MLS Roundup: David Villa shines as the race for the East grows closer

Philadelphia Union 3-1 FC Dallas

The Union shock Dallas with the help of a C. J. Sapong brace.

C. J. Sapong put the Union on the board in the 17th minute with a solid finish after play was set up beautifully by a clever flicked pass from Ilsinho that set up Haris Medunjanin to make the cross in front of goal. Ilsinho doubled the lead five minutes later with a remarkable volleyed shot from just outside of the box.

C. J. Sapong made it three for the Union in the 68th after a great run and shot by Ilsinho was stopped by Dallas keeper Chris Seitz, only to be recovered by Ilsinho and placed in front of the open net ready to score. Maximiliano Urruti saw a goal disallowed by the new VAR system in the 79th minute, after it showed Roland Lamah appearing to kick Union keeper John McCarthy to free the ball up for Urruti to score. Michael Barrios scored the consolation goal for Dallas in the 92nd minute after a superb pass by Lamah put him 1-on-1 with the keeper and he finished it with ease.

DC United 1-1 Toronto FC

Toronto fail to make chances pay against ten-man DC.

Kofi Opare scored first for DC in the 6th minute with a powerful header scored off of a corner kick. Lloyd Sam made things difficult for DC though as he was sent off in the 44th minute with a straight red card following a rough tackle on Toronto’s Chris Mavinga.

DC’s Steve Birnbaum suffered the frustration of scoring an own goal in the 52nd minute after a cleared ball right in front of goal ricocheted off him and into the net.

Montreal Impact 2-1 Orlando City SC

Orlando continue poor form as the Impact cruise past.

Cyle Larin resumed scoring form as he managed to chase down a poor back-pass and touch the ball past Impact keeper Evan Bush in the 12th minute.

Ignacio Piatti stepped up and scored a penalty to draw the Impact level in the 48th minute, though Orlando keeper Joe Bendik got a hand to it and was nearly able to keep it out. Anthony Jackson-Hamel scored the winner for the Impact in the 84th minute with a goal that was very similar to Cyle Larin’s goal early in the game.

Minnesota United FC 0-4 Seattle Sounders FC

The Sounders dominate as Minnesota are powerless to resist.

Will Bruin was the first to score in the ninth minute as Clint Dempsey threaded a ball right in front of goal for him to score. Dempsey then got himself on the scoreboard in the 18th minute with a header from close range.

Jordan Morris made it three for the Sounders in the 71st minute after an excellent run was capped off by nutmegging Minnesota keeper Bobby Shuttleworth for the goal. Clint Dempsey got his brace in the 73rd minute after seemingly dancing in front of goal before taking the shot through the legs of Minnesota defender Francisco Calvo.

Chicago Fire 4-1 New England Revolution

The Fire ease past the Revolution in race for the East.

Matt Polster put the Fire ahead early with a curled shot in the 8th minute after a fantastic run right in front of the box. Kei Kamara levelled scoring for the Revolution in the 23rd minute with a commanding header from a free kick. Juninho gave the lead back to the Fire with a powerful strike from 22-yards out.

Michael de Leeuw double the Fire’s lead in the 49th minute with a resounding header from close range off a great cross by Patrick Doody. Luis Solignac scored the Fire’s fourth in the 92nd minute with a solid shot from just inside the box.

Real Salt Lake 0-0 Houston Dynamo

RSL fail to capitalise on advantage over ten-man Dynamo.

In a game were neither team really deserved the win after failing to make chances pay, it was a second yellow to the Dynamo’s Alex in the 65th minute following a studs-up challenge that could have made the difference in the game.

Colorado Rapids 2-2 Vancouver Whitecaps

Both the Rapids and the Whitecaps do enough to take a point from this match.

Tony Tchani put the Whitecaps ahead in the fifth minute with a sharp shot from 25 yards out. Axel Sjoberg drew the Rapids level in the 15th minute with a remarkable volley from close range.

Kevin Doyle put the Rapids ahead with a close-range finish in the 54th after a brilliant set-up by Marlon Hairston right at the penalty spot. Fredy Montero brought the Whitecaps back level with a great header in the 76th minute as the last goal of the game.

San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 Columbus Crew

The Earthquakes edge the Crew in a not-so-close encounter.

Marcos Urena scored off the post in the 42nd minute to put the Earthquakes ahead. Chris Wondolowski doubled the lead with a sharp finish in the 56th minute. Adam Jahn scored a consolation goal for the Crew in the 76th minute with a deflected shot from close range.

Portland Timbers 3-1 LA Galaxy

The Timbers crush the faltering Galaxy with help of VAR.

