Stock Up,winter transfer window Stock Down: FC Dallas show life, Nashville SC fading

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The MLS regular season returned last weekend!

But first, let's talk about the Leagues Cup final. Columbus and LAFC, two of the best teams MLS has to offer, met in a rematch of MLS Cup 2023. Columbus, led by superstar Cucho Hernández, brought home another trophy, winning 3-1. It was a spectacular performance, with Cucho earning player of the tournament honors. He’s been amazing again this season.

Both LAFC and Columbus are still in the hunt for the Supporters’ Shield, and I wouldn't be mad to see these two meet again in MLS Cup come December. LAFC also have to regroup mentally and physically to be ready for a US Open Cup semifinal at Seattle on Wednesday (10:30 pm ET | Apple TV - Free).

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming of MLS regular season matches!

The Herons have one hand on the Supporters' Shield after a 2-0 home win against FC Cincinnati on Saturday. Luis Suárez was the hero of the night, scoring twice in the first six minutes and setting the tone for revenge after their 6-1 loss at Cincy last month.

Miami have now won seven of their last eight matches, all without the injured Leo Messi. Boasting perhaps the deepest roster in MLS, Miami have passed every test thrown their way this season. It is now their Shield to lose.

LA Galaxy, Miami's closest challenger in the Supporters' Shield race, kept pace on Saturday night with a 2-0 home win over Atlanta. That's three straight league wins for LA, who are only four points behind the leaders and top the Western Conference.

New signing Marco Reus came off the bench to be the difference-maker in attack, setting up the first goal and scoring the second. What a debut.

The team with one of the best attacks in MLS just got even better. Galaxy will be in the thick of it until the end of the season.

Seattle have finally rounded into form at the right time. They moved to fifth in the West with a 3-2 win at Minnesota, sitting only one point behind Colorado. Jordan Morris kept up his strong performances with another goal as well.

With their form and quality, I wouldn't be surprised to see Seattle finish as high as third in the West by season's end. The Sounders are now 7W-1L-1D in their last nine league matches, with their only loss coming to LAFC.

Can Brian Schmetzer's team finally get over the hump and beat LAFC in the US Open Cup semifinals on Wednesday?

Interim coach Peter Luccin has something brewing in Dallas, and he's finally getting all his best players back healthy and available.

FCD got their first road win of the season last weekend in a 4-3 shootout at D.C. United, a huge result for this team. Dallas now have three wins and a draw in their last four matches.

I loved the build-up from the back and the quick, dynamic play of central midfielders Asier Illarramendi and Show. But the play from the two attacking midfielders Tsiki Ntsabeleng and especially Sebastian Lletget was inspiring. Lletget is a player with so much quality, and he's finally putting that on display week in and week out again.

It's been a season to forget for Nashville SC.

Hany Mukhtar simply has not been the dangerous attacker we have seen over the past few years. This time out, he missed a penalty that would have given Nashville an early lead. Then the momentum swung and Austin capitalized, ultimately winning 2-0.

With seven straight losses in the league, Nashville are second-from-bottom in the Eastern Conference. New head coach B.J. Callaghan has to use this last stretch of the season to evaluate who he needs to build his team around for 2025.

The team stuck at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table? D.C. United, who lost at home againlast weekend.

After scoring in the second minute, D.C. couldn't use that advantage to grow into the game. Instead, FC Dallas took over and passed through their press too easily for a 4-3 win.

D.C. have lost 22 points from winning positions in MLS this season, the worst in the league.

• Voices: Sacha Kljestan
• Matchday
• Inter Miami CF
• LA Galaxy
• Seattle Sounders FC
• FC Dallas
• Nashville SC
• D.C. United

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