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Welcome to a new feature from Sports Illustrated that breaks down the biggest winners and losers from the previous week's Major League Soccer action as the 2026 playoffs draw ever closer.
With the league's Nov. 7th Decision Day on the horizon, the week's fixtures were always going to deliver plenty of tense conclusions and surprising outcomes. They certainly delivered.
D.C. United, Atlanta United, Austin FC and San Diego FC watched their postseason hopes crumble following midweek losses, while Toronto FC and both New York-based clubs were eliminated over the weekend. Several players shone with standout individual displays, while others failed to deliver when their sides needed them most.
Here are the week's biggest winners and losers in MLS.
Winners
Columbus Crew
Postseason ticket punched 😎🎟️
The Columbus Crew have officially clinched a spot in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/InpbA5hWA2
Two months ago, Columbus Crew were staring into the abyss of one of the most dismal seasons in the club's history. They sat at the foot of the Eastern Conference, struggling to recover from the departures of key players such as Darlington Nagbe, Max Arfsten and Diego Rossi. Henrik Rydström had failed to fill the shoes of beloved manager Wilfried Nancy, and his interim successor Laurent Courtois wasn't faring much better.
After losing seven of eight across all competitions, Columbus found themselves nine points behind the playoff places with nine games to go. Since that low point, they've won eight of their last 10, with the only blemishes being a 3–2 loss in Orlando on Oct. 10 and a penalty shootout defeat to St. Louis CITY in the U.S. Open Cup final on Oct. 21.
Columbus bounced back brilliantly by thrashing Toronto 4–2 just days later, before pulling off a surprise 2–0 win in Dallas during the week. A commanding 3-0 victory over D.C. United on Saturday sealed their postseason berth. Courtois has brought Columbus back from the brink and guided them to a fourth straight playoff appearance, and he'll be aiming for six consecutive MLS wins at Chicago on Saturday. If he can carry this form into the postseason, Columbus will have little choice but to hand him the permanent managerial role.
David Da Costa
Defense to offense 🌬️
Vincent Janssen finds David Da Costa to give @TimbersFC a 1-0 lead on Houston (FS1/Apple TV). pic.twitter.com/sjCowmLHAV
Portland Timbers midfielder David Da Costa delivered in a big way this week.
After the Timbers opened the scoring on Wednesday at St. Louis CITY, Da Costa doubled the visitors' lead. It was a stunning moment from the Portuguese playmaker, leaving captain Timo Baumgartl trailing with a sharp change of direction before firing the ball into the bottom corner.
Portland would add a third goal in 10 minutes against St. Louis after the break as the former Lens man set up Kristoffer Velde's second of the night, helping secure an eventual 3–2 triumph.
He produced more of the same on Sunday night against Houston Dynamo, wriggling free from pressure and combining with Vincent Janssen before drilling the ball into the top corner. And when the Dynamo pulled one back in the second half, Da Costa responded immediately by teeing up Janssen's goal to wrap up a 3–1 win. A defeat or draw would have almost certainly ended their playoff hopes.
The Timbers now hold their fate in their own hands and can secure a wild card spot with a win; however, should they falter, there are several hungry sides eager to take their place in the postseason. They must handle their business against Austin, and to do that, they'll need Da Costa to keep performing at his scintillating best.
Minnesota United
That right there is some pretty, pretty football pic.twitter.com/OQX4gVCvQh
Not long ago, Minnesota United appeared all but finished. After losing all five of their September matches and drawing the following two, it seemed the Loons were destined to miss the playoffs for only the second time in eight seasons.
But Minnesota have injected fresh life into their postseason push with a stunning turnaround. They overturned a two-goal deficit to defeat St. Louis CITY 3–2 last month, recording their first home win since April. The momentum has continued to build, with the Loons storming to a 3–1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday before dismantling LAFC 3–1 away on Sunday.
Cameron Knowles's side will be targeting a home win over San Jose next week; however, sitting 12th in the West, even three points won't guarantee a playoff spot. Minnesota will also need results to go their way involving Dallas, Austin and both Los Angeles clubs to climb into the wild-card positions.
Can the Loons conjure a Decision Day miracle, or will their revival prove too little, too late?
Losers
Allan Saint-Maximin
A year ago, Charlotte FC were cruising to a 2–0 win over Philadelphia Union when goalscorer Wilfried Zaha was dismissed in the closing stages following a confrontation with Jesús Bueno. His lack of discipline cost Charlotte a key attacking option for their playoff opener against New York City FC, who ultimately won the series in three matches.
Now, history looks set to repeat itself in the Queen City. Allan Saint-Maximin appeared destined to be one of the weekend's standout performers after netting a breathtaking solo effort against Orlando City. Although his subsequent penalty was kept out, fellow ex-Premier League star Abdoulaye Doucouré converted the rebound to put Charlotte 3–0 up. With only minutes left, it was shaping up to be an ideal afternoon.
Instead, Saint-Maximin swiftly went from hero to villain after directing an obscene gesture at Orlando's Wilder Cartagena, earning himself a straight red card. The Frenchman will now be suspended for at least Charlotte's Decision Day clash against Inter Miami, with additional disciplinary measures potentially to follow. With Charlotte requiring a win and a Columbus result to leapfrog the Fire into fourth place, Saint-Maximin's moment of madness could not have come at a more damaging time.
St. Louis CITY
Anders Dreyer went for the chip from distance! 🤯@sandiegofc lead 1-0 on the road!
📺 Apple TV: https://t.co/vydSqJaP3Z pic.twitter.com/2mNXyWQmwK
St. Louis CITY's U.S. Open Cup triumph already feels like a distant memory as late-season fatigue begins to bite. A 3–0 hammering at Real Salt Lake last week was followed by a 3–2 loss to Portland Timbers on Wednesday, before San Diego FC added to their misery on Halloween with a 1–0 victory.
Manager Yoann Damet has orchestrated one of the most extraordinary turnarounds in MLS this season, but the wheels are in danger of coming off. With St. Louis chasing their first-ever playoff win, Damet must find a way to halt the decline and rebuild his players' confidence ahead of their Decision Day trip to Houston, which could serve as a preview of their first postseason matchup.