Beer-chugging goal, Messi’s Miami win, Crew sack coach: MLS weekend wrap

San Jose Earthquakes forward Sam Sarver chugged a beer thrown onto the field after scoring the winning goal in FC Dallas’ 2-1 victory at PayPal Park on Saturday.

The Earthquakes, surprise leaders of the Western Conference in Bruce Arena’s second season, had equalized in the 80th minute through an unnamed scorer, setting up a dramatic finish.

Sarver, who entered in the 84th minute, scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute to secure all three points for Dallas.

After celebrating by diving along the advertising boards, Sarver caught a beer thrown from the stands and chugged it.

“When life throws you a stadium beer, you best crush it,” Sarver appeared to act on that adage.

Dallas, rebounding from a tumultuous 2025 season, have become a resilient side under head coach Eric Quill, known for a disciplined defensive block and opportunistic counterattacks.

Center forward Petar Musa, arguably MLS’s best pure striker, is poised to represent Croatia at the World Cup. Off the bench, Logan Farrington has five goals and two assists in 698 minutes, while Sarver has three goals in 182 minutes after leading North Texas SC with 19 goals in 2025.

Under Quill, who coached North Texas from 2019-2021, Dallas commits deeply to a bunker-and-counter strategy, per analyst Futi. That approach has kept them competitive against the West’s top teams, including a win over second-place San Jose after containing Real Salt Lake a week earlier.

Musa’s future will heavily influence Dallas’ chances of reaching the conference final for the first time since 2015. Saturday’s scenes show the team has moved past last season’s failed signing of Luciano Acosta.

San Jose can take solace that other Western rivals also dropped points.

Houston Dynamo’s signing of Guilherme has exceeded expectations. The 31-year-old Brazilian had a nomadic career in Saudi Arabia and Brazil before joining Houston.

Guilherme has seven goals and four assists in his first 13 MLS matches, fitting seamlessly into Ben Olsen’s system.

His latest goal came from a short corner in a scoreless home match against Vancouver Whitecaps, where he dribbled into the box and scored to secure a 1-0 win.

Guilherme averages 2.9 successful dribbles per 90 minutes, sixth-best in MLS, and his 12 goal contributions place him in the league’s top 10.

Five of his first seven goals resulted from solo efforts, showcasing his ability to score from low-percentage chances.

Houston closed Saturday sixth in the West, and Guilherme is a credible contender for the club’s second All-Star selection since 2018.

MLS has long welcomed crafty Brazilian dribblers, and Guilherme has become essential viewing for a team needing entertainment.

“There is not a lot he can’t do,” Olsen said after the win. “Right foot, left foot, he can provide, he can serve, he is good in the air, he is a great athlete, and he is a great soccer player.”

Inter Miami earned their first victory at Nu Stadium, defeating Portland Timbers 2-0. The match marked Phil Neville’s first game against his former club after being dismissed in 2023.

Lionel Messi led the win, placing four of nine shots on target. He scored from a give-and-go with Luis Suárez, assisted by Telasco Segovia, then created the second goal for Germán Berterame.

Neville said at halftime that he was satisfied with his defensive block but wanted better tackling.

Portland improved after halftime, winning 60% of duels and 78% of aerial challenges. Defender Finn Surman, recently named to New Zealand’s World Cup squad, handled Messi’s run in the 67th minute. Miami created 2.45 expected goals in the first half and only 0.59 after the break.

This was Miami’s fifth win in seven games since Javier Mascherano’s shock departure, but only one came against a team in the top eight of either conference.

Austin FC, meanwhile, suffered a 2-1 home loss to Sporting Kansas City after leading 1-0 in the 78th minute. Questions persist about sporting director Rodolfo Borrell’s tenure. Stephen Afrifa scored the winner with a curling shot reminiscent of the Jabulani ball from the 2010 World Cup.

Wilfried Zaha was omitted from Ivory Coast’s World Cup squad despite starting at the Africa Cup of Nations. He scored the opening goal in Charlotte FC’s 3-1 win over Toronto FC. Zaha’s loan deal expires at the end of June, along with his contract at Galatasaray.

Orlando City drew 1-1 with Atlanta United as they await Antoine Griezmann’s arrival after the World Cup. Attacking midfielder Martin Ojeda remains in good form, and Griezmann is expected to play up front, filling a void since Daryl Dike’s departure in 2022.

Dike will become a free agent at the end of next month and could draw interest from MLS teams after an injury-plagued stint at West Bromwich Albion.

Columbus Crew dismissed head coach Henrik Rydström after a 1-1 draw at Philadelphia Union, just 14 games into his tenure. Rydström, hired after Wilfried Nancy left, promised a relational style but failed to deliver. Former Crew 2 coach Laurent Courtois will serve as interim, while Nancy remains without a job after a brief role with Celtic.