MLS Winners and Losers: Portland Timbers' Historic Hat-Trick, Josh Sargent Shines, and Cavan Sullivan's Rising Star

The Portland Timbers have been part of MLS since 2011, playing 521 games without a single player scoring a hat-trick. Sixty-seven players had scored twice in one game, but none managed to reach three goals—until Vincent Janssen changed that narrative on Saturday.

Janssen, once a backup at Tottenham during Harry Kane’s rise, made history by scoring the club’s first-ever hat-trick in their 522nd game. This milestone came during a thrilling 5-4 victory over Minnesota, where Janssen opened the scoring with a penalty in the 11th minute, followed by another goal 15 minutes later, and completed the trio with a tap-in in the 55th minute. While his future with Portland remains uncertain, his goals are helping keep the team in playoff contention.

Cavan Sullivan Proves His Worth for Philadelphia Union

Signed young by Manchester City, Cavan Sullivan was expected to thrive in MLS eventually. Last season came too soon for him to break through as Philadelphia dominated the league. But after a coaching change with interim manager Ryan Richter, who has known Sullivan from his youth, the teenager got his chance.

Sullivan has seized it, scoring in three straight matches and tallying four goals plus three assists over 1,218 league minutes. His latest came in a neat finish during Philadelphia’s 2-0 win over Montreal. Although challenges remain, Sullivan’s performances suggest he belongs among MLS’s promising talents.

Colorado Rapids Struggle Despite New Signings

The Colorado Rapids made significant moves during the transfer window, adding four new players after losing their top defender and leading scorer for $35 million combined. The investment showed faith in first-year coach Matt Wells, who hoped to boost their offense. However, results have been disappointing.

Colorado has only netted 31 goals this season, and their defense remains their strong suit rather than their attack. Saturday’s 3-0 loss was rough, with key signings Morgan Whittaker and Sayed Abu Farkhi largely absent from the game. The Rapids will need patience as their new roster gels.

Weather Disruptions Affect FC Cincinnati and D.C. United

Stormy conditions caused scheduling headaches on Saturday night. Inter Miami’s match versus Atlanta United started an hour late due to thunderstorms, a familiar pattern for the Herons.

Meanwhile, FC Cincinnati and D.C. United faced even more disruption. After warming up, their game was delayed twice before being postponed altogether. D.C. United added some unintended humor with a typo on their official social media, tweeting "THE D.C, UNITED."

Josh Sargent’s Hat-Trick Highlights Toronto FC’s Mixed Season

Toronto FC remain puzzling. Despite having the eighth-highest payroll in MLS, they sit 11th in the Eastern Conference. Their attacking stats are mostly poor, except for goals per 90 minutes, ranking 14th. Defensively, they struggle against set pieces more than almost every other team.

Josh Sargent, signed in February, was expected to address these issues but hadn't made a big impact until Saturday. He scored a hat-trick in a gritty 4-4 draw against Chicago, showing flashes of the Premier League talent he once was. Toronto haven’t lost in six matches, making things unpredictable north of the border.

Penalty Blunder for Prince Owusu

Prince Owusu experienced one of the most memorable misses of the weekend with a penalty that could be described as one of the worst you’ll see. It certainly didn’t help his side’s cause.