Below is a selection of the notable performances and moments from the 13 matches played on the 14th matchday of the 2024 MLS regular season on Wednesday, May 15.
Kelsy Off to a Quick Start in Cincinnati
After scoring his first goal for the club on Matchday 13, 19-year-old Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy scored the game-winning goal for FC Cincinnati on Matchday 14 in his first start. The goal came in Kelsy’s 58th minute of regular season action, which made him the fastest teenager to score two goals in their MLS career. He surpassed Diego Fagúndez, who held the previous record of 89 minutes, and Kelsy joined Fagúndez and Serge Ngoma as the only teenagers in league history to score two goals within their first 100 regular season minutes.
Cincinnati’s 1-0 victory saw 23-year-old goalkeeper Roman Celentano keep a league-leading fifth clean sheet in 2024, and Cincinnati maintained a league-best 10 goals conceded. The shutout was Celentano’s 23rd since his debut in 2022, and only the Philadelphia Union’s Andre Blake (24) has kept more clean sheets during that span.
Celentano and Kelsy will return to action for Cincinnati on Matchday 15 when St. Louis CITY SC comes to town for the second-ever meeting between these two sides on Saturday, May 18 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Bouanga’s Game-Winning Brace Silences St. Louis
LAFC were winless on the road entering Matchday 14, but Dénis Bouanga made sure that was not the case anymore when the Black and Gold departed CITYPARK. Bouanga scored both goals in the club’s 2-0 victory over St. Louis CITY SC, bringing his regular season total to eight in 2024, which leads LAFC once again. With the victory tonight, LAFC have now moved up to third in the Western Conference standings.
The Gabonese international’s strike in the 59th minute proved to be the game-winning goal in the match and the 10th of his career. Bouanga joined Carlos Vela (10) as the only players in club history with double-digit game-winning goals. In his career, approximately 35% of Bouanga’s regular season goals have proved to be the game winner.
Charlotte Shut Down Chicago with Another Shutout
Charlotte FC has been synonymous with ironclad defense so far in 2024, conceding just 13 goals through 13 games played (tied-fifth fewest).
Matchday 14’s win over Chicago Fire FC was no different as Charlotte recorded a third consecutive victory with a shutout for the first time in club history. Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina made four saves to help his side preserve a 1-0 win and climb to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. The shutout was Kahlina’s fifth of the season, tied for the league lead and the 18th since he made his MLS regular season debut in 2022.
The club will look to extend their club-record streak this weekend on Saturday, May 18 when Charlotte hosts the LA Galaxy for Matchday 15 action (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Pablo Mastroeni Guiding Salt Lake’s Young Stars to Success
Matchday 14 saw five different home teams fall in front of their supporters, but Real Salt Lake would not be one of them, extending their unbeaten streak to nine games by producing a comfortable 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC. The nine-game stretch has seen the club rocket up to the top of the Western Conference standings and four points clear of second place.
Salt Lake have now recorded unbeaten streaks of at least nine games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in club history. The man pulling the strings for the Claret and Cobalt has been head coach Pablo Mastroeni, who earned his 40th regular season victory for the club tonight. Mastroeni’s development of young players has helped transform RSL and two of those shined tonight with goals: Diego Luna (20) and Andrés Gómez (21).
Red Bulls Rampage to a Big Win in D.C.
The New York Red Bulls produced another four-goal game during Matchday 14, this time coming on the road at D.C. United to help them maintain third place in the Eastern Conference standings after Wednesday night’s action.
With the 4-1 win yesterday evening and a 5-3 win at Audi Field last season, the Red Bulls became the ninth club in league history to score nine goals against the same opponent in consecutive away games. Midfielder Lewis Morgan was on the scoresheet again with his ninth goal of the season, which leads the team and ranks fifth in MLS through 13 games played.
Brazilian forward Elias Manoel, though, stole the show with the first goal of the game, which saw the 22-year-old chip D.C. United’s goalkeeper from midfield to give the Red Bulls the lead just before half time (**WATCH HERE**). Manoel then provided an assist to the game-winning goal by Cameron Harper to start the second half, becoming the first Red Bulls player to record at least one goal and one assist in consecutive matches since Kaku in 2018.
