MLS Goals of the Week: Lionel Messi, Eduard Lowen and More

Matchday 28 of the 2026 MLS season may have been missing some of the league’s brightest stars, who are off on international duty; however, the weekend still brought a dazzling display of nearly impossible goals and thrilling game winners.

Lionel Messi continued his goal-scoring dominance, notching his 21st of the season across just 23 league competitions with a stunning free-kick finish; however, it ultimately wasn’t enough to lift Inter Miami to a much-needed victory.

Meanwhile, San Jose Earthquakes’ Eduard Löwen likewise wasn’t deterred by a seemingly impossible angle, finding the back of the net to help his side extend its recent unbeaten streak to six games.

Here are the top five goals from the weekend.

5. The Commanding Header

Osaze Urhoghide wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass. Off of Joaquín Valiente’s in-swinging corner kick in the 34rd minute, the 26-year-old center back Super Man-launched himself over two LAFC defenders to head the ball into the back of the net.

It proved the only goal Dallas needed on Saturday night to walk away with victory, holding the visitors scoreless after a match-high 12 defensive contributions from Urhoghide himself.

4. An Improbable Angle for Eduard Löwen

Löwen doubled the San Jose Earthquakes’ lead over the Portland Timbers on Saturday night, taking the ball to the goal line before scoring a left-footed shot into the roof of the net from the tightest of angles. It marked the 29-year-old German’s fourth goal of the season.

The Earthquakes walked away with a 3–1 victory, enjoying a current positive spell in response to a dismal July and August.

3. Calvin Harris’s Pure Instinct

There was perhaps nobody more stunned by Calvin Harris’s goal than Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.

The 26-year-old winger for Sporting Kansas City, on pure instinct, simply threw out his left foot to redirect a cross from André Luiz into the near post. Bond—who was certainly anticipating some sort of turn or a traditional shot, given that Harris was heavily marked—did not even attempt to save Harris’s improbable redirection, merely falling to the ground in slow motion.

Kansas City walked away with a 2–0 victory over one of the best teams in the Western Conference. Although still last in the league, Sporting KC have won two of their last three matches.

2. 99th Minute Game-Winner

Columbus Crew’s Jamal Thiere had a single minute of stoppage time left to score, so he did. Teammate Brais Méndez blasted a shot just outside the box, which Inter Miami goalkeeper Roccos Ríos Novo saved but subsequently spilled. Thiere was right there for the clean up, darting into the box to volley the ball into the back of the net in the 99th minute before Novo could even attempt to recover.

Thanks to the heroics of Thiaré, who had only substituted onto the pitch in the 83rd minute, the Crew earned an improbable 2–1 win against the Herons.

“I just want to help my team and bring some energy because we work really hard during the week,” Thiaré said postgame. “We know what we can do, and it happened tonight. I’m so happy and would like to thank the fans.”

1. An Impossible Lionel Messi Free Kick

Although it wasn’t enough to mount the Herons’ first league victory in five games, Messi’s free-kick goal in the 33rd minute will be remembered.

The soccer legend is known for scoring from set pieces; however, this free kick was special. Taken from a nearly-impossible angle, far outside of the box toward the corner flag, Messi still buried the shot. His perfectly-curved ball travelled up and over the out-stretched hands of goalkeeper Patrick Schulte and into the side-netting of the far post.

It signified Messi’s second free-kick goal in as many games and brings him to 76 total in his career, two away from the most of all time.

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