MLS REVIEW 16 Aug 2026: Damiani Double Sinks NYCFC as Philadelphia Complete Comeback

Philadelphia produced the standout result of the MLS weekend, coming from two goals down to beat NYCFC 3-2 at Yankee Stadium. Bénie Traoré put NYCFC ahead from the penalty spot in the 4th minute, and Luighi added a second penalty on the stroke of half-time to send the hosts in 2-0 up. Philadelphia responded almost immediately after the restart when Danley Jean Jacques scored in the 48th minute, before Bruno Damiani took over: his equaliser arrived in the 69th minute and his winner six minutes later, in the 75th, to complete the turnaround.

The result extended a strong run for Philadelphia under interim coach Ryan Richter, who has now won four in a row since replacing Bradley Carnell, who was let go in late May. NYCFC boss Pascal Jansen had no explanation for the second-half collapse: "I don't have the answer. Never expected what I saw in the second half." Forward Malachi Jones tried to put the defeat in perspective afterwards, saying, "The game's not won in the middle of August."

Elsewhere, Chicago beat Portland 2-1, with Robin Lod’s ninth-minute opener and Dje Tah D’Avilla’s 14th-minute second putting the hosts in control before Finn Surman’s 85th-minute reply for Portland proved only a consolation; our model had favoured Chicago at 56%, and got it right. Dallas won 2-1 away at Austin, taking the lead through Lalas Abubakar right on half-time before Austin’s Ervin Torres levelled in the 57th minute, only for Petar Musa to restore the visitors’ lead in the 73rd minute; our model gave Dallas just 42% and that call came off too. Vancouver won 2-0 at Seattle without scoring until the final quarter of the game, Rayan Elloumi breaking the deadlock in the 77th minute and Thomas Müller adding a second in the 82nd; our model had backed Vancouver at 47%, another correct call.