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MLS Week 1: First impressions of all 24 teams

By Christopher Dodson

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 3: Los Angeles FC's head coach Bob Bradley prior to Los Angeles FC's MLS match against Sporting Kansas City at the Banc of California Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 2-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 3: Los Angeles FC's head coach Bob Bradley prior to Los Angeles FC's MLS match against Sporting Kansas City at the Banc of California Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 2-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OH – MARCH 02: Columbus Crew SC Head Coach Caleb Porter giving the thumbs up to the fans before the match between the New York Red Bulls at Columbus Crew SC at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on March 3, 2019. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – MARCH 02: Columbus Crew SC Head Coach Caleb Porter giving the thumbs up to the fans before the match between the New York Red Bulls at Columbus Crew SC at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on March 3, 2019. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Columbus Crew

Caleb Porter inherited a team capable of deep cup runs. That may seem like a positive, and it is certainly a rosier situation than what Matias Almeyda finds himself in in San Jose, but it also breeds an expectation of competitiveness. Gregg Berhalter consistently developed one of the best teams in MLS. Porter will now have to do the same.

Drawing with the regular season points record holder on the opening weekend, then, is no bad way to go about things. Porter, I am sure, will be pleased to not see his team crumble after conceding early, but the Red Bulls rested most of their stars, especially in attack, and were still the more progressive team.

The Crew’s goal came from a deflected header on a corner. Their only other clear chances fell to Harrison Afful in the dying minutes, both shots from an angle, the first skewed over the crossbar, the second well saved by Luis Robles. In the end, the point was fine, but creativity, bar Federico Higuain, could be an issue.

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