With the Collective Bargaining Agreement behind them, the MLS players took the field this weekend, kicking off a season some thought might not even take place. Thankfully, the MLSPU and MLS came to an agreement, and we have nine months of domestic soccer ahead of us. What’s more, the league welcomes two new franchises to its ranks this season, NYCFC and Orlando City, backed by the star power of David Villa and Kaka respectively. So, now that the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed, let’s get to the first week of action.
Let’s get to the games:
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Chicago Fire | 0 | (0-0-1) |
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Los Angeles Galaxy | 2 | (1-0-0) |
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The reigning MLS Cup Champions LA Galaxy began both the post-Landon Donovan Era, and this season’s title defense, with a convincing win in Chicago on Friday. Jose Villareal had a good free kick saved in the 9th minute, but just under an hour later, he would not be denied, charging into the box to slot home a strong left-footed shot. Omar Gonzalez and the Galaxy defense kept a clean sheet as the home side struggled to create chances, and when the ball fell to Robbie Keane in the 81st minute, the Irishman was sure-footed as ever and sealed the win with an excellent half-volley.
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Montreal Impact | 0 | (0-0-1) |
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D.C. United | 1 | (1-0-0) |
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Jairo Arrieta was the hero as DC United defeated Montreal at a bitterly cold RFK Stadium. Having come over from Columbus Crew in the offseason, Arrieta had a perfect debut for his new team, beating the on-rushing keeper in the 58th minute with a well timed side-footed shot that proved to be the game’s only goal. The visitors might be said to be a bit unlucky in the loss, having had more shots on target (4-3) than the home side, and nearly equal possession.
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Colorado Rapids | 0 | (0-1-0) |
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Philadelphia Union | 0 | (0-1-0) |
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Colorado supporters must be pleased with Saturday’s result, despite taking only one point of the three on offer. The Rapids looked completely overmatched, garnering only 39% of possession, with merely two shots, neither of which were on target (although Dominique Badji’s 62nd minute attempt did hit the side netting). The home side, by contrast, had 16 shots, 4 of which were on the mark, and a handful that fizzed passed the post, at least as close as Badji’s attempt. What’s more, the Rapids’ Bobby Burling was shown a second yellow and sent off in the 68th minute. Although Rapids fans might argue that the foul was a bit soft for a second yellow, they can hardly argue that their team deserved more than a point from their performance.
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Toronto FC | 3 | (1-0-0) |
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Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 | (0-0-1) |
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Jozy Altidore’s Toronto debut was not only precisely what the American international would’ve hoped for, having scored a brace, but also arguably the best match of the weekend. Octavio Rivero opened the scoring for Vancouver in the 19th minute with a cool finish, beating both the defender at his side and the keeper coming on. It was, however, to be the home side’s only goal, and would ultimately be far from enough to earn even a point. In the 32nd, a perfectly weighted pass from Sebastian Giovinco found Jozy rushing into the area at the edge of the six yard box, and after a perfect first touch took him around the keeper, Altidore opened his account with Toronto. Then, in the 59th minute, from a move that began with an excellent deep-lying midfield pass from Michael Bradley, Robbie Findley gave the visitors the lead with an excellent finish from a cross sent into the six yard box. Finally, in the 90th minute Altidore was brought down in the box for a clear penalty, given the chance from the spot, and sealed the victory for his new team.
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San Jose Earthquakes | 0 | (0-0-1) |
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FC Dallas | 1 | (1-0-0) |
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Although both managers will, regardless of the result, likely be furious with the number of chances that their forwards let go to waste, the home fans in Texas–those who stuck it out to the final whistle, at least–enjoyed a thrilling and satisfying conclusion to their home opener. FC Dallas had more than twice as many shots on target, 5-2, and in stoppage time, in the 92nd minute, their persistence was finally rewarded when Moises Hernandez found Blas Perez, who headed home from close range, snatching the victory from what seemed a certain draw.
