sent Corinthians past Rosario Central and their reward is a match against another Argentine side, Estudiantes in the quarterfinals.
The Brazil vs Argentina theme continues when Platense, who won on penalties over Coquimbo Unido, take on Fluminense, a side that also needed penalties to slip past Independiente Rivadavia. Fluminense survived the second half playing with 10 men.
Stadium Brawl Between America de Cali and Santa Fe Supporters Mars Colombia’s Return to Football
Colombia had focused national unity in wake of a tragic earthquake impacting western Colombia, including Cali, but on Saturday there was no such thing as unity when supporter groups from Santa Fe and America de Cali got into a violent clash in the stands, and on the field at El Campin in Bogota.
The match finished 0-0 and America de Cali continues to look like Colombia’s strongest team at the moment, but the supporter violence was particularly embarrassing for the Liga Betplay Dimayor after all the goodwill that had been earned as a result of earthquake relief efforts. When America de Cali supporters in Bogota attempted to steal a banner from Santa Fe, a clash began and the match had to be suspended for some time. The players also got somewhat caught up in the melee, America manager David Gonzalez said “They haven’t even talked about a fan assaulting our goalkeeper.”
The saddest part of this is that America de Cali, a club with supporters across Colombia, was set to play their home games in Bogota at El Campin, due to the earthquake damage in Cali. Now it’s perhaps likely that those games will be played without fans of the red devils given the scenes that were witnessed on Saturday.
Hormiga Gonzalez Joins Olympiacos
After Chivas Guadalajara made up the heart of Mexico’s World Cup squad they are now running the risk of being weakened by a transfer raid. Hormiga Gonzalez, one of the best goalscorers in Liga MX at just 23 was sold to Olympiacos in Greece for 8.6 million Euros. That fee is significant money in Liga MX and gives the rising Mexican striker a chance to star for the biggest club in Greece, but it does mean a new forward must step forward.
Even without Hormiga, Chivas dominated Tijuana Xolos 5-2 at home and likely still have enough talent to compete for a Liga MX title this season.
Colombia to play 3 Friendlies in the United States
Nestor Lorenzo’s “new look” Colombia will debut with three friendlies in the United States in September and October. After a round of 16 exit in the 2026 World Cup, the national team will begin again with matches against Mexico, Paraguay, and Peru, all in the United States. While Peru are in a rebuilding phase, Paraguay and Mexico both come off successful World Cup performances themselves.
Potential call ups for La Sele this window include Celtic striker Camilo Duran and Leon’s Daniel Arcila, both are players with the age profile to participate in Copa America, and the next World Cup, as players like James Rodriguez age out.
Main Photo Credit: IMAGO / Pacific Press Agency
