Credit: Bill Barrett - ISIPhotos.com
The MLS week 33 roundup starts at Yankee Stadium, where NYCFC shutout Charlotte 2-0 at home. Alonso Martinez converted penalties in the 11th and 58th minutes.
Philadelphia beat New England 1-0 at home. Bruno Damiani scored the Union’s goal in the 70th. The Revolution’s Peyton Miller saw red in the 75th minute.
“There’s not much you can do in terms of being a man down,” interim New England coach Pablo Moreira said. “But I don’t know if it necessarily looked that way for the last 10 minutes. I’m happy that the fight was there. I think we all know in the locker room that we didn’t get enough chances on goal, I don’t think we were dangerous enough. We were kind of that one pass away. We just have to get back to work and hopefully next week is a different story.”
Atlanta came back to draw 1-1 at home with San Diego. Falling behind to an Anders Dreyer goal in the 32nd, United’s Miguel Almiron equalized from the penalty spot in the 61st minute.
“I think we always play a good game,” Atlanta coach Ronny Delia said. “And sometimes for our mistakes we’re always down 1-0 but those are things we have to improve. As I said, try to see the bad to improve for next season.”
The Red Bulls won 2-0 at Montreal, going ahead from a Tim Parker goal in the 23rd. Eric Choupo-Moting doubled the lead in the 29th minute.
Columbus drew 1-1 at home with Toronto. The Crew’s Wessam Abou Ali opened the scoring in the 16th and Richie Laryea equalized for Toronto in the 51st minute.
“Again, we are trying to find solutions,” Columbus coach Wilfried Nancy said. “If we didn’t do it, it’s because I’m not good enough. The reality is this is the same situation, but at the same time, I know that we try to push the player. At the same time, I know that this is a cycle; I’ve been there. I really believe in my team. I really trust that we’re going to be able to do it.”
Inter Miami won 3-2 at DC United, taking the lead from a Tadeo Allende goal in the 35th. DC’s Christian Benteke equalized in the 52nd. Lionel Messi returned Inter Miami’s lead in the 66th. Miami failed to convert a penalty in the 72nd. Messi extended Miami’s lead in the 85th. Jacob Murrell scored for DC United seven minutes into stoppage time.
Orlando beat Nashville 3-2 at home, going ahead from Martin Ojeda goals in the 30th and 32nd. Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar pulled a goal back a minute into first-half stoppage time and Jacob Shaffelburg equalized in the 51st. Duncan McGuire put Orlando up for good five minutes into stoppage time.
FC Dallas beat Colorado 3-1 at home. Pear Musa opened the scoring for Dallas in the 14th and Calvin Harris equalized for the Rapids in the 21st. Colorado went ahead for good when Christian Cappis scored in the 36th and an own-goal doubled the lead in the 80th minute.
“They’re playing great,” FC Dallas coach Eric Quill said. “I mean, we have to stay humble and stay home, and this is a great result that’s moving us up the ladder, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves, feel too good, and then go on the road to Portland and get stung, which would take away the momentum. The confidence is there, but we have to have a great week of training.”
Houston shutout Portland 1-0 at home on an Ezequiel Ponce goal in the 44th minute.
Chicago won 3-0 at Minnesota, taking the lead when Joel Waterman scored in the 26th. D’Avilla Dje Tah doubled the Fire lead in the 41st and Philip Zinckernagel scored in the 70th. Chicago failed to convert a penalty in the 87th minute.
“It was really about the shifting of the back line,” Chicago coach Gregg Berhalter said. “We realized when we played against them last time that they went four, the back line has to make some big shifts, and we figured to put an extra man in there to make it more manageable.”
Vancouver shutout Sporting Kansas City 2-0 on the road. Edier Ocampo opened the scoring for the Whitecaps in the 2nd and Kenji Cabrera finished off the goals in the 42nd minute.
FC Cincinnati won 3-2 at the LA Galaxy, taking the lead from an Ender Echenique goal in the 10th. Brenner made it 2-0 Cincinnati in the 22nd. The Galaxy pulled a goal back through Joseph Paintsil in the 39th. LA played a man down from the 51st when Isaiah Parente saw red. Brenner extended the Galaxy lead in the 88th. Mauricio Cuevas scored for LA a minute into stoppage time.
St Louis beat San Jose 3-1 on the road. Brendan McSorley opened the scoring for St Louis in the 10th and Marcel Hartel doubled the lead in the 19th. Cristian Arango converted an Earthquakes penalty in the 31st. McSorley finished off the scoring for St Louis in the 45th minute.
Week 33 concludes on Sunday with two games on the schedule.
Quotes courtesy of MLS team press releases.
Photo by Bill Barrett – ISIPhotos.com
