MLS Roundup: Atlanta continue scoring goals for fun while the Impact upset Toronto

Toronto finally falls as both conferences grow closer regarding the playoff picture. At this point, the top-eight or so teams in each conference have an equal chance of making it into the playoffs.

Atlanta United FC 3-3 Orlando City SC

Orlando managed to hold high-flying Atlanta to a draw despite Josef Martinez hat trick.

Dom Dwyer opened the scoring with a fantastic header from close range in the tenth minute, assisted by a Donny Toia cross. Josef Martinez brought Atlanta level in the 36th minute with a sliding finish of Julian Gressel’s ball across the goal mouth. Dom Dwyer quickly responded to put Orlando back in the lead with a superb header of Scott Sutter’s cross.

Josef Martinez earned his brace and brought Atlanta level in the 55th minute with a strong header of his own. Cyle Larin put Orlando back in the lead three minutes later with yet another headed goal. Josef Martinez earned his hat trick in the 69th level with a superb backheel finish of Hector Villalba’s cross to end scoring 3-3.

Vancouver Whitecaps 2-2 Columbus Crew SC

The Whitecaps earn draw with the Crew thanks to late Tony Tchani equalizer.

Fredy Montero got the first goal of the match in the 15th minute as his strike anaged to skip under Crew keeper Zack Steffen. Ola Kamara netted the equalizer for the Crew in the 19th minute with a leaping finish of Kekuta Manneh’s cross.

Kekuta Manneh got a goal of his own in the 63rd minute with a powerful strike from 23-yards out. Tony Tchani netted a late equalizer in the second minute of extra time for the Whitecaps with a cool finish of Fredy Montero’s chipped cross.

Montreal Impact 2-3 Minnesota United FC

Minnesota manage rare win thanks to late winner from Abu Danladi.

Patrice Bernier put the Impact ahead in the 9th minute after finishing a loose ball. In the eleventh minute, the Impact were awarded a penalty after VAR determined there was a handball in the area. Ignacio Piatti stepped up to take the penalty in the 13th minute, but Minnesota keeper Bobby Shuttleworth made an excellent stretch to keep it out. In the 19th minute, Minnesota earned a penalty of their own thanks to a handball in the area. Kevin Molino stepped up and slotted it home in the 20th minute.

Blerim Dzemaili put the Impact back ahead in the 55th minute with a brilliant half-volley after Michael Salazar headed the ball down to him. Christian Ramirez brought Minnesota level five minutes later with a headed finish of Ibson’s cross over the goal mouth. Abu Danladi netted the winner for Minnesota in the 89th minute with an outstanding strike from inside the box.

FC Dallas 0-0 Seattle Sounders

Seattle managed to hold a struggling Dallas side to a draw in this stalemate of Western Conference Rivals.

In a game where both sides failed to find a goal, Dallas was decidedly the more offensively capable team in the first half, while the Sounders were better in the second half. This result saw the Sounders fail to take over the top of the West, and Dallas plummeted to 8th.

Chicago Fire 3-0 DC United

The Fire earned a convincing win over bottom-of-the-league DC to maintain third in the East.

An unfortunate Ian Harkes own-goal following a long throw-in in the 22nd minute saw the Fire go ahead 1-0 for the first half of the game.

Brandon Vincent put a diving header past DC keeper Bill Hamid in the 62nd minute. The Fire went up 3-0 when Luis Solignac was brought down in the penalty area earning a penalty. Nemanja Nikolic tucked away the penalty to put himself at 18 goals for the season, equalling Chicago Fire legend Ante Razov’s record for goals in a single season.

Sporting Kansas City 3-1 New England Revolution

SKC brushed aside a ten-man Revolution to make their case for the West.

Teal Bunbury netted the first goal of the game four minutes after the opening whistle after a deflection saw it drop into the net. The Revolution’s Krisztian Nemeth received a straight-red in the eleventh minute after appearing to elbow SKC’s Graham Zusi in the face. Gerso netted the equalizer for SKC in the 16th minute after collecting Revolution keeper Brad Knighton’s save before nudging it in. Diego Rubio put SKC ahead in the 45th minute with a sliding finish of Gerso’s perfectly weighted pass across the goal.

