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What We Learned: Griezmann elevates Orlando, Atlanta welcome Embolo
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- What We Learned: Griezmann elevates Orlando, Atlanta welcome Embolo
What We Learned: Griezmann elevates Orlando, Atlanta welcome Embolo
By Joseph Lowery
Matchday 22 is in the books.
What did we learn? Did the games confirm what we already knew, or did they change the complexion of the league?
Let's dive into some key takeaways from another weekend of MLS action.
WATCH: Every goal from Matchday 22!
1. Griezmann is a game-changer
Perhaps the biggest thing that's made Antoine Griezmann stand out throughout his storied career is his versatility.
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If you need him to be an attacking midfielder, he can be just that. If you need him to be a central midfielder, he can deputize deeper. If you need him in the halfspaces, he'll be there. If you need a striker, he'll be there. Whether tasked with goalscoring, chance creation, or ball progression at any of his club stops or for France at the international level, Griezmann has done it with aplomb. The same is already proving true at Orlando City .
Though largely used as an attacking midfielder since arriving in MLS, Griezmann was tasked with leading the line for the Lions on Saturday. Then, when Daryl Dike entered the match to start the second half, Griezmann moved back into midfield. Then he scored both goals for Orlando in a 2-1 victory over an admittedly rotated Real Salt Lake team.
The guy seems to be everywhere, all at once. He seems equally capable of having Orlando City's attack run through him as he does having it run to him. Averaging 0.67 goal contributions per appearance for Orlando, one thing is clear: Griezmann is exactly the player Orlando hoped he would be.
2. Atlanta are ready for Embolo
Hours after unveiling Breel Embolo as their new Designated Player, Atlanta United handled business at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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They bested Sporting Kansas City , 2-1 , on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire, capping a day fans of the Five Stripes hope will be remembered as one that helped change the tide for the club.
Embolo, a 29-year-old Swiss international, arrives from Ligue 1 club Stade Rennais for a reported $18 million transfer fee. The striker is Atlanta's latest significant outlay made in pursuit of trophies – and his profile could be just what they need to help supercharge the attack. While the recently loaned Emmanuel Latte Lath's dependence on service hindered production at the top of Atlanta's attack, Embolo will bring more to the No. 9 spot.
His mixture of goal threat, hold-up play, and genuine on-ball creativity could make life easier for fellow DPs Miguel Almirón and Alexey Miranchuk and ignite the team going forward.
That Atlanta managed to acquire Embolo, fresh off an impressive FIFA World Cup showing and a 2025-26 Ligue 1 season where he posted more than half a goal contribution per 90 minutes, is yet another reminder of the club's intent.
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Now it's time to see it play out.
3. Toronto have momentum
For so much of this season, injuries have ruined any chance of momentum for Toronto FC . They're still fighting injuries now, with new defensive midfield signing Niklas Dorsch sidelined, among others. Yet, with Saturday's 2-1 victory over Inter Miami CF marking Toronto's fourth straight MLS game without a loss, the tide may well be turning.
Against Miami, Toronto's resilient defending led the way. Happy to concede possession and defend in a combative 4-4-2 block, Robin Fraser's team allowed just 0.64 xG in the opening period, according to FotMob.
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In the second half, the visitors only allowed two open-play shots from inside goalkeeper Luka Gavran 's box. That Toronto defended effectively even without Dorsch, a ball-winning Bundesliga veteran who joined earlier this summer, is a statement of what this team is capable of.
Elsewhere, seeing star striker Josh Sargent score his first goal in MLS since May must have triggered more than a few sighs of relief among Toronto supporters. Sargent, who hasn't started life in MLS as well as he would've wished, clearly felt emboldened by the finish.
If the defense continues to impress and Sargent has found his form, Toronto could keep climbing up the East.
4. Harrison's impact for New England
If a previous version of the New England Revolution had seen a Carles Gil penalty saved by Matt Freese in the first half of a clash with New York City FC , it's entirely possible that their attack would've folded on the way to a scoreless outing. That wasn't the case on Sunday – nor does it look likely to be the case for this version of the Revs.
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Gil did have his penalty saved this past weekend, of course. But that wasn't the end of the story for New England. No, the rest of Marko Mitrović's starting attacking foursome worked together to score the opener in what turned into a 1-1 draw against their Eastern Conference foes. Striker Dor Turgeman converted in front of goal. Rising star Peyton Miller , who started on the left wing, provided the assist.
And the man who really got the sequence going with a downhill, clipped ball into the box? That would be none other than new Designated Player Jack Harrison , breaking the game open against his former team. This, folks, is a brilliant pass:
Whether serving as a pass-before-the-pass dynamo or the final playmaker (the 29-year-old winger has three primary assists in three starts for his new team), Harrison has been crucial for the Revolution.
Signed from the English Premier League's Leeds United earlier this summer and no stranger to MLS from his time with New York City, Harrison has brought a delightful blend of distribution and dribbling to his winger spot.
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With Harrison in the attack, the Revs truly look like a team that could stick in the top four out East.
5. New-look Charlotte have promise
Life has been good for Charlotte FC since MLS play resumed. Dean Smith's team has gone 3W-2D-1L across their six most recent league games, with a 3-1 victory over D.C. United on Saturday serving as their freshest result.
It's not as if Charlotte have been using the same recipe and simply enjoying improved results. No, the recipe has changed.
Most notably, new Designated Player winger Allan Saint-Maximin has taken up his place on the left wing – Wilfried Zaha's old post. Saint-Maximin made his first start for Charlotte against D.C., and while he didn't directly contribute to any of the three goals, the 29-year-old's one-v-one ability provided a genuine spark high up the field. When the former Newcastle man gets his sea legs under him, Charlotte's attack could elevate.
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Elsewhere, Luca de la Torre has carved out a larger role in central midfield. No stranger to being an unused substitute before the World Cup break, de la Torre has become a regular starter, adding more ball progression to the fold.
It's not all about change for Charlotte FC, though. Pep Biel 's continued dominance in the No. 10 position has become known across the league: the Spaniard posted 1g/1a in Saturday's win. With 19 goal contributions this season, Biel is currently tied for third in the league. He's a star. With the pieces around him growing more comfortable, Charlotte will become a brutally tough out come Audi MLS Cup Playoffs time.
