If last week’s action saw new boys Orland and NYC light up the highlight reel, this weekend saw their stars fade, while two of the league’s veteran teams continued to excel. One, the Vancouver Whitecaps, excelled at the expense of Orland City, as their new signing Octavio Rivero continued his blistering, goal-per-game start to the season with a late winner down in Florida. Elsewhere, FC Dallas is on the verge of their best ever start to a season, as they kept to their winning ways on the road in Philadelphia.
Let’s get to the games:
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New England Revolution | 0 | (0-1-2) |
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Montreal Impact | 0 | (0-1-1) |
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Despite Montreal’s midweek victory in the CONCACAF Champions League, both teams were winless, goalless, and without a single point in MLS when they met in Foxboro on Saturday. After an even first half, though without many opportunities, shortly into the second Montreal’s Dominic Oduro suffered a knee injury, forcing Montreal to use their first substitution. Things only got worse for the visitors when, in the 61st minute, Hassoun Camara was shown his second yellow of the match and sent off, rightly, for a foul on Juan Agudelo; Camara pulled the sporadic US International to the turf by his jersey. Although neither team will be thrilled with this match result, having played out the final half hour a man down, Montreal fans must be more satisfied with their first point of the domestic campaign.
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Colorado Rapids | 0 | (0-2-0) |
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New York City FC | 0 | (1-2-0) |
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A nil-nil draw was also in the cards for NYCFC and the Rapids in Colorado on Saturday. It was a scintillating start from the home side, as Dillon Powers had a shot on target in the 2nd minute, then nearly assisted Gabriel Torres in the 8th, whose close-range right-footer was neatly parried by the opposing keeper. Indeed it was Colorado who was on the front foot the whole day, putting 7 of their 21 shots on target, to NYCFC’s 2 of 9. As the game wound down, David Villa put in a dangerous low cross in the 81st minute, which was palmed away by Colorado’s Clint Irwin. Seconds later, however, NYC’s Shay Facey was shown his second yellow for impeding Juan Ramirez’s run into the box, dashing the visitors’ hopes for their second win of the season.
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Philadelphia Union | 0 | (0-2-1) |
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FC Dallas | 2 | (3-0-0) |
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After a first half red card for Philly, it was all Dallas in the second, knocking in two goals and making it three wins out of three matches. Zach Pfeffer and Philadelphia can really have no complaints about his 42nd minute sending off; the Union man threw a clear elbow into the face of Mauro Diaz, and while his teammates protested, he had to march. Tesho Akindele took advantage of a botched clearance in the 49th minute, racing into the box and firing a right-footed shot into the net for the game’s first goal. Ryan Hollingshead, who came on for Dallas at halftime, added a second ten minutes later, receiving a ball just outside the box in space, and using his time well to pick out the bottom left hand corner of the net, securing all three points.
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Orlando City SC | 0 | (1-1-1) |
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Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 | (2-0-1) |
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Octavio Rivero was on target once again, securing all three points for the Whitecaps with his last-gasp header. Although Orlando City dominated possession with 63%, Vancouver were the far more accurate team in attack, putting 3 of their 9 shots on frame, compared to only 1 of 12 for the home side. But it wasn’t until the last of those 3 shots on target that the Whitecaps beat Donovan Ricketts. In the 96th minute, with what looked likely to be the last kick of the game, Pedro Morales curled a free kick into the box, Octavio Rivero proved his tenacity, diving to win the ball, and turning it back toward goal, where he beat Ricketts at the far post. This kid is for real.
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Sporting Kansas City | 0 | (0-2-1) |
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Portland Timbers | 0 | (0-3-0) |
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SKC and Portland both remain winless after their third attempt, playing out to a scoreless draw on Saturday. The Timbers had 3 shots on target, while hosts Kansas City managed just 2, in an uneventful game that will frustrate both sets of fans. Although the Timbers remain undefeated this season, their place in the table (7th in the West, below archrivals Seattle) won’t please many in PDX. Kansas City, however, might be even more frustrated, as the game extended their winless streak to seven matches, including last season. Both sides have tough opposition next week, too, as SKC meets NYCFC in Yankee Stadium, and the Timbers travel to Vancouver to try and stymie the in-form Rivero for the first time this season.
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Los Angeles Galaxy | 1 | (1-2-0) |
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Houston Dynamo | 1 | (1-1-1) |
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Saturday’s matchup in LA got off to a scintillating start, with two goals in the first quarter-hour, only to settle down, and end up with a point for each side in a 1-1 draw. Reigning MVP Robbie Keane wasted no time in opening the scoring, producing a brilliant piece of play in just the 3rd minute. Receiving the ball in midfield, Keane’s powerful run took him to the edge of the box, where he beat Dynamo’s Nathan Sturgis with a deft, nutmeg dribble, then fired home, with a glance off the keeper and into the net. Sturgis, however, did not hang his head, and had his revenge shortly after, as a corner was headed back into his path in the 11th minute, and he volleyed it homed from within the six-yard box. Houston hung on for the rest of the match with tenacious defense, earning a well-deserved point at the StubHub Center in LA.
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New York Red Bulls | 2 | (1-1-0) |
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D.C. United | 0 | (1-0-1) |
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New York Red Bulls proved on Sunday that, even without Thierry Henry and with David Villa now across town at NYCFC, the new boys aren’t the only force to be reckoned with in NYC. In the 25th minute, Bradley Wright-Phillips brought down a long ball just inside the area, set it to shoot with an excellent second touch, and fired the ball into the net. Then, in the 71st minute, Wright-Phillips turned provider, feeding Lloyd Sam on the breakaway, and Sam notched a goal from close range with his right foot, securing NYRB’s 2-0 victory. The Red Bulls are now second in the Eastern Conference, just one point behind their crosstown rivals, NYCFC, and with a game in hand over the newcomers.
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San Jose Earthquakes | 2 | (2-0-1) |
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Chicago Fire | 1 | (0-0-3) |
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Chicago left California still seeking their first point of the season, now the only team to be without even a draw following the first three weeks. The Fire, however, can’t be faulted for not putting their best effort in, as the visitors actually owned the majority of possession, 58%, and put nearly as many shots on target as the home side, 4 to San Jose’s 6. Still, they were always chasing the game. In the 5th minute, an Earthquakes corner came off two San Jose players’ heads before finding the forehead of rookie Fatai Alashe, whose put it home for both his first, and his new stadium’s first-ever MLS goals. Then, another first, but more surprising, as it came from Ty Harden, whose first goal came in his eighth year, and his 100th appearance. Sean Johnson saved a vicious volley from a set piece sent into the box, but couldn’t hold onto the ball, and Harden was there to sweep in the rebound. Joevin Jones assisted Harrison Shipp in the 29th minute, whose shot from inside the box was the Fire’s first goal of the season, but it would prove to be too little, as the Earthquakes took all three points.