MLS players of the week: From Carranza to Cucho

Another weekend goes by in MLS, bringing us even closer to the Playoffs.

The latest group of matches brought us some thrillers, including the LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders drawing 3-3 and DC United falling 6-0 at home to the Philadelphia Union.

Elsewhere, Atlanta United’s Playoff hopes took another hit with a 2-2 draw against the Columbus Crew, while the San Jose Earthquakes pulled off a shock 2-1 win over runaway Supporters’ Shield leaders LAFC.

So, who were the players who got it done this weekend? Let’s rank the top five:

William Agada is looking more and more like the exact forward Sporting Kansas City need.

After failing to find the net in his first two appearances for the club since moving from Hapoel Jerusalem, Agada went into the weekend’s clash against the Portland Timbers with three goals in his previous two outings.

Agada continued his fine form, scoring the first and fourth goals in a 4-1 rout of the Timbers, while assisting Erik Thommy’s strike to make it 3-0 by half-time.

Despite being bottom of the West, SKC have won their last two matches and remain just eight points adrift of the Playoffs. You never know…

Cucho Hernandez has been nothing short of extraordinary since joining Columbus from Watford and on Sunday, he was at it again.

The Colombian striker popped up with another two goals to help the Crew draw 2-2 at home to Atlanta United, taking his tally to eight in just 587 minutes for the club. That’s a goal every 73 minutes!

Sunday saw Hernandez find space to put the finishing touches to two Crew team moves, showing all of his clinical edge and intelligence of movement in the process.

Romell Quioto is having himself a season.

The Honduran forward started Saturday night with an assist for Kei Kamara to put CF Montreal 1-0 up on the Revs in the 26th minute. By the 55th minute, he’d netted two goals of his own, with MTL eventually running out 4-0 winners.

That’s 14 goals in just 19 MLS starts this season for Quioto, who is firing Montreal back into the Playoffs with ease.

The Hany Mukhtar MVP conversation is back. Did it ever really go away?

Mukhtar was once again in charge as Nashville DC decimated FC Dallas 4-0 at home on Sunday, scoring goals one and three, either side of an assist from Dave Romney.

More than that, Mukhtar posted a match-high for completed dribbles (4) and created two chances on the night, showing just how much of a menace he really was.

Heading into the 37th minute, the Philadelphia Union were drawing 0-0 away at DC United and, in all honesty, had been up against it.

Then Julian Carranza woke up.

The Argentine forward provided the assist for Mikael Uhre’s opener and never looked back, going on to score a hat-trick of his own after half-time. Carranza also did the dirty work, winning six aerial duels and making three tackles.

However, it’s all about the hat-trick, his second in just over a month. The first? Yeah, that also came against DC United.

Certainly enough to earn him top honors this week.

Honorable mentions: Raul Ruidiaz, Erik Thommy, Lalas Abubakar, Matt Miazga, Juan Jose Purata, Tommy Thompson, Lorenzo Insigne, Santiago Sosa, Jack Elliott.

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