Week 8 MLS Roundup
A look back at Week 8 in MLS Roundup.
Chicago Fire 1 – N.Y.C.F.C. 0
Chicago is starting to warm up as David Accam scored his first goal in MLS to give Chicago its third win in a row at home. The Fire took a little time to gel as a team with three new DP signings this season but the results are starting to come together on this just completed three game home stand. They had the advantage of playing N.Y.C.F.C which was without Designated Player David Villa due to injury, and goalkeeper Josh Saunders due to suspension.
It also didn’t help the expansion team when N.Y.C.F.C. midfielder Andrew Jacobson dragged David Accam down from behind as he was clear in on goal in the 23rd minute, drawing a red and leaving the blue team from New York playing with just ten men for the rest of the game.
In week eight, N.Y.C.F.C. is starting to look like an expansion team as Chicago is starting to play like a team that I predicted would make the playoffs in the East. The big test comes this week for both teams as Chicago goes to K.C. to see if they can keep the streak going on the road, while the blue team looks to be inspired by the Third Rail and get a win against Seattle on Sunday at Yankee Stadium.
Colorado Rapids 1 – F.C. Dallas 1
Oh Fabian Castillo, what a sweet Allen Iverson move into the box, followed by a perfect pass for an assist to give F.C. Dallas a lead on the road. Mauro Diaz made no mistake as he buried this ball without hesitation into the back of the net.
A second-half red card from FC Dallas’ Blas Perez was the turning point in the game, as his foul away from the ball on Rapids defender Drew Moor led to his ejection in the 59th minute.
Colorado’s Nick LaBrocca tied the game in the 79th minute to salvage the tie for Colorado.
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- Matchday 4 Canadian MLS recap
Columbus Crew S.C. 4 – Philadelphia Union 1
Well Philadelphia went to Columbus and got a spanking from Ethan Finlay and the Columbus Crew S.C.. Finlay abused Union defender Fabinho multiple times on the right-wing as it looked like man against child. He helped open the scoring by lofting a ball to Kei Kamara that the striker controlled with his chest and blasted underneath Philadelphia goalkeeper John McCarthy for his fifth goal of the young season.
John McCarthy dream start in MLS has been followed by the realities of stepping up a level as he faced four shots on goal in this game and couldn’t stop one of them.
Jim Curtin said he learned a lot about his team this week, so expect changes in the lineup.
I think it’s time to go to “Oz” and see if the Wizard has a box of hearts as this team will just quit when they give up a goal.
New England Revolution 4 – Real Salt Lake 0
I love talking on Twitter to people who just won’t accept MLS as the league is run different from the rest of the world. One of the biggest whipping boys for them is Robert Kraft, as they just won’t accept how he runs his team and promise never to support New England. It’s a shame because the Revolution might not be a gold standard in MLS or the world but they sure are fun to watch.
Teal Bunbury, Charlie Davies and Juan Agudelo are starting to find a comfort level with each other that is just so entertaining to watch. What they did to RSL at home was just not stop pressure from the start to the end. Davies is starting to look like he’s getting back some of his speed as he was flying past defenders in this game.I wouldn’t be surprised if this trio ends up with double digits in scoring for all of them by the end of the season.
Next weeks game in Foxborough with the Red Bulls should be the game of the week. It would be nice to see a large crowd for this early season clash.
Houston Dynamo 4 – Sporting Kansas City 4
Go ahead Houston, you got jobbed on this one as referee Kevin Stott pointed to the spot and showed the Jamaican international Jermaine Taylor a red card. It wasn’t even close as the ball hit him in the chest as he had his arm tucked behind his back. How the officials can’t have a forth guy in the booth making a call on something as important as a penalty kick and a player being ejected is beyond me. I understand you can’t do it for every call but this one clearly change the game and was dead wrong.
The Dynamo looked like they had overcome Stott’s poor decision when Raul Rodriguez, the Spanish acquisition headed home a Brad Davis free kick in the 84th minute that looked like it would secure the win for the Dynamo.
But up a man for the last ten minutes of regulation and extra time Sporting was able to salvage a tie. Benny Feilhaber scored his second goal of the night with a blistering shot from distance for the visitors in extra time.
Come on MLS, do something innovative and get a video referee this has to stop.
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Vancouver Whitecaps 1 – D.C. United 2
The game got off to a fast start as Vancouver took the lead just 70 seconds in when Octavio Rivero’s cross found Pedro Morales just inside the box and the captain scored his first goal of the season. The fast start wouldn’t hold up as D.C. tied things up through a 9th minute Bobby Boswell header.
The game swayed for D.C. as Matias Laba took his second booking of the match with just three minutes in the half. Leaving the door open for Chris Rolfe against ten man Vancouver as he hit the winner in the 64th minute to give D.C.the all important three points on the road.
New York Red Bulls 1 – LA Galaxy 1
18-year-old Galaxy Academy product Bradford Jamieson IV was in the starting lineup with LA missing star striker and reigning MVP Robbie Keane. The US U-20 forward didn’t disappoint as he opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a move that left two Red Bull players scratching their heads.
Luckily you can sometimes use your head for more than just scratching as the Red Bulls scored when the ball deflected off Felipe’s head and into the net after a deflection by a LA defender.
Oddly both these teams will play the Colorado Rapids this week as Red Bull will see them on Wednesday at home and the Galaxy get them on Saturday night at home as well. Two coast in one week? Ouch!
Orlando City S.C. 0 – Toronto F.C. 2
Kaka and over 30,000 Orlando fans are starting to understand the frustration of being an expansion team in MLS. The team they played on Sunday has been suffering from it since 2007 and has yet to make the playoffs. But if two teams ever represented MLS 3.0, you had them here. Marque signings and not enough depth to complete a roster seems to be the problem for both these teams.
Unlike the Galaxy who figured out how to sign journeymen and promote players from their academy, Toronto hasn’t gotten past the big name signings yet and it looks like Orlando is going down the same path. The Red Bulls this year figured out that the path only leads to disappointment and are trying a different way.
Jozy Altidore scored two goals for Toronto FC to put an end to their four-game slump and send the Orlando faithful home unhappy yet again.
With Philadelphia coming up next week and another chance at a win, Toronto will have a chance to take a two game win streak back to their newly renovated BMO Field.
Seattle Sounders F.C. 1 – Portland Timbers 0
Clint Dempsey’s fourth goal of the season, was also his fourth straight game with a tally against the Timbers, making him the all-time leading scorer in the rivalry match-up between the squads. Not a bad DP signing by the best supported franchise in MLS and it doesn’t hurt if he punishes one of your biggest rivals.
As far as the game itself goes it wasn’t one of the better ones in the rivalry as Portland couldn’t even get a shot on goal in the first half. Luck wouldn’t go Portland’s way as Fanendo Adi had two good chances after entering the game in the 74th minute with one going off the cross-bar.
It won’t get much easier next week for Portland as they have division leader Vancouver Whitecaps coming to visit.