MLS NEXT Pro Honors: Matchweek 28

The fun train keeps rolling in the Scenic City. 

In a busy double-fixture Matchweek 28, Chattanooga FC took all six available points to position themselves for a shot at the top Eastern Conference seed on Decision Day. A 2-1 win at regional rival Huntsville City FC and a dominant 4-1 home win over Atlanta United 2 earned CFC their fourth Team of the Matchweek selection this season. 

In the Western Conference, the spotlight stays on Minnesota United FC 2 striker Darius Randell, who followed up last week's Player of Matchweek 27 performance with a hat trick in MNUFC2's 5-1 win vs.  Whitecaps FC 2, keeping the honor for a second week in a row. 

Also no stranger to the MLS NEXT Pro headlines, Los Angeles FC Academy midfielder Liam Lambert, whose two-assist outing for LAFC 2 in a 5-1 win at Sporting KC II earns his second MLS NEXT Rising Star of the Matchweek nod. 

Read more about Matchweek 28's winners below:

There is much for Chattahooligans to be excited about heading into the final week of the season. 

The Boys in Blue are riding a three-game winning streak and went back-to-back in Matchweek 28. 

First, a comeback 2-1 win at Huntsville City on Wednesday. After conceding an early penalty, Alexis Arrúa got things even, and HCFC-to-CFC loanee midfielder Isaiah Jones burned his parent club for the game-winner. 

Sunday's 4-1 win over ATL UTD 2 was much more comfortable for everyone other than striker Alex Krehl, who went toe-to-toe with his Golden Boot foe Arif Kovac. They swapped goals as Alex McGrath, Damien Barker John, and Luke Husakiwsky piled on for a lopsided win that could end up being a playoff preview. 

In addition to being two points off the top Eastern Conference seed, CFC fans will be cheering on Krehl, who will need at least a brace to claim this year's golden boot in the season finale at Chicago Fire FC II (2 PM ET | MLSNEXTPro.com, OneFootball).

Randell earns back-to-back Player of the Matchweek honors for coming up clutch for MNUFC2 once again. 

Last week, it was a brace for a 2-1 win. This week, his first-half hat trick led the way to the Twosies' 5-1 rout of Whitecaps FC 2. Most importantly, the 19-year-old striker is keeping MNUFC2's playoff hopes alive as they head into the last week controlling their own destiny. 

Randell has completed the full pathway at Minnesota, where he began as a standout Academy player. In 2024, he was named to the MLS NEXT All-Star team and signed his first professional contract with MNUFC2. In 2025, he became the club's youngest-ever player to debut and score in for the first team in Minnesota's U.S. Open Cup run, signed a first-team Homegrown Contract in May, and made his MLS debut a month later. 

Also rising in the international scene, Randell took part in the United States U-19 camp in January.

Lambert added two assists as LAFC2 celebrated a playoff-clinching 5-1 rout of Sporting KC II. 

Getting his side off to a hot start, he played helper to Marius Aiyanero in the 15th minute and found Charlie Kosakoff in the 21st to put LAFC 2 on cruise control. 

The 18-year-old's big night improved his season tally to 2g/5a across 930 minutes. 

Lambert was also named Rising Star of Matchweek 24 and voted Rising Star of the Month in August.