With eight MLS Saturday afternoons/evenings officially in the books, only 26 more to go…
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FC Dallas 2-2 Portland Timbers
For the third straight week, we were a matchup featuring two of the top three teams in the Western Conference. After Sporting Kansas City beat Portland two weeks ago, and Dallas topped Sporting KC last week, it was FCD’s turn to host Portland on Saturday. Thankfully, the third game of the early-season round robin did not disappointed, and delivered a higher level of entertaining, attacking soccer (each of the first two ended 1-0).
Fanendo Adi opened the scoring to conclude a cagey opening 30 minutes, and out the window went all semblance of structure and discipline from either side. FCD needed a full 30 minutes before they’d draw level, courtesy of Maximiliano Urruti, a goal that set up a fantastic, frantic final half-hour.
Adi does what Adi does. 1-0 to @TimbersFC! #DALvPOR https://t.co/efEI8WsUGn
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
Pick. That. One. Out.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
Maxi Urruti with a beauty! #DALvPOR https://t.co/OJQsvqMT2d
Sebastian Blacno’s first MLS goal put Portland ahead for the second time in the game, in the 71st minute, but the advantage was short-lived, as Tesho Akindele’s 80th-minute header brought FCD back to level terms once again.
Pretty good time to get your first MLS goal.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
Sebastian Blanco puts @TimbersFC back in front! #DALvPOR https://t.co/0j9zgyNw2J
It's Tesho! It's 2-2! #DALvPOR https://t.co/VJmiTLvvs6
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
Seattle Sounders 3-3 New England Revolution
Game. Of. The. Day.
Seattle found themselves 3-0 down to New England, at home, after 54 minutes. In 13 minutes’ time, from minute 75 to 88, the comeback was on. There’s not much to be said of this one. Just sit back, and enjoy.
That's one...@SoundersFC pull a goal back through Lodeiro. #SEAvNE https://t.co/sTdMszJ96f
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
First, @wbruin made it 3-2... #SEAvNE https://t.co/p6lx028Lmv
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
...then, @OzzieAlonso tied it up! #SEAvNE https://t.co/Qfqj157x1n
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
Orlando City SC 2-0 Colorado Rapids
Five home games, five wins for Orlando City. The best home-field advantage in all of MLS might just reside in central Florida, and the summer humidity is yet to reach full effect.
Saturday’s victory over a truly awful Rapids side was more labored than you might have expected — all of 70 minutes passed before Carlos Rivas scored the breakthrough — but the result was never in doubt. Colorado managed all of three shots (one on target) over the course of 90 minutes, and Kaka marked his return to action (hamstring injury) with a goal in the 91st minute. All is very, very well in the City Beautiful.
Take a bow, Carlos Rivas! 🔥 #ORLvCOL https://t.co/PMFqaTajZI
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 29, 2017
Welcome back, @KAKA!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 29, 2017
A goal for the captain on his return. #ORLvCOL https://t.co/BKdfwZHklQ
New York Red Bulls 2-1 Chicago Fire
Dax McCarty’s return to Red Bull Arena, following the trade that sent him to Chicago during the offseason, was more than a little bittersweet for the box-to-box bulldog when spent five and a half seasons with New York.
After falling behind to Bradley Wright-Phillips’ opener in the 37th minute, McCarty assisted on Nemanja Nikolic’s 59th-minute equalizer — the spin and lay-off were perfectly executed. The evening ended in disappointment, though, as Kemar Lawrence broke the deadlock in the 71st minute and secured all three points. That’s back-to-back losses for Chicago, who were unbeaten in their first three games since Bastian Schweinsteiger’s arrival. On the other end, three straight wins for New York, and they’re within two points of first-place Orlando in the Eastern Conference.
