Dukes SC set the pace this round with a score of 152 points, and at the top of the overall table, BL4CKnRED saw their overall lead shrink ever so slightly, to 57 points.
Positional Leaders
Goalkeepers
A trio of goalkeepers tied for the positional lead, with Patrick Schulte (CLB, $8.1), John McCarthy ($7.8), and Tim Melia ($7.1) each scoring 13 points with a clean sheet, while Schulte added an assist, and Melia a penalty save. For, I don’t know, performance reasons(?), D.C. had two scoring goalkeepers, with Alex Bono ($6.5) scoring 5 points, and Tyler Miller ($7.0) -1.
Defenders
Ryan Hollingshead (LA, $7.8) paired a goal with a clean sheet on the way to 17 points, leading the defenders. Right behind him was the 16-point pair of Nick Hagglund (CIN, $6.3) and Nkosi Tafari (DAL, $7.9), both of whom kept a clean sheet and scored a goal. The United defense featured Ruan ($7.6) and Derrick Williams ($6.1) with 4 points, Brendan Hines-Ike ($4.4) with 2, and both Pedro Santos ($8.5) and Steven Birnbaum ($5.8) with 1.
Midfielders
Atlanta’s Thiago Almada ($13.8) put up a goal, two assists, and a further seven attacking bonus points on the way to a position and overall-leading 24 points. Off the pace were Ryan Gauld (VAN, $12.6), with 17 points on a goal and two assists, and Erik Thommy (SKC, $8.4), with 15 points on a goal and an assist. Ted Ku-Dipietro ($4.9) led the DCU midfield with 6 points, followed by Mateusz Klich ($7.4) with 5, Russell Canouse ($5.8) with 4, both Gabriel Pirani ($7.6) and Yamil Asad ($5.9) with 2, and Chris Durkin ($5.9) with 1.
Forwards
Denis Bouanga’s (LA, $11.3) three assists helped him to 20 points, leading the forwards ahead of his teammate, Carlos Vela , who scored 14 points on a goal and an assist. Vancouver’s Brian White ($9.6) rounded out the top three with a goal, an assist, and 11 points. Christian Benteke ($6.8) was the only participating D.C. forward with 3 points.
Looking Ahead
It’s a two-game bonanza! So many teams are playing twice that it’s much easier to list the ones that aren’t: LAFC, DCU, Toronto, Kansas City. That’s the list. I like Dayne St. Clair (MIN, $8.4) in goal vs. Colorado and @ San Jose, and if Alvaro Barreal (CIN, $10.1) starts again, get him in the defense @ Atlanta and vs. Orlando. Riqui Puig (LAG, $10.6) looks strong in the midfield @ San Jose and vs. Houston, and so does Giorgos Giakoumakis (ATL, $9.2) vs. Cincinnati and @ Dallas.