Liam Ridgewell scored the first of the game in the fifth minute with a header from close range. Emmanuel Boateng brought the galaxy level the next minute with a remarkable solo run and goal. Gyasi Zardes had a goal disallowed by the VAR in the 10th minute due for offside. Diego Valeri put the Timbers back in the lead with a phenomenal curled shot from 25 yards out in the 33rd minute

Alvas Powell scored the third for the Timbers in the 53th minute with a rocketed goal from a sharp angle at close range.

New York City FC 3-2 New York Red Bulls

NYCFC edge the Red Bulls with the aid of Villa hat trick in this exciting New York Derby.

David Villa scored the first goal of the night in the 28th minute after rounding the keeper following a 1-on-1. Bradley Wright-Phillips brought the Red Bulls level in the 42nd minute with a well-placed shot from just inside the box.

Wright-Phillips put the Red Bulls ahead in the 64th minute with a close-range finish off a good cross into the box. David Villa again brought NYCFC back level with a dribble from 30-yards out and a great finish past Red Bulls’ keeper Luis Robles.

Villa earned a penalty after appearing to be kicked in the face in the box, which he scored to finish his hat trick in the 75th minute. A second-yellow to Sal Zizzo in the 90th minute that resulted in a red card made the night even worse for the Red Bulls.

Sporting Kansas City 1-1 Atlanta United FC

Atlanta Rescue late point as SKC fail to close out the game.

Benny Feilhaber scored from a penalty in the 59th minute to put SKC in the lead. Jacob Peterson scored in the 91st minute after a scramble in the box left the ball ready to be scored.

Team of the Week

GK – John McCarthy (Philadelphia Union)

McCarthy may have not been able to keep his clean sheet, but he was able to keep the dynamic attacking force of FC Dallas from outscoring his side. Making several saves throughout the game that could be called top-class saves, he certainly earned his place on this week’s TotW.

DF – Axel Sjolberg (Colorado Rapids)

Sjolberg was a dynamic player during the Rapids’ draw with the Whitecaps. He excelled in defence, and his first-half goal helped the Rapids keep up with the attacking force of the Whitecaps.

DF – Liam Ridgewell (Portland Timbers)

With an instant impact on the game, Liam Ridgewell proved his worth with both offensive and defensive contributions. As a constant aerial threat during corners, and a defensive bastion, he is a shoe-in for the TotW

DF – Kofi Opare (DC United)

As a solid aerial threat during corner kicks on both the attack and the defence, Kofi Opare contributed to the containment of the stacked Toronto FC attack, and in scoring DC United’s only goal.

DF – Matt Polster (Chicago Fire)

Matt Polster’s goal in the first half of the Fire’s game against the is not only a contender for goal of the week, but also kick-started the Fire’s offence. His ability to make an impact on the attack, while also being able to contain opposition wingers has earned him a spot on this team of the week.

MF – Ilsinho (Philadelphia Union)

Ilsinho was a part of the Union team that tore apart a struggling FC Dallas. With his contributing a goal and an assist, along with excellent build-up play has Ilsinho as the pick of the litter for this week’s TotW.

MF – Tony Tchani (Vancouver Whitecaps)

With a long-distance goal that helped in the draw with the Rapids, Tony Tchani has proved to be a constant presence in the midfield for the Whitecaps all season, and this week it was his attacking prowess that made earned him a spot in the TotW.

MF – Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers)

Appearing in his second straight TotW, Diego Valeri is consistently performing well in attack and is certainly a star of the Timbers’ team. Contributing a remarkable goal from distance, he is a mastermind of the midfield, and controls the Timbers’ attacking movements. His leadership and skill in the midfield and attack have earned him a place in this TotW.

MF – Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders)

Clint Dempsey, tied with Landon Donnovan as the USMNT top-scorer, has nothing left to prove. Time and again he finds the space to fit scoring chances in. This week, with contributing two goals and a beautiful assist, he showed that despite getting up there in age, he still has what it takes to perform in the MLS.

FW – David Villa (New York City FC)

Player of the week, and considered by many to be the best player in the MLS, David Villa has shown the attacking prowess shows why he is the star of NYCFC, and also potentially the MLS. This week, his hat trick was a serious factor in winning the New York Derby for NYCFC, and is what earned him his spot in this TotW.

FW – Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)

Though he was on the losing side of the New York Derby, his brace was an excellent contribution to the game, and would have been enough to earn the draw had it not have been for the late penalty. A constant threat on goal, Wright-Phillips displays the necessary skills to be a proper poacher in the MLS, and it is those skills that earned him his spot in the TotW.