A crazy day in MLS saw two 4-4 draws, with Phil Neville complaining Inter Miami had "defended like little boys" as they were held by FC Cincinnati.
Inter required a 97th-minute equaliser from Christopher McVey to rescue a point, despite having led 3-2 entering the final 10 minutes thanks to a first-half Gonzalo Higuain hat-trick.
Brandon Vazquez scored twice to turn the game on its head, leaving Neville furious despite McVey's last-gasp intervention.
"We defended like little boys, we defended naively, we didn't compete, we lacked discipline and concentration," the former Manchester United and Everton defender said. "And that's unacceptable, unacceptable.
"Simple balls into the box we didn't deal with. Simple concentration bits we didn't deal with.
"We are in the stage of the season where concentration is the main thing, concentration will get you to win games of football, and it's not going to be easy; you've just got to defend and do the right things all the time, and defensively we were as poor as we have been all season."
Remarkably, it was not Saturday's first eight-goal draw, as Minnesota United and the Portland Timbers had earlier played out a thriller.
Sebastian Blanco got the scoring started in the first minute, but there was no late drama in this one, with all eight goals netted before the 70-minute mark.
This was the first time in MLS history two matches on the same day have seen both teams score at least four goals, but there was a chasm between the Philadelphia Union and the Houston Dynamo in Saturday's third high-scoring game.
The Union ran out 6-0 winners as Mikael Uhre continued his stunning run of form at Subaru Park, netting either side of half-time for his fifth and sixth goals in his past four home games.
Uhre had also scored twice in a 7-0 defeat of DC United earlier in July, making Philly the first team to win multiple games by a six-goal margin in a single MLS season.
Elsewhere, New York City FC lost ground on the Union in the East as they drew with CF Montreal, while Sebastian Druissi continued his MVP bid by inspiring Austin FC to a 2-0 win at Sporting Kansas City.
"He continues to demonstrate why he deserves that [award]," said Austin coach Josh Wolff.
Philadelphia Union v Toronto FC: Reds keep growing under Herdman
Toronto FC head coach John Herdman admits his team still have some growing to do as they travel to Philadelphia Union on Wednesday.
Despite losing three of their last four MLS games – winning the other 5-1 at home to CF Montreal – Toronto sit sixth in the Eastern Conference on 22 points with a very balanced record.
They have won seven and lost seven of their league games, drawing the other one, and have both scored and conceded 24 goals.
After conceding late in their 4-3 loss to Cincinnati, Herdman says his team need to put more work into their defensive side of the game.
"It's that level of concentration, that level of discipline that championship teams are able to bring to games," Herdman said.
"Knowing your job and delivering your job in high-pressure moments where you stay concentrated for long periods of time, that was the message [this week].
"I think collectively as a group they recognized it. And they welcomed it. They know we're growing. They know we’re on a bit of a journey."
Philadelphia are four points off a final series place in eighth with 18 points and are unbeaten in their last two matches after failing to win any of the previous six.
Asked about the test his side will face against Toronto, the Union head coach Jim Curtin said they are a "much-improved team.
"Really well organized, really well coached. A dangerous team."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Philadelphia Union – Daniel Gazdag
Gazdag has been involved in eight goals (four goals, four assists) in three home matches against Toronto FC, recording multiple goal contributions in each match.
Toronto FC – Lorenzo Insigne
After recording two assists against Montreal last week, Insigne had a goal and an assist on Saturday, the second player, along with Federico Bernardeschi, to contribute to multiple goals in consecutive matches for Toronto this season.
MATCH PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN
The Union have won each of their last four home matches against Toronto by a combined score of 16-2. Philadelphia had won just four of their first 11 home matches against the Reds (D3 L4).
However, the Union have lost four consecutive home matches for the first time in club history. Philadelphia had suffered three defeats in their previous 59 matches at Subaru Park before this run.
Meanwhile, Toronto nearly drew with FC Cincinnati on Saturday, losing 4-3 to a goal in the third minute of stoppage time. Toronto have drawn only one of their last 36 matches in all competitions dating back to last June (W11 L24).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Philadelphia Union – 67.7%
Draw – 18.9%
Toronto FC – 13.4%
FC Cincinnati v Nashville SC: Noonan praises hosts' adaptability
Pat Noonan believes being able to win in different ways has been the key to FC Cincinnati's fine run of form, as the Orange and Blue look to make it eight straight victories against Nashville SC on Wednesday.
Cincinnati have won their last seven league games to surge up the Eastern Conference standings, and they currently sit just one point adrift of leaders Inter Miami with a game in hand.
They overcame fellow high-fliers Toronto FC by a 4-3 scoreline in a thriller last time out, and Noonan has praised his players for being adaptable in the face of different challenges.
"It's hard to win in this league and it's hard to win consecutively like we've done," Noonan said.
