The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsThe big news from the weekend’s MLS action was that Real Salt Lake got their first win since August. On the same note, both Montreal and Philadelphia are both still winless through the sixth week of regular season action in 2017. Three teams still remain unbeaten, with FC Dallas, Sporting KC and Toronto all not having been beaten this year.
Friday 7th April
LA Galaxy 2 (Alessandrini 15’, Jones 74’)
Montreal Impact 0
The Galaxy finally got their second win of the 2017 MLS season but it was not without controversy on Friday night. It took just fifteen minutes for the hosts to take the lead, when Romain Alessandrini scored his second goal in as many weeks. The game then took a turn just before half time, as Marco Donadel was shown a straight red card for a contentious foul on Jermaine Jones (see below). Jones then scored LA’s second late on to close out the game for the hosts, who move up to 6th and into the playoff spots in the Western. The Impact are still without a win this year, and sit second bottom of the Eastern.
Another angle of the Donadel red card. pic.twitter.com/vqDuCP8bH3
— Total MLS (@TotalMLS) April 8, 2017
Saturday 8th April
Chicago Fire 1 (Nikolic 22’)
Columbus Crew SC 0
The Crew were without three of they regular starting line-up, and it showed as the Fire took a narrow victory against the Eastern Conference leaders on Saturday. Nemanja Nikolic scored the only goal of the game, in the middle part of the first half, after he latched on to a great pass from Dax McCarty, captaining the Fire in his 250th MLS appearance. Columbus keeper Zack Steffen made several saves to keep it at 1-0, but the Fire won this one, moving them into 4th in the Eastern. The Crew remain top, but only a point clear now.
D.C. United 2 (Sam 53’, Acosta 73’)
New York City FC 1 (Villa 84’)
Earlier on in the season, NYC had beaten DC 4-0, but not this time. RFK Stadium saw the hosts come out with all three points in the rematch. The visitors had the possession but it was DC who scored first, and took the momentum. Another defensive lapse led to the goal, with Lloyd Sam taking the ball off Frederic Brillant before silting the ball home. Luciano Acosta then continued his great start to the season by adding the second twenty minutes later. David Villa got one back for the visitors, but it was not enough, as they lost on the road. NYC are now 6th in the East, having dropped down with this defeat. United are up to 8th, level on points with NYC in a five-way tie on seven points (5th-9th).
FC Dallas 2 (Morales 43’, Barrios 49’)
Minnesota United 0
A goal on either side of the interval was enough for Dallas to bounce back from their CONCACAF Champions League defeat in midweek. Javier Morales scored the opening goal of the game just before the break, becoming the latest member of the MLS 50-50 club (50 goals, 50 assists). Michael Barrios got the assist for JaviMo’s goal, before then coring himself just after half time to double FCD’s lead. Despite the defeat, Minnesota can be happy that they did not concede early in this one, but their problems continue, as they drop to the bottom of the Western Conference. FC Dallas are perennial front-runners in the MLS, and sit 2nd in the West behind Portland.
New England Revolution 2 (Kamara 52’, Agudelo 72’)
Houston Dynamo 0
The Revs maintained their long home winning streak at the weekend, with a comfortable victory over Houston. The goals all came in the second half, with Kei Kamara scoring a rebound after his first effort was saved by Dynamo keeper Tyler Deric. Juan Agudelo then doubled the lead twenty minutes later to secure victory for the Revs. They have now won six home games straight, and sit 5th in the Eastern. Despite defeat, Houston remain in the top three in the West, but all three wins have come at home, with two defeats on the road. Also in this one, a little mention for New England man, Diego Fagundez, who made an MLS first on Saturday.
Philadelphia Union 1 (Marquez 26’)
Portland Timbers 3 (Nagbe 32’, Miller 66’, Adi 88’)
Philadelphia’s terrible run continued, and they remain winless in 2017 after this defeat at home to the Timbers. They took the lead before the half hour mark, though, when Richie Marquez headed home. However, the lead was short-lived as Darlington Nagbe equalised just six minutes later. After going into the break level at one, Roy Miller scored his first MLS goal on 66 minutes to give the Timbers their first lead on the night. Fanendo Adi then doubled the lead late on as the Timbers condemned the Union to another defeat in 2017. The 2015 MLS Cup Champions are top of the Western, with 13 points from their opening six games, while the Union are bottom of the Eastern, with two points from their first five.
