The best goals of MLS Week 23 - ranked

MLS Week 23 is in the books and the playoffs are quickly coming over the horizon.

Though the business end of the regular season is approaching, the pressure doesn't seem to be getting to the players, who continue to produce golazos and wonder strikes at a remarkable rate.

This week was no different, so let's rank five of the best.

5. Junior Urso (vs Columbus Crew)

There's some pretty wretched defending going on from the Columbus Crew here, which is par for the course for them this season. That takes nothing away from Junior Urso's strike, which is clean and precise, right into the bottom corner to leave Eloy Room with no chance. A heartbreaking moment for the Crew after battling from 2-0 down at half-time to level the scores.

That's three goals for the season now for Urso, but this is the best from the Brazilian so far.

4. Hany Mukhtar (vs NYCFC)

No player in MLS has more direct goal contributions than Hany Mukhtar this season, with the German playmaker notching 10 goals and seven assists so far.

This week he netted a brace during Nashville's impressive 3-1 win over NYCFC. The first of that double to open the scoring was a thing of beauty.

Dax McCarty did brilliantly to spot Mukhtar's run behind the New York defence and find him with the pass. It's not until you see the overhead camera that you realise just how much he had to do.

The control to bring the ball down was exquisite, as was the way Mukhtar held off Anton Tinnerholm before firing a reverse shot beyond Sean Johnson. The only criticism being that maybe the US goalkeeper could have done a little better.

3. Brek Shea (vs FC Cincinnati)

Brek Shea has scored two MLS goals this season. Both of them have been away at FC Cincinnati. In fact, his first was the first-ever goal scored at TQL Stadium - he absolutely loves it there.

This weekend's serving came right at the death to hand Inter Miami another vital win as they climb back up the Eastern Conference. With the composure Shea showed, you wouldn't think it was so late in the game.

Nico Figal sprayed a wonderful ball out to the left to find Shea, who had run in behind the Cincy backline. From there, he brought the ball down with a wonderful touch before lashing it home beyond Kenneth Vermeer.

FC Cincinnati will be glad to know Shea isn't due to visit TQL Stadium again this season, though they're due a trip down to Florida at the end of October.

2. Daryl Dike (vs Columbus Crew)

Back from injury and back among the goals, Daryl Dike was on fire for Orlando on Saturday, providing an assist and opening the scoring with this superb effort.

The United States international is a self-confessed fan of Didier Drogba and there are those who have compared him to Romelu Lukaku. This strike was a perfect illustration of all that, with Dike brushing aside one defender, scaring the life out of another with his surging run forward and finally drilling the ball home with a thunderous finish.

Note the tackle from Nani to make it happen, too. The Portuguese forward gives absolutely everything for Orlando and that paid dividends here.

1. Jesus Ferreira (vs Real Salt Lake)

Jesus Ferreira has been on a tear recently, scoring five goals in his last eight MLS appearances while setting up another two. On Saturday, he had the Real Salt Lake defence on strings as he scored what unfortunately turned out to be a consolation goal in a 3-2 defeat for FC Dallas.

The United States international put one RSL defender on the floor and sent another in the wrong direction with some excellent twisting and turning, before drilling the ball into the roof of Andrew Putna's net.

The more you watch it, the more this goal looks like something out of a video game, which speaks to Ferreira's skill and technique.

After a poor 2020 campaign, the 20-year-old appears to be on the up and goals like this will do no harm to his search for more senior international caps or, indeed, a move to Europe.