"I think what we're able to do is adapt in games and win in different ways. When we need to have the quality with the ball and score goals, we were able to do that.
"We've seen the one-goal wins, and finally being able to win a game by two goals last week against St. Louis City. So we can win in different ways, which is important."
Nashville, meanwhile, are still awaiting their first win under interim coach Rumba Munthali, having played out back-to-back draws with Atlanta United (1-1) and CF Montreal (0-0) since they fired Gary Smith.
"It's been good, it's been positive," Munthali said of the team's work on the training ground.
"The guys have done the work that was asked of them and have been really positive and receptive, especially at a tough time in this transition."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta
Acosta assisted Cincinnati's winner last Saturday, his ninth straight regular-season match with a goal contribution, equalling the longest run in MLS since the start of the 2023 season.
Since 2000, only six players have recorded a double-digit streak of regular-season games with a goal contribution.
Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar
Mukhtar created five chances for team-mates in Nashville's draw with Montreal last time out, his most in a match this season.
Nine of the 19 chances Mukhtar has created this year have come in two games against Montreal, with just 10 in his other 10 matches. Will that performance be a turning point?
MATCH PREDICTION – FC CINCINNATI WIN
Nashville have only won only one of their last 16 MLS away matches (six draws, nine defeats including playoffs), including going winless in their last eight (four draws, four losses).
Nashville's last road win over an Eastern Conference foe came over a year ago, a 2-1 victory at Charlotte FC on May 20, 2023.
Cincinnati's 4-3 win at Toronto last time out was their 31st victory in their last 50 regular-season matches dating back to October 2022, the most wins in a span of 50 regular-season matches in MLS in the post-shootout era (since 2000).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
FC Cincinnati – 56.5%
Nashville SC – 21.6%
Draw – 21.9%
Pineda confident things will turn for Atlanta ahead of Miami trip
Gonzalo Pineda remains confident things will turn for Atlanta United after nine MLS games without a victory, as the Five Stripes prepare to visit Inter Miami on Wednesday.
Atlanta sit 12th in the Eastern Conference, 21 points adrift of pacesetters Miami, after failing to win any of their last nine matches since the start of April (four draws, five defeats).
Sporting Kansas City (two) are the only team in MLS to earn fewer than the four points Atlanta have picked up in that span.
However, Pineda believes the fact Atlanta are still creating chances is a major positive, saying Thiago Almada's return to full fitness will surely lead to an upturn.
Speaking after Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Los Angeles FC, he said: "I'm very confident in the team, honestly.
"Once again I thought we created some big chances, and we didn't have Thiago available for more than 30 minutes. With that, we have our backline being stable again and we'll have our best attacking pieces together again.
"That's the confidence I have. We're creating chances and we just need to be a little bit more clinical."
Miami, meanwhile, continued their strong form with a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps last time out, despite Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets all being rested.
While Messi's absence infuriated many of the 55,000 fans present in Vancouver, coach Gerardo Martino says it was important to give the Argentina great a breather, and he is expected to feature on Wednesday.
"It must be stressed that he has played a lot of minutes this season, so we had to find a moment to give him a break and to rest him for a match," Martino said of Messi.
"In this specific case, the trip to Vancouver made the most sense. We understand people's frustrations, especially because of the desire these fans have to see these players.
"But as coaches, we have to make these decisions that are uncomfortable and that will frustrate people. Ultimately we have to look after our players and the team."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Inter Miami – Leonardo Campana
Prior to missing last week's trip to Vancouver, Messi had gone consecutive starts without a goal contribution for the second time since joining Miami last year.
Fortunately for the Herons, Campana has stepped up, hitting back-to-back winners against D.C. United and the Whitecaps. He has four goals in MLS this term, despite only making six starts.
Atlanta United – Brooks Lennon
No Atlanta player has recorded more key passes in MLS this year than Lennon's 33, a tally only Almada can match.
If the Five Stripes are to end their dismal run of form, he could have a key role to play.
MATCH PREDICTION – INTER MIAMI WIN
Atlanta are winless in 13 straight away matches in all competitions (seven draws, six defeats), and have now managed just four wins in their last 43 road games.
Miami, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last 10 MLS matches, winning seven of the last eight. They even showed they can cope without Messi on Saturday, recording just their third win in 14 matches without the Argentine since his arrival last July (five draws, six losses).
Miami have never lost a home game against Atlanta, winning four and drawing two versus them, including winning each of the teams' last three clashes in Fort Lauderdale.
The only road win in the 12-match history of the teams' series was a 2-1 victory for the Herons at Atlanta in September 2020.
Martino's team enter Wednesday's game as big favourites, regardless of the status of their stars.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Inter Miami – 51.2%
Atlanta United – 25.7%
Draw – 23.1%
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