Matchday 7 in MLS NEXT Pro brought impressive individual performances and late game-winning goals.
Here's a closer look at the dramatic results and outstanding performances in MLS NEXT Pro Matchday 7.
Inter Miami II (3) - Atlanta United 2 (2)
Miles Perkovich stole the show in the 88th minute, handing Inter Miami II all three points with an incredible goal from outside the box. Perkovich, a 16-year-old, scored his first Inter Miami II goal in stunning fashion.
Inter Miami II completed a three-goal comeback, after Tyler Wolff and Karim Tmimi put Atlanta United 2 up 2-0 in only the fourth minute. Inter Miami II clawed back by halftime with a goal from Lucas Meek and an own goal forced by a clever flick from Meek.
ATL UTD 2 had its three-game winning streak halted, while Inter Miami II gets back in the win column after a loss last week against Crew II.
New York Red Bulls II (1) - Philadelphia Union II (2)
Three red cards produced nervy moments in the final minutes for either team, but Union II held on to claim a 2-1 win thanks to a brace from Nelson Pierre. Pierre struck in the 20th and 39th minutes.
Red Bulls II finished the match with nine men after red cards to Juan Gutierrez in the 87th minute and Jayden Reid in the second minute of stoppage time. Red Bulls II's Ricardo Gorday scored his team's only goal by converting a penalty kick in the 78th minute.
Union II has now claimed eight points from its last four matches, while Red Bulls II saw its three-match winning streak halted.
TFC II (3) - FC Cincinnati 2 (0)
Jordan Faria's brace ensured TFC II earned its first win in the 2023 season. Hugo Mbongue added a third goal in the 81st minute as the Canadian club triumphed at York Lions Stadium.
Faria struck in the 16th minute, and again in the 36th minute. The 22-year-old completed every pass he attempted and added three key passes in an impressive showing.
TFC II will seek to make it two wins in a row next week at home against New England Revolution II. FCC2 fell to a loss for the first time since March 31.
LA Galaxy II (0) - Colorado Rapids 2 (5)
Colorado Rapids 2 continues to top the Western Conference, and a 5-0 win over LA Galaxy II on the road Sunday night showed why. Yosuke Hanya, fresh off being named MLS NEXT Pro's Player of the Month for April, added two more goals. Hanya leads MLS NEXT Pro with seven goals, and has scored in every game he's played.
Hanya scored in the 42nd minute and Marlon Vargas scored in the 17th minute to give Rapids 2 a two-goal halftime lead. Daniel Garcia made it 3-0 in the 51st minute, and Hanya added his second goal in the 58th minute.
To top things off for Rapids 2, Remi Cabral scored his first goal of the season in impressive fashion for the fifth goal. Cabral scored a day after his twin brother, Kevin Cabral, scored his first goal for the Rapids' first team.
MNUFC2 (3) - Chicago Fire FC II (3) (MNUFC2 wins shootout 3-2)
MNUFC2 returned to good form with an exciting six-goal shootout win over Chicago Fire FC II. An own goal in the 90th minute to tie the match at 3-3 after regulation allowed MNUFC2 to preserve two points.
Minnesota United 2 went ahead two goals in the first half, with Molik Khan punching in a rebound off a Mihailo Miskovic save and Patrick Weah converting from the penalty spot.
Fire II stormed back from the two-goal deficit with goals from Harold Osorio in the 19th minute, Omari Glasgow in the 54th minute and the go-ahead goal from Billy Hency in the 63rd minute.
Fire II are left with a five-match winless streak, while MNUFC2 bounced back from last week's shootout loss to Austin FC II.
Timbers2 (0) - Austin FC II (1)
Austin FC II cruised to a win over Timbers2 behind a fourth-minute goal from David Rodriguez. Austin FC II, tied on 18 points with Colorado Rapids 2, stretch an unbeaten run to six games with the win.
MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Month for April Damian Las started May well, with three saves in his third clean sheet of the season.
North Texas SC (4) - St Louis CITY2 (1)
A strong second half saw North Texas SC rise to the occasion for a 4-1 win over St Louis CITY2. Jose Mulato scored two goals to allow North Texas to climb into the lead after John Klein put CITY2 ahead 1-0 in the 23rd minute.
Tyshawn Rose notched three assists as he connected North Texas's potent attack. Herbet Endeley scored in the 82nd minute and Hope Kodzo Avayevu scored with a powerful shot from outside the box in the 88th minute to complete North Texas's scoring.
North Texas SC continues to work through a rollercoaster of results, returning to the win column this week after a two-game losing streak. CITY2's unbeaten streak halted at two games with the loss.
Whitecaps FC 2 (1) - Houston Dynamo 2 (0)
Whitecaps FC 2 continues to excel, grabbing all three points with a late goal to defeat Houston Dynamo 2. Jean-Claude Ngando scored the game's only goal, capitalizing on a defensive mistake from Dynamo Dos.
WFC2 goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer made four saves to preserve the clean sheet.
Whitecaps FC 2 bounced back from last week's loss to CITY2 to continue to set the pace alongside Tacoma Defiance in the Western Conference. Dynamo Dos were shut out for just the second time so far this season.
Saturday's match
NYCFC II (4) - New England Revolution II (2)
NYCFC II emerged winners from a match that included four penalty kicks and a pivotal red card. Nicholas Benalcazar scored from the penalty spot to lead NYCFC II to the win.
Revs II's Peyton Miller received a second yellow card in the 64th minute, with the game tied 1-1. Revs II nonetheless took the lead six minutes later with a converted penalty kick from Marcos Dias for his second goal of the game.
NYCFC II came back to claim three points with Benalcazar's goals and a tying goal in the 81st minute from Matthew Myers.
Friday's matches
Columbus Crew 2 (1) - Huntsville City FC (0)
Columbus Crew 2 made it five wins in the first six games of the 2023 season, defeating Huntsville City FC behind a 19th-minute strike from Marco Micaletto.
Crew 2 goalkeeper Stanislas Lapkes earned Man of the Match honors with seven saves in a clean sheet performance.
Crown Legacy (3) - Orlando City B (2)
Crown Legacy remained undefeated with a win against fellow Eastern Conference contender Orlando City B. Crown Legacy's Iuri Tavares scored on each end of the game, providing Crown Legacy's first goal in the second minute and the game's final goal in the 73rd minute.
Crown Legacy handed OCB its second loss of the 2023 season. Orlando City B led at halftime with a 39th-minute goal from Moises Tablante and a Crown Legacy own goal, but Thiago and Tavares ensured Crown Legacy continues to lead the Eastern Conference.
Real Monarchs (1) - Tacoma Defiance (2)
Tacoma Defiance mounted a comeback on the road to maintain excellent form in the Western Conference. Eythor Bjorgolfsson and Braudilio Rodrigues scored in the second half to cancel out a 61st-minute opening goal from Real Monarchs' Duncan Jarvie.
Defiance, with 14 points, remain in third in the Western Conference. Real Monarchs saw its momentum halted after two wins in a row.
Earthquakes II (1) - Sporting Kansas City II (2)
One goal in each half allowed Sporting Kansas City II to earn three points on the road against Earthquakes II. Andrew Draper opened his scoring account with Sporting Kansas City II, finding the net by capitalizing on defensive mistakes by Quakes II in the 24th minute.
Joshua Coan scored a penalty kick to make it 2-0 in the 67th minute. Quakes II pulled a goal back, with Rodolfo Castro scoring in the 78th minute.
Sporting KC II managed to bounce back from a two-game winning streak with Friday's win.
