Brad Guzan made eight saves to secure a road point for Atlanta United in a 0-0 draw with Los Angeles FC on Wednesday.

The draw extended unbeaten streaks for both teams. Atlanta is 1-0-4 in its past five MLS games, while Los Angeles is 2-0-2 in its past four.

The result had the feel of two lost points for LAFC (7-1-5, 26 points) given how the home team dominated play. Los Angeles outshot Atlanta United (6-4-7, 25 points) by a 22-4 margin, including an 8-0 edge in shots on target.

However, LAFC couldn’t solve Guzan, who was often spectacular in recording his third shutout of the season. The veteran goalkeeper’s big game was highlighted by close-range stops on Mateusz Bogusz in the 22nd minute and Denis Bouanga in the 66th minute.

LAFC’s Carlos Vela had two chances at a penalty kick, after Juanjo Purata was called for a foul in the box in the 70th minute. Guzan seemingly made the initial save, but a video review ruled that the goalkeeper moved off the goal line too soon.

However, Vela still couldn’t capitalize on his second attempt. Vela’s next penalty kick sailed well over the net, costing Los Angeles FC their clearest opportunity of the game.

The attack continued for LAFC into the final minutes of regulation and through 12 minutes of stoppage time. Bouanga had his run of near-misses continue late into the game — the striker banked a shot off the post, had a deflected shot stopped by an almost-unaware Guzan, and then fired wide on the game’s final shot.

Atlanta United was shut out for the first time this season. The Five Stripes’ 32 goals are tied for the second-highest total in MLS.

Substitute Ajani Fortune had Atlanta United’s best chance of the game in the 83rd minute, firing a shot wide off a well-placed cross from Caleb Wiley.

Los Angeles is 5-0-2 in home games this season, while Atlanta is 1-3-5 on the road.

–Field Level Media

Jesus Ferreira grabbed a share of the MLS lead with his 10th goal of the season, lifting FC Dallas to a 2-0 victory over St. Louis City on Wednesday night in the resumption of a suspended game at Frisco, Texas.

The 2022 United States World Cup squad member’s 46th career regular-season goal also tied former U.S. international Kenny Cooper for the second-most in FC Dallas history. Jason Kreis holds the record with 91.

He pulled into a three-way tie for the MLS goal-scoring lead with LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar, with LAFC to play Atlanta United later Wednesday night. Atlanta’s Giorgos Giakoumakis began the night one goal off the pace.

Ferreira also picked up a secondary assist on Marco Farfan’s late insurance goal that helped seal a fifth home win for Dallas (7-5-5, 26 points), which avoided taking consecutive home losses for the first time this season.

St. Louis (9-5-1, 28 points) applied pressure at times during the remaining 40 minutes of the encounter that were played Wednesday, after the match was initially brought to a halt because of severe weather back on May 6.

The expansion team outshot Dallas 16-8 but trailed 4-3 in efforts on target. St. Louis City had its three-match win streak snapped and saw its road winless streak reach four matches (0-3-1).

Before Dallas took the lead, the visitors might have had the best chance during Wednesday’s action when Eduard Lowen drove a 72nd-minute free kick narrowly wide.

Ferreira’s tally eight minutes later finished off what was easily the best attacking moment to that point since play resumed.

It began when Edwin Cerillo passed from his own half to Jader Obrian at the midfield stripe.

From there, Obrian spotted Ferreira running into space with an excellent throughball. Ferreira beat defender Tim Parker to it, opened his body and sent an excellent finish on the run past goalkeeper Roman Burki and inside the far right post.

Farfan’s first goal of the season came nine minutes later on an attack instigated by the first goal-scorer.

Ferreira took a pass about 35 yards out from goal, drove toward the penalty arc and then laid the ball off right to Jesus Jimenez, who crossed the ball across goal.

Farfan met it at the back post and hammered his first-time shot between the scrambling Burki and his near post.

–Field Level Media

Forward Cristian Arango is set to return to MLS and could join Real Salt Lake as early as next month, The Athletic reported Wednesday.

Arango will head to RSL on a reported $6 million transfer from Pachuca in Mexico after he was transferred to the Liga MX club from Los Angeles FC earlier this year.

The Colombia native was playing for Millonarios in his home country before he joined LAFC in 2021. He scored 35 goals with six assists in 58 games across all competitions in two seasons with LAFC, helping the club to a Supporters’ Shield and an MLS Cup title last season.

In 13 games across all competitions with Pachuca, Arango scored five goals with two assists.

With the MLS secondary transfer window set to open July 5, Arango could be set to make his RSL debut July 8 at home against Orlando City SC.

–Field Level Media

Global soccer icon Lionel Messi is planning to sign with Inter Miami CF, he announced Wednesday.

The star of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup championship reportedly is opting to join the MLS ranks over returning to Barcelona or accepting a lucrative offer to play in Saudi Arabia.

Messi, who turns 36 on June 24, officially becomes a free agent when his contract at France’s Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of this month.

Messi confirmed the move in interviews with Spanish publications Mundo Deportivo and Sport.

“We are pleased that Lionel Messi has stated that he intends to join Inter Miami and Major League Soccer this summer,” MLS said in a statement earlier Wednesday. “Although work remains to finalize a formal agreement, we look forward to welcoming one of the greatest soccer players of all time to our League.”

Financial problems at Barcelona reportedly quashed Messi’s desire to reunite with the Spanish La Liga club, where he gained worldwide fame from 2004-21.

Saudi Arabia offered a reported $400 million a year to play at Al-Hilal, which would allow him to renew a rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo although in a vastly diminished spotlight from the European soccer scene.

Messi owns property in Miami and has said many times over the past year that he would like to play in the United States.

Terms of an agreement with Inter Miami are unclear at this point, although Messi would almost certainly raise the bar for the highest salary in MLS history. Toronto FC is paying Lorenzo Insigne a record $14 million.

ESPN reported that Inter Miami offered him a minority stake in the club, which is owned by billionaire businessman Jorge Mas, his brother Jose and retired soccer great David Beckham.

ESPN also reported that Messi’s deal could include an agreement with Apple TV, which holds the league’s broadcast rights. An Apple TV deal would be separate from an MLS contract.

As for the MLS, Messi’s arrival would mark the league’s biggest splash signing since Beckham joined the LA Galaxy in 2007.

MLS commissioner Don Garber told The Athletic in March that bringing Messi to the United States would be a boon for the league.

“You’re dealing with perhaps the most special player in the history of the game,” Garber said of Messi. “So when there are rumors of him connected to Miami, that’s great. And if it could happen, it would be terrific for MLS, it would be terrific for Messi and his family, and like everything with us, we try to run every opportunity down.”

Inter Miami (5-11-0) currently sit last in the Eastern Conference with 15 points. Only New York City FC have scored fewer goals (11) in the East than Miami (15).

–Field Level Media