Major League Soccer

P. Musa leads the race with 10 goals after 11 matches for FC Dallas. He is level on goals with H. Cuypers on 10, while L. Messi sits 1 back on 9. At the current rate P. Musa projects to finish on around 34 for the season.

P. Musa has scored 10 goals for FC Dallas this season, accounting for 43% of the team's 23 league goals. The output goes well beyond a flat scoring rate. He is the player FC Dallas turn to in tight games and the one defenders have to pick up first. Recent goal hauls include 1 goal against New York Red Bulls, 2 goals against Los Angeles Galaxy, and 1 goal against DC United. The numbers put him in the conversation for player of the season as long as the form holds.

1. P. Musa (FC Dallas) on 10 goals. 2. H. Cuypers (Chicago Fire) on 10 goals. 3. L. Messi (Inter Miami) on 9 goals. 4. S. Surridge (Nashville SC) on 9 goals. 5. P. Judd (San Jose Earthquakes) on 8 goals.

Son Heung-Min of Los Angeles FC tops the assists chart with 7. L. Langoni (New England Revolution) is next on 6, and M. Moralez of New York City FC rounds out the top three on 6.

H. Cuypers of Chicago Fire is the most efficient finisher in the league at 1.24 goals per 90 minutes. He has 10 goals from 728 minutes, so volume is not the headline. The story is how rarely he wastes time on the pitch.

M. Ingvartsen is the breakout story so far. He had 2 goals last season and already has 8 for San Diego, a jump of 6. Something has clicked between role, fitness, and trust from the coaching staff, and the goals tell the rest.