Credit: Bill Barrett - ISIPhotos.com
MLS week 23 started with Columbus coming back to beat FC Cincinnati 4-2 on the road. Pavel Bucha put Cincinnati up in the 1st and Evander doubled the lead in the 5th. The Crew’s Diego Rossi pulled a goal back in the 42nd and Max Arfsten equalized three minutes into first-half stoppage time. An own-goal put Columbus up in the 59th and Taha Habroune scored three minutes into stoppage time.
Orlando drew 1-1 at home with Montreal, going ahead from a Martin Ojeda goal in the 28th. Montreal’s Prince Owusu equalized from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute. “To be honest, this performance tonight is incredible,” Montreal interim coach Marco Donadel said. “To face this team and to have this courage with the ball like we had, It’s really incredible. I wanted to highlight that.”
Philadelphia shutout the Red Bulls 2-0 at home. Indiana Vassilev opened the scoring in the 9th and Bruno Damiani doubled the lead in the 2n4th minute.
Toronto drew 1-1 at home with Atlanta, taking the lead from a Deybi Flores goal in the 48th. Emmanuel Latte Lath converted a United penalty 11 minutes into stoppage time. “Yeah, I thought we were extremely organized today in our shape,” Atlanta goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert said. “The right side was really good and you see connections forming there. Just being able to take these road points into home victories and continue that trend upwards. We’re on the change here in Atlanta.”
Inter Miami beat Nashville 2-1 at home with Lionel Messi scoring in the 17th. Hany Mukhtar equalized for Nashville in the 49th but Messi scored again in the 62nd minute.
Austin drew 0-0 at home with New England. Austin finished with four shots on goal to eight for the Revolution.
“Coming into the game, we had lost two in a row and yet we felt the play was good,” New England coach Caleb Porter said. “I felt like it was another game where the play was good. We didn’t go from playing well and losing to playing and winning, but we went from playing well and losing to playing well in a draw. It’s not what we wanted. I thought there were chances there to take the three points, but in saying that, also (Austin FC) had chances as well.”
San Diego won 2-1 at Chicago, taking a 2-0 lead from Anders Dyers goals in the 8th and three minutes into first-half stoppage time. Hugo Cuypers scored for the Fire in the 87th minute.
“What I told the boys before the game was, this is a group that always responds,” San Diego coach Mikey Varas said. “They respond to feedback, they respond to setbacks, they respond to challenges. And I think the attitude of the group is just so unified, you know, it’s so united. And I think that’s the main thing, is that we don’t let little hiccups become a big deal, you know, we look in the mirror, and then we are ready to move on. And these guys gave everything tonight.”
Minnesota beat San Jose 4-1 at home, going ahead from a Tani Oluwaseyi goal. Kelvin Yeboah doubled the United lead in the 42nd and Anthony Markanich scored five minutes into stoppage time. The Earthquakes’ Bruno Wilson scored in the 70th, but Joseph Rosales finished off the Minnesota goals five minutes into stoppage time.
“It’s one game, but a poor performance and no excuses on our part,” San Jose coach Bruce Arena said. “It wasn’t a lack of effort, but we didn’t execute on two restarts, which has been a good part of our game this year. The initial goal from the corner kick was borderline offside, and then the third goal was off a corner as well. No excuses for that. We didn’t execute properly.”
Seattle won 3-2 at Sporting Kansas City, with Jordan Morris opening the scoring for the Sounders in the 15th. Albert Rusnak doubled their lead in the 27th and Jesus Ferreira scored eight minutes into first-half stoppage time. Dejan Jovelic converted a Sporting KC penalty in the 67th. Seattle’s Nouhou Rolo saw red four minutes into stoppage time. Santiago Munoz converted a second Sounders penalty six minutes into stoppage time.
Charlotte shutout NYCFC 2-0 at home after a weather delay. Idan Toklomati scored for Charlotte in the 14th and Kevin Vargas added a goal in the 81st minute.
Colorado shutout Vancouver 3-0 at home, taking the lead from a Calvin Harris goal in the 12th. Rafael Navarro doubled the Rapids’ lead in the 30th. Colorado failed to convert a penalty three minutes into first-half stoppage time. Andreas Maxso scored their third goal in the 59th minute.
“It was a great night. Great night here in Denver,” Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen said. “The fans were incredible, beautiful night. The boys turned up. Just our mentality and our energy won us the match tonight, and it was a great night.”
Real Salt Lake shutout Houston 1-0 at home on a William Agada goal in the 42nd minute.
The LA Galaxy beat DC United 2-1 at home, going ahead from a Marco Reus goal in the 23rd. Diego Fagundez doubled the Galaxy lead in the 53rd. DC’s Gabriel Pirani pulled a goal back in the 77th minute.
LAFC shutout FC Dallas 2-0 at home. Nathan Ordaz opened the scoring for LAFC in the 31st and Denis Bouanga converted a penalty in the 45th minute.
Week 23 continues on Sunday with one gam on the schedule.
In USMNT players abroad action, the Liga MX Apertura season opened with Alex Zendejas’s Club America drawing 1-1 at Juarez. Zendejas put Club America up in the 39th. Erick Sanchez saw red for Club America in the 70th. Juarez equalized in the 80th minute. Joe Corona subbed on two minutes into stoppage time for Club Tijuana’s 1-0 home win over Queretaro. An own-goal three minutes into stoppage time was the difference.
Matko Miljevic subbed out in the 60th for Huracan’s 3-0 home loss to Belgrano in Argentina’s Primera Division. Belgrano scored in the 4th, 56th, and converted a penalty five minutes into stoppage time.
Did Not Play: Alan Sonora (Cerro Porteno 1 – Sportivo Ameliano 0), Ventura Alvarado (Mazatlan 0 – Cruz Azul 0)
TUESDAY’S SOCCER TV
CBS Sports has the Sydney vs Wrexham friendly at 5:30am. Women’s Copa America on FS1: Uruguay vs Argentina at 5pm and Peru vs Ecuador at 8pm. Copa Sudamericana on beIN Sport: Central Cordoba vs Cerro Largo at 6pm and Independiente del Valle vs Vasco da Gama at 8:30pm ET.
WEDNESDAY’S SOCCER TV
ESPN Deportes has the Mallorca vs Al Ahli friendly at 1pm. Women’s Euros on FOX: Norway vs Italy at 3pm. Women’s Copa America on FS1: Bolivia vs Brazil at 5pm and Venezuela vs Colombia at 8pm. Copa Sudamericana on beIN Sport: Bolivar vs Palestino at 6pm and Alianza Lima vs Gremio at 8:30pm. MLS on FS1: Seattle vs Colorado at 10pm ET.
Quotes courtesy of MLS team press releases.
Photo by Bill Barrett – ISIPhotos.com
