The 10th MLS Saturday of 2017 is nearly halfway complete. A quick roundup of the day’s early games…
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Toronto FC 3-2 Minnesota United
Don’t look now, but TFC are sprinting away from the rest of the pack in the Eastern Conference. Saturday’s victory over Minnesota, a back-and-forth affair that saw the visitors twice come back to level terms, pushes Greg Vanney’s side to 25 points, six clear of everyone else in the East (TFC have played three more games than third-place Orlando City SC, who are on 18 points). The most impressive part: they’ve won six straight games, including five in a just-completed 15-day period that saw a number of key players rested at various points.
It was anything but pretty on Saturday, but the Reds will take all three points and a day or two of rest now, thank you very much. Sebastian Giovinco opened the scoring, from the penalty spot, in the 20th minute, a lead which they held until the 52nd minute, when Kevin Molino equalized for the Loons. Just two minutes later, though, Christian Ramirez bundled the ball into his own net for a 2-1 TFC lead.
Riiight down the middle.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 13, 2017
Seba puts @torontofc ahead from the spot. #TORvMIN https://t.co/1nkyKBgJRE
…but the hosts went right back in front thanks to a Ramirez own goal. #TORvMIN https://t.co/neOmzOXPIs
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 13, 2017
Molino would pull Minnesota level once again, this time putting home the rebound from his own missed penalty kick, but Jozy Altidore, who replaced Giovinco in the 44th minute, would not be denied in his efforts to set up Tosaint Ricketts for the game-winning goal in the 77th minute.
Jozy's work: 💪
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 13, 2017
Ricketts' finish:👌#TFC back on top! #TORvMIN https://t.co/lTV8i3nZ5o
Montreal Impact 2-3 Columbus Crew SC
Justin Meram is a star, and it’s time that everyone realizes and accepts it. After bagging his first career hat trick on Saturday, Meram’s 2017 numbers are as follows: seven goals and four assists, from 11 games. He’s just one away from a new career-high goals tally, and currently on pace to fall just short of his single-season high in assists (13).
Each and every one of the goals were pivotal, by the way, as the 28-year-old Iraqi international put Columbus 2-0 before the half-hour mark before bagging the game-winner in the first minute of second-half stoppage time. Defending — particularly on set pieces — remains a gigantic problem for Gregg Berhalter’s side, but they sit second in the East regardless.
Give @JustinMeram a chance & he'll bury it. 1-0. #MTLvCLB https://t.co/JDNXnDTkhT
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 13, 2017
Two for @JustinMeram & two for #CrewSC! #MTLvCLB https://t.co/UtHK0xdC7W
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 13, 2017
🎩🎩🎩@JustinMeram gets his hat trick to make it 3-2! #MTLvCLB https://t.co/ZwHyYoRCrI
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 13, 2017
Colorado Rapids 3-0 San Jose Earthquakes
On today’s edition of MLS Makes No Sense Whatsoever… we have Colorado, who haven’t won since the opening day of the season — who, in fact, have won just a single point in their seven games since opening day — crushing fifth-place San Jose, 3-0.
Shkelzen Gashi bagged himself a brace (29th and 56th minutes) either side of Dominique Badji’s goal in the 35th minute, and just like that Colorado are level with Philadelphia Union (for the time being) as the sides with the worst point totals (7 from 9 games) in MLS.
Gashi gooooooooal! @ColoradoRapids go up 1-0. Watch the match on @UniMas or Facebook Live: https://t.co/JK9Zne1fih https://t.co/sItid5ahFp
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 13, 2017
Just like that, it's 2-0 in Colorado!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 13, 2017
Watch the end of the first half: https://t.co/JK9Zne1fih #COLvSJ https://t.co/sMbrlf4rNL
Gashi! Gashi! Gashi!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 13, 2017
It's 3-0 for the @ColoradoRapids: https://t.co/JK9Zne1fih #COLvSJ https://t.co/doRQ2SmGUE
Tonight’s MLS schedule
D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union — 7 p.m. ET
Orlando City SC vs. Sporting Kansas City — 7 p.m. ET
New England Revolution vs. Real Salt Lake — 7:30 p.m. ET
Chicago Fire vs. Seattle Sounders — 9 p.m. ET
Sunday’s MLS schedule
Portland Timbers vs. Atlanta United — 4 p.m. ET
New York Red Bulls vs. LA Galaxy — 6 p.m. ET
FC Dallas vs. New York City FC — 8 p.m. ET