MMM: Week Four is the week of the score (void in Seattle)
By Matt Hoffman
MLS Week four is in the books and what a weekend it was! Last gasp winners in rivalry matches! Frenetic goals! A red card in Philly! So yes, business as usual.
All this despite the fact that the presumed marquee matchup, Seattle versus Dallas, did not register a. Single. Shot. On. Goal.
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And in Vancouver.. they must have a different exchange rate for the law physics in the Great North. How else do you explain this Or this? In the end, the difference maker was new signing Robert Earnshaw doing what he does so well.
Never before in the history of the league has there ever been a game where neither side had a shot on target.
For news and noteworthy nuggets from Week Four, Onward!
Chicks dig the long ball. Taking advantage of playing at Yankee Stadium, members of Sporting recreated the famous “Pine Tar Incident” to wonderful effect. Like the Royals, Kansas City won courtesy of the long ball. As in a long throw-in by Matt Besler to find his centerback partner Ike Opara for Opara’s second goal of the season. The goal held up as Sporting got their first win of the season. Benny Feilhaber continued his excellent level of play since returning to MLS with a record 23 recoveries in the match. Once they can get their offense on track, watch out.
Mar 28, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Sporting Kansas City defender Ike Opara (3) reacts with defender Matt Besler (5) after Opara scored a first half goal against New York City FC at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
It was a long six days For DC United. Ben Olsen was critical of the players following the team’s 2-0 trouncing to the Red Bulls last week. In a word, Olsen characterized last week’s performance thusly: “It was [bleeeeeep]”. And training this week drove the point home.
The team regrouped enough to not only shut the Galaxy out, but take the whole three points, courtesy of a Nick DeLeon three-touch flick that Chris Pontius headed home. The whole affair looked like something out of the short-lived MLS Streetball video game (available only on the Commodore 64!).
It not not only gave DC a foothold onto the season, but it humbled the reigning champs as it sent LA to their first loss of the season. You can cite the absences of Robbie Keane and Gyassi Zardes as reason to not think that DC Uni
The real losers of this arrangement? The fans. Barring a possible MLS Cup final, it’s going to be at least another year before we can enjoy another Bruce Arena/Steven Goff interview.
Limited edition. Injuries and callups so decimated Orlando’s squad that the team was reduced to having only four players on their bench. But when you have Kaka, that helps lessen the impact. The Brazilian maestro scored his second using a sublime, feathery touch goal on the season as Orlando City rallied from a two goal deficit to tie Montreal on the team’s first trip to Canada.
Scoring drought continues in Mile High City. The Colorado Rapids goalless streak has now eclipsed 510 minutes. The team created chances but if you are looking for green shoots, look at the defensive side of the ball. The team prevented Houston from getting off a single shot off in the box, blocking six Dynamo shots in the process.