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Columbus Crew | 0 | (0-0-1) |
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Houston Dynamo | 1 | (1-0-0) |
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Although Columbus owned 60% of possession, they left Houston still seeking their first point of the season. Houston Dynamo keeper Tyler Deric made a a series of excellent saves to keep his side level, perhaps paramount among them coming in the 53rd minute, when he pushed Kei Kamara’s close-range header wide. Then, in the 66th minute, in a rare moment of true brilliance–but brilliance nonetheless–the home side scored the winner; Kofi Sarkodie used excellent footwork to bring the ball into the area on the right side, then crossed the ball perfectly to the waiting Giles Barnes, who fired the ball into the roof of the net, giving the keeper no chance.
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Real Salt Lake | 0 | (0-1-0) |
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Portland Timbers | 0 | (0-1-0) |
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Defender Nat Borchers began his career in Portland by facing his old club, as the Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a scoreless draw on Saturday night. In a match perhaps most notable for the number of acrobatic clearances and for Timbers’ new keeper Adam Kwarasey’s excellent distribution, the home side clearly missed their injured midfield stars Will Johnson and Diego Valeri, as they were out-possessed by Salt Lake 46 to 54. However, the Timbers may not have dominated possession, but they did own the lion’s share of shots on target: Portland doubled the number of Salt Lake’s shots, 18 to 9, and had three times as many on target, 6 to Real’s 2. Still, despite some last minute heroics from the Timbers–which, it turned out, the Salt Lake defense was more than equal to–the game ended scoreless.
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New York City FC | 1 | (0-1-0) |
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Orlando City SC | 1 | (0-1-0) |
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The two MLS debutants are still each seeking their maiden victory, but for the 62,510 fans at the Citrus Bowl on Sunday, the spectacle was certainly worth the price of admission. Although possession was roughly equal, Orland dominated in the final third, putting 4 of 15 shots on target, compared to NYCFC’s 1 of 8. That one, however, counted: in the 76th minute, Spain’s all time leading goalscorer, David Villa, turned provider, placing a perfect pass onto the foot of American international Mix Diskerud, who set the ball quickly before curling a right footed shot from the edge of the area into the bottom right corner. Things went from bad to worse for the home side when, in the 83rd minute, Aurelien Collin was sent off, and rightly so, for a two footed, scissor challenge against David Villa. But it was Orlando’s talisman, Kaka, who saved a point at the death, scoring a direct free kick, from a deflection off the wall, in the 91st minute.
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New York Red Bulls | 1 | (0-1-0) |
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Sporting Kansas City | 1 | (0-1-0) |
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Seth Sinovic, assisted by USMNT regular Graham Zusi, nearly put KC ahead on nine minutes with an excellent curled effort to the right side of goal, forcing a fine save from Luis Robles. Then, in the 50th, Benny Feilhaber pushed past his defender on the right flank to eek in a cross, which Ike Opara, in his first match returning from injury after nearly a hear, headed strongly into the ground, past the keeper. The fairytale return for Opara was cut short, however, by a remarkable piece of individual skill from NY Red Bulls Lloyd Sam, who received the ball in the middle third, dribbled his way in, cut back at the edge of the eighteen yard box, and fired home the equalizer. Sporting KC saw their hopes further derailed in the 69th minute, when Matt Besler was shown his second yellow for a hip check on Wright-Phillips; the decision was, in some ways, unpopular on both ends, as the NY supporters would’ve liked to see advantage played, and the KC fans might’ve thought it a bit harsh. Both teams, however, left with a deserved point.
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New England Revolution | 0 | (0-0-1) |
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Seattle Sounders FC | 3 | (1-0-0) |
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Seattle steamrolled the Eastern Conference Champions at CenturyLink field 3-0, led by Clint Dempsey. The Texan playmaker was brought down, perhaps lightly, in the box in the 25th minute; if the referee’s decision was questionable, the quality of Dempsey’s spot kick wasn’t, as he fired an unsavable shot into the top right corner. Then, in the 41st, Dempsey was at the center of play again, somewhat lucky to get the ball back off a deflected pass, but placing an excellent ball into the corner, which was crossed into Martins who headed home, giving the Sounders a 2-0 lead. Finally, in the 67th minute, brilliant combination play from Marco Pappa, Dempsey and Martins saw Dempsey net his second, as Seattle started off their season with a convincing win.