Credit: Scott Kinser - CSM via ZUMA Press - ISIPhotos.com
Week 28 of the 2024 MLS season started in Minnesota, with Seattle beating United 3-2. Jordan Morris put the Sounders up in the 11th with Kelvin Yeboah equalizing for Minnesota in the 24th. Jackson Ragen returned the Sounder’s lead in the 28th, with Yeboah equalizing from the penalty spot in the 56th. Albert Rusnak scored the Sounders’ winner in the 75th minute.
“It’s moments,” Minnesota midfielder Wil Trapp said. “If you strip away the three goals, it is almost not worth saying right. The concentration on set pieces is really what we take away from this one because other than that there is really not much they had in the game. We had emphasized and worked on for the past 20 days our defensive tendencies, so when we fall apart in those moments and they capitalize, it is disappointing. But it just shows that that is a weakness for us.”
New England won 5-0 at Montreal, with Bobby Wood starting the scoring in the 7th and 37th. Nick Lima made it 3-0 in the 71st, Giacomo Vrioni added a goal in the 79th, and Luca Langoni scored in the 83rd minute.
“A great win and a great performance,” New England coach Caleb Porter said,” very comprehensive on both sides of the ball. Going into the game, we talked about having 11 games to go and every game is going to be like a cup final for us. It is great to get the three points on the road in the first one. We’ve got ten more to go.”
Charlotte drew 1-1 at home with the Red Bulls, taking the lead from a Karol Swiderski penalty in the 13th. Elias Manoel equalized for the Red Bulls in the 37th minute. USMNT player Tim Ream started in his first game for Charlotte.
Dallas won 4-3 at DC after falling behind to a Christian Benteke goal in the 2nd. Nkosi Tafari equalized for Dallas in the 9th, Sebastian Lletget scored in the 21st, and Paul Arriola extended the lead in the 40th. DC’s David Schnegg scored in the 42nd. Tsiki Ntsabeleng scored Dallas’s fourth goal in the 44th. United’s Boris Enow Takang saw red two minutes into first-half stoppage time and Jared Stroud scored in the 48th minute.
“Games like this, 4-2 in the first half, with a man up, we should have managed it better,” FC Dallas interim coach Peter Luccin said. “But at the same time the emotion, when they scored the third goal, we could’ve gotten scared or panicked. We stopped playing and they pushed us. But it’s a win on the road. And after 12 games, a win on the road is a win.”
Inter Miami shutout FC Cincinnati 2-0 at home, with Luis Suarez scoring in the 1st and 6th minutes. Miami’s Tomas Aviles saw red in the 42nd minute.
“It’s a good feeling to clinch playoffs,” Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callendar said. “It’s something that was a goal of ours, but it’s just one more step towards the actual goal we want to get to. I think this game was a super important game for us in terms of our confidence, where we are in the season.”
NYCFC drew 2-2 at home with the Chicago Fire, going ahead when Adrian Martinez scored in the 15th and 22nd minutes. Hugo Cuypers pulled a goal back for the Fire in the 78th and Brian Gutierrez converted a penalty four minutes into stoppage time.
“You know, I think the guys really push hard,” Chicago coach Frank Klopas said. “All the subs that came in, I think really helped, and the mentality of the group was such that, like I said, it’s never, ever give up, and we didn’t. We found a way to come back.”
Toronto won 1-0 at Houston with Prince Osei Owusu scoring in the 54th minute. “It was not the result we wanted,” Houston coach Ben Olsen said. “Nevertheless, we played well, and we had lots of great chances. Unfortunately, we just didn’t make the plays.”
Sporting Kansas City shutout Orlando 3-0 at home, with Jacob Davis opening the scoring in the 44th. Daniel Salloi doubled the lead in the 52nd. Sporting KC’s William Agada saw red in the 70th and Remi Walter scored two minutes into stoppage time.
Austin won 2-0 at Nashville, going ahead from a Jon Gallagher goal in the 43rd. Osman Bukari finished off the scoring in the 84th minute.
San Jose shutout Real Salt Lake 2-0 on the road with Cristian Espinoza scoring in the 19th. Amahl Pellegrino doubled the Earthquakes’ lead in the 33rd minute. “I think it was the mentality that we came here with knowing it would be a tough game against a really good team with good players,” Espinoza said. “Also, knowing that our situation that we aren’t in the spot we want to be, but there are still eight games left. So we need to keep fighting and tonight, we got three points that were really important for us.”
The Galaxy beat Atlanta 2-0 at home. United goalkeeper Brad Guzan saved a penalty in the 67th minute. Ricard Puig put the Galaxy up in the 76th and Marco Reus scored in the 84th.
Week 28 concluded in Portland, where the Timbers drew 4-4 with St Louis. Simon Becher put St Louis up in the 10th and Eduard Lowen doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 36th. The Timbers responded with a goal from Jonathan Rodriguez in the 39th, but Cedric Teuchert made it 3-0 St Louis two minutes into first-half stoppage time. Felipe Mora scored for Portland in the 57th. Nokkvi Thorisson scored St Louis’s fourth goal in the 58th. Mora scored again for the Timbers in the 64th. He saw red three minutes into stoppage time. Evander equalized for Portland nine minutes into stoppage time.
On Sunday, Philadelphia and Colorado drew 2-2 in the Leagues Cup 3rd-place match, with the Rapids winning 3-1 on penalties at Subaru Park. Calvin Harris put Colorado up in the 38th with Tai Baribo equalizing for the Union in the 41st and scoring again in the 44th. Oliver Larraz equalized for the Rapids in the 49th. Philadelphia failed to convert in the first, second, and fourth rounds of penalties with the Rapids not scoring in round four.
Columbus won the 2024 Leagues Cup, beating LAFC 3-1 at home. Cucho Hernandez put the Crew up in the 45th with Olivier Giroud equalizing for LAFC in the 57th. Hernandez scored again two minutes into stoppage time and Jacen Russell-Rowe doubled the lead two minutes later.
Quotes courtesy of MLS team press releases.
Photo by Scott Kinser – CSM via ZUMA Press – ISIPhotos.com
