With nine MLS Saturday afternoons/evenings officially in the books, only 25 more to go…
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Real Salt Lake 0-3 FC Dallas
Eight games into the 2017 season, Dallas are the last remaining unbeaten team (five wins, three draws) in MLS and continue to look like runaway favorites in any “best team in the league” discussion.
On Saturday, Oscar Pareja’s side went for a comfortable stroll in the park and notched a completely unspectacular 3-0 victory over RSL. Things couldn’t have started any better for the visitors, as they were awarded a (highly questionable) penalty in the 3rd minute, which Maximiliano Urruti converted, and that was basically ballgame. Matt Hedges made it 2-0 not long after the hour mark, just for formality’s sake, and Urruti completed his brace a minute into second-half stoppage time.
The firing of Jeff Cassar, and subsequent hiring of Mike Petke, has done very little to fix a number of glaring problems which have plagued RSL since their 2016 season started coming unglued last April. A complete teardown and rebuild seem a foregone conclusion this summer/next winter. If Petke’s the right man for the job — and there’s nothing to suggest otherwise — the RSL hierarchy (and fans) are going to have to be mighty patient, as there’s only a handful of salvageable pieces currently on the roster.
A beauty from the captain.@Matt_Hedges doubles the lead for @FCDallas. #RSLvDAL https://t.co/Yj4A8finDb
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
FT: Maxi Urruti caps his night off with a brace and @FCDallas keep rollin' with big 3-0 road win. #RSLvDAL https://t.co/CLoLSdIwxo
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
Philadelphia Union 3-0 New York Red Bulls
After 15 regular-season games without a win, going all the way back Aug. 27, 2016, Union fans can call themselves winners once again, thanks to C.J. Sapong’s first career hat trick and a second straight clean sheet by Andre Blake.
Blake made a pair of stellar saves either side of halftime to keep New York off the board, setting the stage for an 11-minute explosion of goals (from minutes 74 to 85) from Sapong, who moved level with Erick “Cubo” Torres in the race for the 2017 Golden Boot (7 goals). Sapong has never reached the double-digit goals benchmark (he has hit 9 twice in his first six seasons as a pro).
DOOP! @BigAfrika88 puts the @PhilaUnion up 1-0 ⬇️ #PHIvNY https://t.co/GKPCTaS4xf
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
CJ x2@BigAfrika88's brace has the @PhilaUnion up 2-0. #PHIvNY https://t.co/hasv6od0ge
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
Make that THREE for CJ.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
It's a 10-minute hat trick for @BigAfrika88 👏 #PHIvNY https://t.co/96vNMMHy4U
Houston Dynamo 4-0 Orlando City SC
Here’s something I said on Twitter following Houston’s third (of four) goal against Orlando on Saturday: “Dynamo are terrifying in the first three or four seconds after winning the ball. Don’t find yourself one-on-one against them in open space.” Orlando head coach Jason Kreis, nor any of his players on the field, listened. It was, of course, already too late to make much difference, but it happened again fewer than 10 minutes later.
Ohhhh, @alberthelis17 😍
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
Pretty stuff to give @HoustonDynamo the lead. #HOUvORL https://t.co/C7y14Edw91
Make that a lead of✌️ for @HoustonDynamo.@alexxlima14 sets it up, @MauroManotas19 sends it home. #HOUvORL https://t.co/WQYxeHv0VA
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
The @HoustonDynamo pour in a third!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
Impressive performance at BBVA. #HOUvORL https://t.co/HxCwa0EAAg
FOUR.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
The latest @HoustonDynamo goal comes from @RomellSamir, and it is a beauty! #HOUvORL https://t.co/AlXC611C6x
LA Galaxy 2-2 Chicago Fire
Fact: LA’s midfield is a gigantic problem.
Theory: Jermaine Jones is a big part of that problem
Recent evidence: During the 42 minutes he was on the field against Chicago on Saturday (he went off injured), LA were soundly beaten, 2-0 (Jelle Van Damme’s 30-minute shift is an additional variable which cannot be isolated at this time), and seemed headed for a thorough beating. In the 48 minutes that followed, LA found their footing, looked the better of the two sides, and rescued a point from an otherwise disastrous evening.
Clearly, soccer is far more complicated than simple plus-minus totals, but the eye test also supports the above evidence. Those opening 30 minutes saw Chicago go 1-0 ahead in the 13th minute (David Accam, from the penalty spot) and 2-0 up just three minutes later (Nemanja Nikolic, courtesy of Accam). LA weren’t just bad; they were atrocious.
It's @iamdavidaccam ➡️ @niko_nemanja
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
The @ChicagoFire have an early 2-0 lead on the road. #LAvCHI https://t.co/TseWVuXyRr
Still unable to create much of anything through open play, LA made the most of set pieces and willed themselves back to life.
The @LAGalaxy have life!@Dsteres44's far-post header brings things to 2-1. #LAvCHI https://t.co/NF7VVwDy9h
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
And just like that, we're level in LA! @OficialGio redirects it home to tie it 2-2. #LAvCHI https://t.co/ahOLHVeFGn
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
Columbus Crew SC 2-0 New England Revolution
Ola Kamara is quickly becoming is already a star in MLS, as the Norwegian striker continues to shred defenses and add to his impressive haul of goals barely a full 34 games into his MLS career. Through 35 regular-season games played, the 27-year-old has 22 goals to his name after bagging the winning goal against New England on Saturday.
Kamara also notched an assist (his third since arriving in MLS last year) on Columbus’s second goal, scored by Federico Higuain. With the victory, Columbus are up to third in the Eastern Conference, just three points back of red-hot Toronto FC.
A clinical finish from @OlaKamara puts the home side up 1-0. #CLBvNE https://t.co/nh8KcqeJ52
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 6, 2017
Pipa ➡️ @OlaKamara ➡️ Pipa...so good all around. #CLBvNE
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
https://t.co/dGSzHia7vN
San Jose Earthquakes 3-0 Portland Timbers
This week in MLS Results That Make Absolutely No Sense, But Hey, That’s MLS…
#Quakes74 take the early lead! #SJvPOR https://t.co/bT753lf8oz
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
Quality from the captain! @ChrisWondo curls home the 124th goal of his career. #SJvPOR https://t.co/zhPeVkSyP4
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
The captain strikes again!@ChrisWondo gets his brace with a class chip. #SJvPOR https://t.co/g3bnMOghXL
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2017
D.C. United 0-1 Montreal Impact
In a league with so many exciting, entertaining, enjoyable teams to watch, Ben Olsen’s D.C. United remains the hardest of hard passes on MLS Live.
Quality from the 18 year old.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 6, 2017
@balloutabla's strong effort puts the visitors up 1-0. #DCvMTL https://t.co/ogkbVCod34
Elsewhere in MLS
Seattle Sounders 0-1 Toronto FC — RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS