MLS Week 3: Portland wins at NYCFC, Red Bulls beat FC Dallas

Week 3 of the 2024 MLS season started with Portland winning 2-1 at NYCFC. Falling behind to a 10th minute Santiago Rodriguez goal, Antony equalized for the Timbers in the 85th and Evander scored seven minutes into stoppage time. “Disappointed,” NYCFC midfielder Keaton Parks said. “Not much to say about that. Terrible ending to the game. We have to find a way to get results.”

Toronto shutout Charlotte 1-0 at home with Lorenzo Insigne scoring in the 80th minute.

Atlanta United beat New England 4-1 at home, taking the lead from a Thiago Almada penalty two minutes into first-half stoppage time. Giorgos Giakoumakis doubled the United lead from the penalty spot in the 55th, adding goals in the 60th and 74th. New England’s Carles Gil pulled a goal back in the 83rd minute.

“It is really important when you win a game, but it is even more important when you can win the game with a big scoreline, like four or five goals, that sends a message,” Giakoumakis said. “It is good to do that, because so far, we had not shown anything yet. Offensively, we were trying to figure out how we were going to connect with each other again, with some players having to adjust to a new system and how we play, so hopefully this is the start and gives the fans confidence too.”

Columbus beat Chicago 2-1 at home. Jacen Russell-Rowe scored for the Crew in the 68th with Fabian Herbers equalizing for the Fire in the 72nd. Mohamed Farsi scored the Crew’s winner ten minutes into stoppage time.

“I thought the team played really well,” Chicago coach Frank Klopas said. “The changes came in, performed well, and we brought good energy. In the end, I think that’s just, whether it’s 12 minutes, 15 minutes, you stop thinking that the ball is ours and they play a quick throw in and we give up the second goal. So managing the game late in the games, we have to improve that.”

The Red Bulls beat FC Dallas 2-1 at home, going ahead from a 30th minute Emil Forsberg penalty. Lewis Morgan doubled the New York lead in the 54th. Dallas pulled a goal back through Jesus Ferreira in the 59th minute.

“I am happy but disappointed at the same time,” Ferreira said. “It’s those things where I rather take the win than score a goal. Soccer is a team game, and I rather get three points any day than a goal. I am happy to score, but I am overall disappointed in the final score and we are looking forward to the next match.”

Minnesota won 3-2 at Orlando City after falling behind in the 1st minute to a Duncan McGuire goal. Teemu Pukki equalized for United in the 4th and scored again in the 38th. McGuire equalized for Orlando in the 83rd but Bongokuhle Hlongwane put United up for good five minutes into stoppage time.

“The heart, the fight, the character is unbelievable,” United interim coach Cameron Knowles said. “To weather that storm for large stretches of the game, the chances the opposition created, the amount of possession they had. Obviously being a bit warmer and the physical toll on the guys, the heart they showed was just incredible.”

Austin drew 2-2 at home with St Louis City. Matt Hedges scored for Austin in the 14th with Eduard Lowen equalizing from the penalty spot in the 49th. Austin retook the lead from a Julio Cascante goal in the 51st. Celio Martins equalized for St Louis three minutes into stoppage time.

Philadelphia vs Seattle was postponed at halftime due to weather.

Colorado won 2-1 at Real Salt Lake after falling behind to a 22nd minute Emeka Eneli goal. The Rapids equalized from a 43rd minute Rafael Navarro penalty and Cole Bassett scored in the 70th.

LAFC and Sporting Kansas City drew 0-0 at BMO Stadium. Both teams finished with six shots on goal. We were very good tonight,” Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes said. “Don’t get me wrong, we were very good, but they were also good. I think, if you want to watch a game in MLS, that’s the kind of game you want to watch. Both teams play.”

Vancouver shutout San Jose 2-0 on the road. The Whitecaps took the lead from a 74th minute Alessandro Schopf goal and Ali Ahmed finished off the scoring in the 86th.

On Sunday, Nashville and the LA Galaxy drew 2-2 at GEODIS Park. Nashville took the lead from a 54th minute Teal Bunbury penalty and Dru Yearwood made it 2-0 in the 58th. LA’s Riqui Puig scored in the 67th and Dejan Jovelic equalized in the 82nd minute.

FC Cincinnati and DC United drew 0-0 at TQL Stadium. Cincinnati put seven shots on goal to United’s four. “An overall frustrating afternoon,” Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan said. “Just in terms of the overall play and certainly trying to figure out how to score goals. That’s kind of the missing piece of the end result at the moment. Keep trying to find some answers as to why we can’t find the goals at the moment. But a disappointing result.”

Week three concluded in Fort Lauderdale, where Montreal beat Inter Miami 3-2. Fernando Alvarez put Montreal up in the 13th. Inter Miami’s Leonardo Campana equalized in the 71st with Montreal regaining the lead from a Matias Coccaro goal in the 75th and Sunusi Ibrahim adding a goal in the 78th. Jordi Alba scored for Inter Miami in the 80th minute.

Photo by FC Dallas

Quotes courtesy of MLS team press releases.