This past week was the first double matchweek of the 2026 MLS campaign, though both Montréal and Vancouver got the midweek fixtures off.
Now, every single team in the league (except for Seattle) has played nine or 10 games, and the gaps in the standings between who's good and who's not are starting to open up.
With April coming to a close, it's essentially a four-week sprint in May to put yourself in the best spot possible entering the World Cup break. For some teams, like Vancouver, it's just about continuing your good form. For the other two Canadian sides, they'll have to work a bit harder to pull themselves up into good standing.
Here's what stuck out in MLS' matchday 10 (and Toronto's matchday nine fixture!)
The measuring stick
First off, Saturday's final home game at BC Place before the stadium undergoes its World Cup changes was all focused on the #SaveTheCaps movement, where Whitecaps fans absolutely showed out, and did an excellent job making their voices heard. Hat tip to that.
“WE WILL FIGHT FOR OUR CLUB, AND WE WILL WIN.”
— TrueNorthFoot ⚽️🇨🇦 (@truenorthfoot) April 26, 2026
“HANDS OFF OUR WHITECAPS”
“#SAVETHECAPS”
The banners and flags held by the Vancouver Whitecaps supporters before their match against Colorado in reference to the club’s uncertain future in the city. #VWFC #MLS
📸 Ali… pic.twitter.com/23WcLBchsh
On the pitch, though, it was another pretty fascinating match. On the broadcasts and through what coaches say in their press conferences, an away fixture in Vancouver is often used as a measuring stick game.
Going away to a team that, for the past season and a bit now, has been arguably the best in MLS, is a great test for most up-and-coming teams to see how close they are to the cream of the crop in the league.
This week was Colorado's turn, coming off a brutal schedule where they played Inter Miami, LAFC and the Whitecaps all in eight days.
The Rapids are, under Matt Wells, a team that wants the ball and wants to use it and be aggressive to create chances, while not giving you much space at all when you're attacking them.
Defensively, the measuring stick for Colorado in this game was going to be how they handled Vancouver's midfield, and if they could prevent balls into the channel that open up the game and let the Whitecaps start playing downhill.
They were not able to do this, as the pivot of Andrés Cubas and Seb Berhalter often had too much time and space to hit these big passes, and from there, the wide players were able to get one-on-one and get the ball into runners in the box.
The first and third goals were both great examples of this. On the opener, Berhalter finds Édier Ocampo in space out wide, who beats his man, throws a long cross to an open Thomas Müller at the back post, who lays it off for Chiekh Sabaly in the middle for the opener.
Then, with the game even more open in the 85th minute with Colorado pushing for an equalizer, it was once again Berhalter who had space to pick his head up and play a ball into the channel. This one was a peach for Bruno Caicedo – who was excellent in his cameo off the bench – who left Keegan Rosenberry in the dust before squaring it for Brian White's brace.
This is what makes playing Vancouver so dangerous. They have so many different ways they can cut you open and create big chances, whether you're trying to be aggressive or passive. The quality and ability to do so many different things are why they're a great measuring stick for any team playing any setup.
Because, in the Western Conference this year, you're probably going to have to beat the 'Caps if you want a crack at MLS Cup.
Colorado may be a year away from being that team, but to their credit, they battled hard and created some chances of their own. In the return fixture, though, they're going to have to be more diligent in how their midfielders take away the time and space for Berhalter and Cubas to keep the chances against down.
Kings of New York
CF Montréal are now 3-0-0 against teams representing New York (yes, the Red Bulls play in New Jersey; just leave it be for the point), and 0-0-6 against teams representing any other city.
This is a trend they likely don't want to continue, as they have only one game left against a New York team this season.
Anyway, these first two weeks under Philippe Eullaffroy have been very positive for the Impact. This win over NYCFC was a bit more of a "score early and survive" type of game, though they defended very well down the stretch, really not giving the Pigeons anything in terms of shots or dangerous chances.
Prince Owusu took his chance well and is sneakily tied for first in MLS in goals+primary assists now, alongside Petar Musa and Rafael Navarro.
After that, the team stayed organized, and the personnel and tactical changes Eullaffroy has implemented have certainly steadied the ship. The addition of Samuel Piette back to the midfield has given it more balance and made it so Victor Loturi and Matty Longstaff aren't overwhelmed chasing shadows for 90 minutes.
Jalen Neal has had a pair of good performances starting at centre back as well, with his calmness and ability to read the game sticking out as a good fit in the back line.
The zonal marking principles have worked, and the team has bought in. That's what's been the most important thing in this transformation. Montréal is now just three points out of the wild card spots in the East with a game in hand, and they'll have to remain bought in to this philosophy against non-New York teams if they want to keep their season on track.
Lack of depth
In most ways, Toronto FC are a better team now than they were last season, and are on the right track with this rebuild.
Where they still must improve is the depth of their squad. With six or seven starters missing this weekend (Richie Laryea, Djordje Mihailović, Theo Corbeanu, Walker Zimmerman, Matheus Pereira all out from the start, then Benjamín Kuscevic and José Cifuentes limping off in the first 30 minutes), the depth of TFC was going to be tested against a frankly bad Atlanta side.
It's probably fair to say they failed this test. The midfield and back line let Atlanta play through them, including both the plays that set up Alexey Miranchuk's free kick as well as Tristan Muyumba's eventual game-winner. The attack couldn't really get going because the ball didn't get to the feet of Dániel Sallói or Josh Sargent in good spots enough times.
Most teams would struggle missing their entire back line and half their midfield, but Toronto suffers even more because the options off the bench are a mix of youngsters who aren't ready or have been developed poorly, and veterans who just aren't at the necessary level to do anything.
The back line problems also plagued them midweek against Philly, just as they did last weekend against Austin. This team just can't keep the goals down without all three of Kuscevic, Zimmerman and Laryea on the pitch.
Now with Laryea out for the next few weeks at least and Kuscevic's status up in the air, it's going to get a lot tougher over the coming weeks with top teams like San Jose and Miami coming to town, before travelling to play Charlotte and Chicago away before the World Cup break.
