RNY FC extended its winning run to four matches, ending Columbus Crew 2’s seven-match winning streak with a convincing 4-0 win at Historic Crew Stadium. MNUFC2 made it seven matches unbeaten after putting five goals past Colorado Rapids 2 on Sunday, continuing its surge up the Western Conference standings. Chicago Fire FC II forward Josh Penn became the third MLS Next Pro player this season to score a hat trick, propelling the visitors past TFC II 6-2 at BMO Field on Friday. Penn was also one of five players to deliver multi-goal performances in Week 10 action of league play.
Here’s your MLS NEXT Pro week ten recap by the numbers.
38 goals in Week 10, a new single-week high
A total of 38 goals were scored in Week 10, which is a new season-high in MLS NEXT Pro. There was an average of 3.8 goals per game, which tied the season-high back from Week 4.
The previous high for a single week came in Weeks 5, 8, and 9 where 35 goals were scored in each of those weeks.
Chicago Fire FC II led all teams by scoring six goals on Friday while MNUFC2 and FC Cincinnati 2 bagged five apiece in victories.
RNY FC extends winning run to four matches by ending Crew 2’s winning streak
Rochester New York FC continued its surge up the Eastern Conference standings by earning its fourth-consecutive win on Sunday in Columbus.
Bruno Baltazar’s side ended Columbus Crew 2’s seven-match winning run by rolling to a 4-0 result at Historic Crew Stadium. Gibran Rayo scored twice for RNY FC while Ian Garrett and Gabriel Costa also found the back of the net in a convincing performance from the visitors.
After handing Crew 2 their second defeat of the season, RNY FC moved to fifth place in the East, one point behind fourth-place Philadelphia Union II.
Josh Penn becomes third MLS NEXT Pro player to score hat trick
Chicago Fire FC II claimed their first road win of the MLS NEXT Pro season with forward Josh Penn scoring his first hat trick in the process.
Penn led the way for Ludovic Taillandier’s side, scoring three goals in the opening 34 minutes of a 6-2 victory at BMO FIeld over TFC II. The 21-year-old came into the match still searching for his first goal of 2022, but now with three under his belt in one match, Penn will hope this sparks him to more goals in the near future.
Omari Glasgow, Erik Kocs-Washburn, and Missael Rodriguez also added tallies in the second half as Chicago Fire II doubled their goal tally from the past four matches combined.
MNUFC2 makes it seven matches unbeaten
Minnesota United 2 continued their advancement up the Western Conference standings, extending their unbeaten run to seven matches after a 5-1 romp over Colorado Rapids 2 on Sunday.
Niko Hansen led the way with his first two goals for Cameron Knowles’ side, while three different players also found the back of the net. Sunday’s victory was Minnesota United 2’s first in regulation since April 24, after the club ended up on the winning end of shootouts in the last three weeks.
With Hansen, Aziel Jackson, and Tommy Williamson all contributing goals, MNUFC2 will be tough for many of the West’s best.
Penn, Markanich headline five multi-goal performances in Week 10
Five different players delivered multi-goal performances in Week 10’s action with Orlando City B’s Jack Lynn returning as the only player to do so previously this season.
Lynn scored twice for OCB in a 5-3 home defeat to FC Cincinnati 2 on Sunday, while Nick Markanich delivered two goals of his own for Tyrone Marshall’s side at Exploria Stadium.
The aforementioned Josh Penn registered a hat trick for Chicago Fire FC II in a 6-2 victory over TFC II. It was Penn’s first goals of the MLS NEXT Pro campaign.
Gibran Rayo and Niko Hansen also registered their first multi-goal performances of the season in important victories for their respective clubs. A total of 30 players have now scored two or more goals in a single match this season, with that number likely to increase with ample regular-season matches left in 2022.
Jacob Jackson leads way for goalkeepers with nine-save shutout
Jacob Jackson has been a brick wall for New England Revolution II this season, but the 22-year-old set a new career-high in his latest gem on Friday.
Jackson registered nine saves in a 1-0 shutout victory over Philadelphia Union II, surpassing his previous individual record of eight, which he’s done on two occasions in 2022. The former Loyola Marymount University shot-stopper has posted five clean sheets in eight appearances for Revs II, which has boosted him into the top spot for that category this season.
Earthquakes II’s Rudi Castro scores 300th MLS NEXT Pro goal of season
Rudi Castro’s goal on Sunday night in Missouri not only helped Earthquakes II force a shootout against hosts St Louis CITY2, but was also the 300th combined goal scored by all clubs in the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season.
Castro’s 48th-minute free-kick finish leveled things up in what finished as a 1-1 result prior to CITY2 and Quakes II heading into a shootout. Quakes II would edge John Hackworth’s side 4-3 in the shootout to walk away with two points in an important road result.
FC Cincinnati 2 earns first road victory with new team-best goal outing
FC Cincinnati 2 has struggled to find success on the road this season, but finally got to savor a first victory away from Northern Kentucky University on Sunday.
Tyrone Marshall’s squad scored five goals in a 5-3 win over Orlando City B, which is the most FCC2 has scored in a single match this season. The aforementioned Nick Markanich scored twice at Exploria Stadium while Avionne Flanagan and Andrew Akindele also scored for the visitors.
FCC2 had only scored six goals total in its last six matches but earned some needed form heading into June’s schedule.
