A roundup of Wednesday night’s midweek action in MLS…
[ FOLLOW: All of PST’s MLS coverage ]
New York City FC 2-2 New England Revolution
The top of the Eastern Conference is as interesting and tight as it could possibly be. While Toronto FC have raced out to a five-point lead on the entire league, places no. 2 through 6 in the East are currently separated by just four points. NYCFC were four minutes from moving to within a single point of second-place Chicago Fire, but Patrick Vieira’s side conceded a late equalizer to Xavier Kouassi and ultimately dropped a pair of points they deserved to claim as their own on Wednesday.
David Villa was brilliant in setting up the game’s opening goal just after the quarter-hour mark, but Kei Kamara drew New England level in the 24th minute. Miguel Camargo put the home side back ahead with his first MLS goal in the 64th minute, but NYCFC couldn’t hold the lead, as Kelyn Rowe masterfully set up Kouassi in the 86th minute.
The draw leaves NYCFC with just one win from their last five games, now fifth in the East, eight points back of TFC.
.@Guaje7Villa just kept going, and going, and going...
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 31, 2017
And @Harrison_Jack11 supplied the finish! #NYCvNE https://t.co/O6VtlMM1JJ
Headers don't get much better. @keikamara ties it up! #NYCvNE https://t.co/RpUSF2agjm
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 1, 2017
Three minutes after subbing in, Miguel Camargo opens his MLS account! 2-1. #NYCvNE https://t.co/Z3iNJBtEZH
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 1, 2017
The cross from Rowe. The finish from Kouassi.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 1, 2017
What an equalizer for @NERevolution! #NYCvNE https://t.co/qlOvySC0fJ
Columbus Crew SC 3-0 Seattle Sounders
Columbus hit Seattle early and often at MAPFRE Stadium, as the defending MLS Cup champions lost for the fourth time in their last six games.
Federico Higuain opened the scoring in the 10th minute, Justin Meram made it 2-0 just 11 minutes later, and Ola Kamara completed the rout just before the hour mark.
After 14 games, Seattle have just 16 points to their name, though right now they sit just a point out of the sixth and final playoff place in the Western Conference.
Guess who?
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 31, 2017
Pipa puts @ColumbusCrewSC ahead early on. #CLBvSEA https://t.co/dz1jV7KenB
Meram bendsssss it all the way into the corner. What a finish.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 1, 2017
2-0 @ColumbusCrewSC. #CLBvSEA https://t.co/pOKMULucLq
#3️⃣ for @ColumbusCrewSC #CLBvSEA https://t.co/JvyzJAzNma
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 1, 2017
Houston Dynamo 5-1 Real Salt Lake
No one loves sleeping in their own bed, and hates sleeping in a hotel, more than Houston. Just shy of the halfway point of the season, Wilmer Cabrera’s side currently sports the following home-away splits: 7W-1D-0L, and 0W-1D-5L.
Wednesday night represented RSL’s turn on the BBVA Compass Stadium chopping block, and things turned rather ugly, rather quickly. Justin Schmidt put the ball into his own net less than three minutes into the game, and Alex double Houston’s lead in the 15th minute. Mauro Manotas made it 3-0 just before halftime, and Erick Torres and Leonardo piled on more misery after the intermission, with Joao Plata bagging a brilliant consolation free kick just after the hour mark.
That’s six losses in the the last eight games for RSL, who sit above only Colorado Rapids and Montreal Impact in the full league table. Houston, meanwhile, leapfrog Sporting Kansas City for the top spot in the West, and could have some serious staying power with even marginally improved form on the road.
The corner kick taker goes solo!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 1, 2017
2-0 @HoustonDynamo #HOUvRSL https://t.co/tJI1ESOvYP
That assist 👌😮@HoustonDynamo are running away with it. #HOUvRSL https://t.co/ljc9YFYNl0
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 1, 2017
They don't get much easier.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 1, 2017
It's 4️⃣ for @HoustonDynamo. #HOUvRSL https://t.co/IZwCY0S6EO
Orlando City SC 2-0 D.C. United
Speaking of teams with drastic different home-away splits, here’s Orlando’s following their 2-0 win over D.C. United: 6W-1D-1L, and 1W-1D-4L.
Coming into Wednesday’s game, Cyle Larin hadn’t scored a goal in any of Orlando’s last three games, which was actually beginning to feel like a “slump” for the 22-year-old Europe-bound striker. After 66 minutes of knocking on D.C.'s door, the slump was busted, and Orlando had themselves a lead they’d never relinquish. Giles Barnes tacked on a second goal in the 88th minute, courtesy of Bill Hamid’s most shocking howler to date, and just like that, Orlando climbed two spots to third in the East, just one point back of Chicago.
.@CyleLarin inside the six? 💰 #ORLvDC https://t.co/K7ll0AZY49
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 1, 2017
You can't score if you don't shoot, kids. 😈 https://t.co/fdWy4eD37f
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) June 1, 2017