The heat of the playoff race was on full display in Matchday 31 of the 2026 MLS season. Teams are fighting desperately for a spot above the cutoff line, and time is running out with Nov. 7’s Decision Day quickly approaching.

For fans and viewers, that meant there was a whole host of goals scored and no shortage of excitement over the weekend.

San Jose Earthquakes’ Preston Judd crushed Nashville SC’s hopes on Saturday, forcing the Eastern Conference powerhouse to wait another week for the chance at the Supporters’ Shield.

Meanwhile, Orlando City’s Martín Ojeda may have had the Goal of the Year, executing a rare type of finish that was just one of four goals the team scored to thrash D.C. United 4–1.

Here are the top five goals from the weekend.

5. Leo Walta’s Set-Piece Beauty

SCREAMER FROM @LAFC'S WALTA 🚀🚀🚀 pic.twitter.com/n3q72JsMoQ

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 18, 2026

Leo Walta buried a free kick from roughly 30 yards out, firing his shot perfectly into the corner of the net to give LAFC a 1–0 lead over New York City FC just before the half. They walked away from Citi Field with a 1–1 draw.

It was the 23-year-old midfielder’s first goal in Black & Gold, joining the Los Angeles side in August on loan from EFL Championship club Swansea City.

“It feels amazing, of course, to score the free kick,” Walta said postmatch. “It is something I have been practicing my whole life, so it feels great. I saw that the goalkeeper was quite in the middle, so I chose to kick it to the far post.”

NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese didn’t even attempt to save Walta’s shot, watching it stream the back of the net.

4. Preston Judd’s Dream Crusher

Set-piece perfection! 💫

Eduard Löwen picks out Preston Judd, who heads home the equalizer for @SJEarthquakes! pic.twitter.com/1RX7aVR972

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 18, 2026

Judd spoiled Nashville’s night, scoring a sliding header off a free kick from Eduard Löwen in the 70th minute to equalize the match 1–1.

The affair at PayPal Park ended in a draw, yet Nashville needed a victory to become the fastest team in MLS history to clinch the Supporters’ Shield (four games left). The Music City men will now have to wait another week before trying again for the regular season title, yet that piece of history evades them.

San Jose, meanwhile, clinched a playoff spot with the draw, joining the Vancouver Whitecaps, St. Louis City, FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo as the Western Conference teams to have punched their tickets.

3. The Weaving Lionel Messi

MESSI. This is what he does. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/IEjdmpnRRh

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 18, 2026

It was like watching a 2012 Lionel Messi highlight video set to some high-tempo, instrumental soundtrack.

The 39-year-old soccer legend certainly hasn’t slowed down his goalscoring prowess in the years since; however, he has come to move less and less on the pitch, preserving his body and energies for the most pivotal, game-changing moments.

Nevertheless, he delivered a vintage performance on Saturday, dashing at full speed from the center of the field into the 18-yard box en route to a brilliant finish. A sneaky, short pass to Germán Berterame at the top of the box enabled Messi to beat two Atlanta United defenders, before he continued his sprint around Berterame to receive the ball back. The Argentinian then weaved through two more defenders inside the box, before firing a left-footed shot to the back post.

In case anybody missed his heroics, Messi scored again just four minutes later, sprinting onto the end of a long ball before juking out Atlanta defender Júnior Alonso. Inter Miami won 3–1, and Messi walked away with Man of the Match honors.

2. Yadaly Diaby’s Highlight-Reel Banger

TOP BINS FROM YADALY DIABY! 🎯

What a strike from the forward to give @WhitecapsFC the lead! pic.twitter.com/EebRldzpkm

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 18, 2026

This was a goal Yadaly Diaby will never forget. Substituting onto the pitch just five minutes prior, the Whitecaps winger received the ball on the left flank, cut inside and then fired the perfect curving shot to the far post. The ball ricocheted off the post into the back of the net, stunning Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver, who just stared at the net in disbelief and didn’t even attempt a save.

Diaby’s finish proved the game-winner, allowing the Whitecaps to leave Q2 stadium with a 2–1 win.

It marked Diaby’s second goal of the season, after joining the Canadian side on Sept. 1 from French Ligue 2 side Grenoble Foot 38.

1. Martin Ojeda’s Scorpion Kick

TINCHO SCORPION KICK OMG 🚨 pic.twitter.com/BntDOk074O

— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) October 18, 2026

Ojeda put together a serious contender for MLS Goal of the Year on Saturday night. Tracking Antoine Griezmann’s chip into the penalty box, Ojeda leaped horizontally to scorpion-kick the ball with the outside of his right foot into the back of the net.

The acrobatics stunned everyone at Inter.co Stadium, including Ojeda’s teammates.

“It was a crazy goal,” said forward Marco Pašalić, who scored Orlando’s fourth of the night. “I have to say to [Ojeda] congratulations. These goals you don’t see every weekend or every game, so I think this is something you have to watch like 100 times, maybe not like 10 times like my goal.”

🦂 pic.twitter.com/8DAZwlsgk3

— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) October 18, 2026

It was the Designated Player’s 15th goal of the season and, by far, his most savvy.

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