MLS Roundup: Toronto and NYCFC continue race for Supporters’ Shield as the rest of the pack falter

It was a week for goals, as Montreal Impact set out to make a statement with big wins over Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake. Elsewhere, both Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders are now on a seven-game unbeaten run, and Sporting Kansas City remain undefeated at home with their victory over FC Dallas.

Montreal Impact 3-0 Chicago Fire
The Impact stun the Fire with the help of an Ignacio Piatti brace.
Ignacio Piatti opened the scoring for the Impact in the sixth with a chipped goal after he collected a poor clearance by Kyle Fisher. Matteo Mancosu doubled the lead by netting a penalty in the 37th minute that he earned when Fire keeper Matt Lampson tripped him up in the penalty box. One minute later, Piatti curled in a shot from 25-yards out to score the Impact’s third goal after a solid pass by Blerim Dzemaili.

Portland Timbers 2-0 New York Red Bulls
Ten-man Timbers crash down on the Red Bulls in the final push for the West.
Diego Valeri finally broke open the scoring in the 65th minute with a quick finish of Diego Charra’s cross. Larrys Mabiala received a straight red card in the 80th minute for fouling Gonzalo Veron and denying a scoring opportunity. Darren Mattocks salvaged the situation for the Timbers with a second goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time from a break following a freekick by the Red Bulls in which keeper Luis Robles desperately came forward in order to score but was unable to get back in time to stop the goal.

Montreal Impact 3-1 Real Salt Lake
Ignacio Piatti continues his scoring ways to help the Impact past RSL.
Ignacio Piatti cleanly finishes a Blerim Dzemaili cross from close to give the Impact a lead in the eleventh minute. Luis Silva responded for RSL in the 26th minute with a powerful shot from close range to bring the scoring level. Ignacio Piatti put the Impact back in the lead after collecting the ball after a scramble in the box and finishing it from a tight angle in the 29th minute.
Anthony Jackson-Hamel doubled the Impact’s lead in the 47th minute with a pacey shot from a close, tight angle to close out the scoring

Orlando City SC 1-1 Columbus Crew SC
Ten-man Crew fail to keep the lead over feisty Orlando City.
Lalas Abubakar put the Crew ahead in the 35th minute with a headed finish of a Waylon Francis freekick. Giles Barnes drew Orlando City level in the 65th minute with a close-range shot that glanced off both posts before going in for the goal. The Crew’s Harrison Afful received a straight red in the 77th after video review determined that he violently fouled Orlando City’s Yoshimar Yotun.

Chicago Fire 1-3 Toronto FC
Toronto continue seven-game unbeaten run as the Fire are put out.
Marco Delgado was the first to score as he tucked away the ball after a bobble by Fire keeper Matt Lampson in the thirteenth minute. David Accam finished a ricocheted shot by Bastian Schweinsteiger in the 54th minute to draw the Fire level. Nicolas Hasler responded with a headed finish of a superb lobbed pass by Victor Vazquez in the 63rd minute to put Toronto back on top. Sebastian Giovinco finished up scoring with an easy finish from close in the 90th minute.

Sporting Kansas City 2-0 FC Dallas
SKC silence Dallas to take a joint lead of the West. Even though Dallas started the game with their best foot forward, it was Diego Rubio who smashed home the opening goal for SKC with a powerful volley from close range after a corner kick in the 42nd minute. Second-half SKC substitute Gerso scored the closing goal in the second minute of stoppage-time with a fantastic finish from close range.

Colorado Rapids 0-1 DC United
The Rapids lose the plot during loss to bottom-of-MLS DC.
Despite maintaining an air of control, the Rapids fail to undo the advantage given to DC via an embarrassing own-goal by Jared Watts in the 27th minute. Both teams now find themselves sitting tied for points with Minnesota United at the bottom of the MLS.

Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 Houston Dynamo
The Whitecaps halt the Dynamo’s pursuit of the West with two first-half goals.
Fredy Montero netted a penalty in the 17th minute to put the Whitecaps ahead. Yordy Reyna doubled the Whitecaps lead in the 32nd minute with a beautifully curled shot from distance.
Romell Quioto pulled one back for the Dynamo with a chipped goal in the 51st minute following an excellent through-pass my Mauro Manotas.

San Jose Earthquakes 2-2 Philadelphia Union
The Earthquakes score late to rescue a point against visiting Union.
Valeri Kazaishvili put the Earthquakes ahead early with an expert finish following a superb dribble in the third minute. Jack Elliot responded with a close-range finish following a goal-mouth scramble in the 35th minute.
Roland Alberg struck a superb half-volley from just outside the box in the 55th minute to put the Union ahead. Chris Wondolowski scored the equalizer via a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time to rescue the point for the Earthquakes.

New York City FC 2-1 New England Revolution
NYCFC require late goal to put away the Revolution.
Teal Bunbury was the first to score, putting the finishing touch on a bobbled save by NYCFC keeper Sean Johnson in the 57th minute. David Villa scored the tying goal in the 77th minute with a deft finish of a loose ball just in front of goal. Jonathan Lewis scored the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time as a shot from Ben Sweat ended up at his feet.

Seattle Sounders FC 2-1 Minnesota United FC
Late penalty secures victory for Sounders and keeps Minnesota at the bottom of the MLS.
Minnesota’s Ethan Finlay netted the first goal of the night with a deft finish from ten-yards out in the 21st minute. Chad Marshall brought the Sounders level in the 31st minute with a commanding headed finish off a freekick.
The Sounders were awarded a penalty during stoppage time as Minnesota’s Jermain Taylor blocked a shot from Clint Dempsey with his hand. Dempsey netted the penalty in the fourth minute of stoppage time to secure the win for the Sounders.