After a brief break, the MLS fantasy season resumed over the weekend with full slate of games as Week 14 featured 20 teams in action. A lot of the soccer attention is going to Euro 2016 and Copa America, but MLS is still happening. There was certainly plenty of scoring around the league with five of the first eight games featuring three goals or more, while one team rediscovered its strong play at the defensive end of the pitch in order to secure the lone clean sheet win of the weekend. Here is a look at the top individual fantasy performances by position in the MLS from this past weekend.
GK: Clint Irwin, Toronto FC
Toronto FC secured its first win in five games thanks in big part to an excellent performance from their goalkeeper Irwin, who shut the door on the three shots he faced. Even despite their four-game winless drought, TFC still ranks first in the Eastern Conference with just 15 goals allowed this season and they will need Irwin to continue to step up if they are going to clinch a playoff spot once again this season.
Honorable Mention: Luis Robles, New York Red Bulls; Tim Melia, Sporting Kansas City
D: Lawrence Olum, Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City snapped a three-game winless drought with a 2-0 win over FC Dallas thanks in big part to the play of Olum at both ends of the floor. Olum scored what ended up being the game-winning goal on his lone shot on target and held his own at the defensive end of the pitch to help clinch the clean sheet victory.
Honorable Mention: Drew Moor, Toronto FC; London Woodberry, New England; Chad Barrett, San Jose; Seb Hines, Orlando City SC
M: Benny Feilhaber, Sporting Kansas City
Feilhaber was all over the pitch for Sporting KC in their bounce-back victory and his two points were enough to lock him in to this spot. Feilhaber assisted on Olum’s opening goal and then added one of his own on a penalty kick just a few minutes later as SKC delivered with a 2-0 win over FC Dallas. In terms of MLS fantasy, SKC has now allowed just 18 goals in 11 games this season. That number is the third-fewest in the Western Conference.
M: Shea Salinas, San Jose
San Jose delivered a wild finish against Orlando City SC with three goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation on the way to a 2-2 tie. Chad Barrett tied the game at 1-1 in the 85th minute but disaster struck for the Earthquakes just six minutes later when Julio Baptista made it 2-1 for Orlando. That opened the door for Salinas to play the hero as his goal in the fourth minute of added time tied it at 2-2 and helped San Jose salvage a much-needed point while also stepping up with the second-best MLS fantasy score for a midfielder this past weekend.
Honorable Mention: Yura Movsisyan, Real Salt Lake; Andrea Pirlo, New York City FC; Kevin Doyle, Colorado
F: Mike Grella, New York Red Bulls
Grella was an absolute force for the Red Bulls in their 2-0 win over Seattle, scoring both goals with three total shots in the game. Grella opened the scoring in the 18th minute and then added another goal in the 59th minute to seal New York’s fourth win in a row as they continued their march towards the top of the Eastern Conference standings. In terms of MLS fantasy, this team has now scored 26 goals in 15 games this season. Those 26 goals are the most in the Eastern Conference and the second-most in the MLS. Only the LA Galaxy have more (27).
F: David Villa, New York City FC
Villa delivered another vintage performance with a goal and seven shots in NYCFC’s 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Union. We had him in our MLS fantasy lineup and he delivered. Villa raised his goal total to 11 in 16 matches so far this season and was a big reason why New York was able to snap out of a tough stretch with its first win in five games.
Honorable Mention: Fanendo Adi, Portland; Kelyn Rowe, New England; Juan Manuel Martinez, Real Salt Lake