BWP from six yards out? Done deal. #NYvCHI https://t.co/HVqhC7B3uc
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
.@DaxMcCarty11 spin move, @niko_nemanja goal! @ChicagoFire pulls level at Red Bull Arena: https://t.co/4WvU0BP6LS #NYvCHI pic.twitter.com/kqZAcXa1AM
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
RBA's rocking!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
@kemarkemar24 puts #RBNY back on top. #NYvCHI https://t.co/BHkCwaJ5mx
Columbus Crew SC 2-3 New York City FC
When two teams with zero desire to play the game at a non-frenetic pace, and no clue how to slow things down and control the game, get together, fireworks are to be expected.
Columbus and New York City meet the above criteria, and were happy to prove as much on Saturday. Jack Harrison put the visitors ahead with the deftest chip in the 8th minute, but Federico Higuain’s equalizer 21 minutes later was just as impressive.
The pass. The finish.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 29, 2017
A thing of beauty for @NYCFC & @Harrison_Jack11. #CLBvNYC https://t.co/apK248Wzxv
What a hit.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
Higuaín brings @ColumbusCrewSC level. #CLBvNYC https://t.co/koPBD3cMTt
Ola Kamara put Columbus 2-1 ahead in the 49th minute, and all Gregg Berhalter’s side seemed to be in total control. 15 minutes, later Yangel Herrera’s header made it 2-2, and Jack Harrison completed the comeback in the 76th minute. Few victories in MLS this season will deserve greater praise than this one, achieved without the services of David Villa (illness).
Oh my.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
Higuaín's dummy leads to Kamara's go-ahead goal. #CLBvNYC https://t.co/HGBxe2BC72
That man again. @Harrison_Jack11 gives @NYCFC the lead for the second time tonight. #CLBvNYC https://t.co/j2APIpmef6
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
Sporting Kansas City 3-0 Real Salt Lake
When Sporting KC get themselves a lead, it’s game over. In the four games in which they’ve scored this season, they’ve won 12 out of 12 points possible. On the season, they’ve conceded three goals in eight games, and haven’t conceded multiple goals in a game yet this season.
Of course, scoring has been the majority of the problem, as Peter Vermes’ side has already been blanked four times themselves. It wasn’t a problem on Saturday, though, as Benny Feilhaber, Dom Dwyer and Gerso Fernandes were each stellar from beginning to end, and each bagged a goal in Sporting’s 3-0 win over RSL. An inability close out games has haunted this team in the past, but they’re a perfect 4-for-4 thus far in 2017.
Benny absolutely buries it.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
1-0 @SportingKC. #SKCvRSL https://t.co/xYLGXOh5tP
When in doubt, go long to @Ddwyer14. 2-0. #SKCvRSL https://t.co/gIeIAzWwr3
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
The icing on the @SportingKC cake. #SKCvRSL https://t.co/WX6KkgfreP
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
Montreal Impact 1-2 Vancouver Whitecaps
Someone’s giving Colorado a run for their money as the worst team in MLS. With just a single win to their name this season, Montreal have to make the most out of 1) home games; 2) games in which they lead, if they’re to mount any kind of playoff challenge in 2017.
They did neither against Vancouver, throwing away an early 1-0 lead — Marco Donadel opened the scoring in the 9th minute — by conceding goals either side of halftime, to Andrew Jacobson and Cristian Techera. In truth, Vancouver were the better side over 90 minutes and fully deserved the three points, and it’s a crushing result for a Montreal side with just one victory (and zero clean sheets) on the season.
What a hit, Andrew Jacobson! 💥 #MTLvVAN https://t.co/aNLR65aqm4
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 29, 2017
So cool. So composed.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 29, 2017
Cristian Techera puts @WhitecapsFC in front. #MTLvVAN https://t.co/7ajG9ld6qB
Minnesota United 0-1 San Jose Earthquakes
The breakthrough.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2017
Jungwirth nods home the go-ahead goal for @SJEarthquakes. #MINvSJ https://t.co/wZAgnXlIQ1
Elsewhere in MLS
LA Galaxy 0-0 Philadelphia Union