Diego Rubio made it 3-1 for SKC in the 57th minute after a long-range Benny Feilhaber strike is deflected by Knighton right into the path of Rubio for an easy finish.

Colorado Rapids 1-1 New York City FC

The Rapids managed late equalizer to hold NYCFC back.

Thomas McNamara put NYCFC on the board first with a powerful strike from 25-yards out in the 19th minute.

Dominique Badji netted the equalizer for the Rapids in the 88th minute with a shot from just inside the box that managed to get past NYCFC keeper Sean Johnson.

Real Salt Lake 2-1 Portland Timbers

RSL managed to edge Timbers side though Diego Valeri breaks record.

Albert Rusnak opened scoring for RSL in the 14th minute with a phenomenal strike from 25-yards.

Diego Valeri scored for the Timbers in the 47th minute with a powerful header of Dairon Asprilla’s cross. This goal set the MLS record for scoring in consecutive games, with Valeri now having scored in eight consecutive games. Jefferson Savarino netted the winner in the 61st minute with a beautiful curled effort from just inside the box.

LA Galaxy 0-4 Toronto FC

Toronto managed another commanding win despite the absence of Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore.

Drew Moor scored the opening goal in the 24th minute following a controversial free-kick by Victor Vazquez rocketed off the post and into a diving Drew Moor’s head. Tosaint Ricketts made it two for Toronto in the 37th minute after managing to beat a defender and the keeper.

Ricketts earned his brace in the 76th minute with a cool finish of Victor Vazquez’s perfect pass. Victor Vazquez scored Toronto’s fourth after capitalizing on a defensive error by the Galaxy in the 78th minute.

San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 Houston Dynamo

The Earthquakes leap-frogged the Dynamo with important win.

Danny Housen netted the deciding goal in an otherwise close encounter in the 33rd minute with a neat finish from close range after collecting Kofi Sarkodie’s cross.

New York Red Bulls 0-0 Philadelphia Union

The Union managed to hold the Red Bulls at bay despite constant onslaught.

Despite not coming away with the three points, the Union will be able to pat themselves on the back after having managed to hold an explosive Red Bulls attack at bay. Union keeper Andre Blake made eight saves in his clean sheet against the Red Bulls.

Atlanta United 4-0 LA Galaxy

Atlanta continued their goal glut to blitz past the Galaxy.

Josef Martinez netted his seventh goal in as many days to put the Galaxy ahead in the thirteenth minute. Yamil Asad netted three minutes later with a calm finish after a scramble in front of goal. Yamil Asad netted his second of the night in the 20th minute, assisted by Hector Villalba. The Galaxy’s Jermaine Jones received a straight-red in the 39th minute after a poor reaction to a tackle. Miguel Almiron netted Atlanta’s fourth in the 43rd minute with a chipped shot over Galaxy keeper Jon Kempin.

Atlanta’s Brandon Vazquez was shown a straight-red in the 82nd minute after a rough tackle.

Toronto FC 3-5 Montreal Impact

The Impact manage to out-score Toronto in Eastern showdown.

Ignacio Piatti put the Impact ahead in the tenth minute after a clearance by Toronto keeper Alex Bono deflected off his body. Marco Dunladi made it two for the Impact in the twelfth minute with a brilliant strike from 25-yards out. Piatti earned his brace in the 24th minute with a curled effort from just inside the box. The Impact’s Deian Boldur suffered the embarrassment of scoring an own goal in the 42nd minute.

Anthony Jackson-Hamel made it four for the Impact in the 47th minute after a brilliant run and finish. He earned his brace four minutes later with a cool finish past Toronto keeper Alex Bono. Tossaint Ricketts scored in the 77th minute with a powerful headed finish of Raheem Edwards cross. Ricketts netted his brace in the 79th minute with a quick header from close range of Armando Cooper’s cross.