Real Salt Lake 3 (Rusnak 54’, Movsisyan 74’, Mulholland 78’)
Vancouver Whitecaps 0
Albert Rusnak was the man of the moment for RSL, with a goal and two assists as they got their first win of the campaign. In snowy conditions, it was the first time that an orange ball had been used in Salt Lake City in the MLS, and it took until the second half for there to be any goals. Rusnak opened his MLS account, before setting up both Yuri Movsisyan and Luke Mulholland, who both added to their tallies for the 2017 season. The Whitecaps came off the back of CCL defeat in the week, and had no answer for RSL on the night, falling to 10th in the Western. RSL go above them with their first win since August, up to 8th.
San Jose Earthquakes 1 (Wondolowski 90’)
Seattle Sounders 1 (Lodeiro 84’)
Two goals in the final seven minutes brought the game to life, as San Jose managed to scrape a draw to remain unbeaten at home in 2017. In a tight and defensive affair, it took until the 84th minute for the first goal. Nicolas Lodeiro scored a truly audacious effort after a blocked free kick, flying past David Bingham into the Quakes goal. However, as always it was Chris Wondolowski who would equalise at the death for the hosts, grabbing them a point against the reigning MLS Cup Champions. The Quakes are 5th, and stay in the playoff places, while the Sounders are now in 7th, just a place below the red line.
Toronto FC 2 (Giovinco 20’, Morrow 44’)
Atlanta United 2 (Villalba 15’ 47’)
On a night where Toronto finally got their attack going somewhat, Atlanta held on with ten men for the final fifteen to secure an away point. Hector Villalba got a double for the expansion side, with his first opening the scoring after a quarter of an hour. Sebastian Giovinco soon equalised, with his first goal of the season. Justin Morrow then gave the Canadian side the lead just before half time, but Atlanta replied straight after the break, with Villalba grabbing his second. Yamil Asad was then sent off (see below) but the visitors held on for the last quarter of an hour to take a point away from Toronto. Atlanta are 3rd in the Eastern, two points off the top, while Toronto are down in 9th, but only a point behind Atlanta.
Asad shown a red. #TORvATL pic.twitter.com/AL5HLnwGdT
— Total MLS (@TotalMLS) April 9, 2017
Sunday 9th April
Orlando City SC 1 (Carrasco 34’)
New York Red Bulls 0
Just a single goal was needed in this one as Orlando continue their perfect record at their new stadium, moving to 3-0 at home. It looked like they would have problems on the night, as Antonio Nocerino had to be taken off after just 17 minutes through injury. However it would be his replacement, Servando Carrasco, who would score the winner before the half. Both sides then had looks at goal, but neither could score, meaning the Lions move on to nine points and into 2nd in the East. After winning their opening two games, the Red Bulls only have a point from their last four, scoring twice in that time. They slip out of the top six, below the red line in the East.
Sporting Kansas City 3 (Sinovic 6’, Gerso 58’, Dwyer 85’)
Colorado Rapids 1 (Doyle pen 90+4’)
Apart from the late penalty they conceded, SKC produced the perfect performance to take all three points against a struggling Colorado side in the final game of the weekend. Before this, they had only score three goals all year, but they managed to double that on the night. Seth Sinovic scored after just six minutes, his first MLS regular-season goal. Gerso and Dom Dwyer then opened their 2017 accounts in the second half to give SKC a three goal lead. Kevin Doyle then scored a consolation goal in added time for the Rapids but the game was long gone before that. The Rapids only have four points from their opening four games, and sit 9th in the Western, while SKC’s win moves them up to 4th, and they remain unbeaten through five games.
Standings – (team points (games played)):
Eastern Conference:
Columbus 10 (6), Orlando 9 (4), Atlanta 8 (5), Chicago 8 (5), New England 7 (5), NYC 7 (5)
NY Red Bulls 7 (6), DC 7 (5), Toronto 7 (5), Montreal 3 (5), Philadelphia 2 (5)
Western Conference:
Portland 13 (6), Dallas 10 (4), Houston 9 (5), SKC 9 (5), San Jose 7 (5), LA 6 (5)
Seattle 6 (5), RSL 5 (6), Colorado 4 (4), Vancouver 4 (5), Minnesota 4 (6)
After a heavy defeat this weekend, Vancouver have to host the reigning MLS Champions, Seattle, next week. 4th plays 5th in the East, as Chicago host New England, while in the West, leaders Portland face a tricky visit from 4th placed San Jose.
Next Week:
- Chicago v New England
- Colorado v Real Salt Lake
- Columbus v Toronto
- Houston v Minnesota
- Montreal v Atlanta
- NY Red Bulls v DC United
- Orlando v LA Galaxy
- Philadelphia v New York City (Fri)
- Portland v Sporting KC
- San Jose v FC Dallas (Fri)
- Vancouver v Seattle (Fri)
