Once again, Dallas found themselves a man down early and it cost them once again as they fell to the Crew 2-0. Jackson Goncalves picked up yellow cards in the 32nd and 33rd minutes and was subsequently sent off allowing Columbus to more or less control the remainder of the game. The Crew finally broke through in the 54th minute when Emmanuel Ekpo was taken down in the box by George John and Andres Mendoza converted the ensuing penalty for his first goal of the 2011 season. Second half substitute Jeff Cunningham had a great chance to add to the lead but his shot from the 6 yard box was forced wide of Kevin Hartman. Finally Eddie Gaven put the game away in stoppage time taking a pass from Robbie Rogers at the top of the box and putting a nifty move on Brek Shea to get the ball onto his left foot before slotting it into the left-hand corner past the diving Hartman to make it 2-0 and propelling the Crew to their first win of the season. Dallas, still winless will try to get their first win of the year on Friday night when they host defending champion Colorado while the Crew head West to take on Chivas USA on Saturday night.
Photo Courtesy: threcrew.com
TORONTO FC 1 CHIVAS USA 1
CHIVAS USA blew an early 1-0 lead but still salvaged a tie with Toronto to earn their first points of the 2011 season. Toronto, playing their first game without star Dwayne De Rosario got behind early when Venezuelan Alejandro Moreno scored past Stefan Frei from close range in the second minute. Chivas USA had a few more early chances with Justin Braun but weren't able to turn any of them into goals and Toronto eventually equalized in the 36th minute when Alan Gordon headed home a free kick off the foot of Jacob Peterson for his first goal of the season. Gordon had hit the post off another header on a cross from Javier Martina a little over 10 minutes earlier. Toronto appeared to take the lead a little while later but Maicon Santos was ruled to be offsides. Santos had a golden chance to put Toronto up again in the second half when he got in behind the defense on a 2 on 0 with Alen Stevanovic, but he tried to get a little too cute and the attempt ultimately was blown as he pushed the shot wide of the empty net. Chivas will look to build on the tied as they host Columbus on Saturday while Toronto will travel west to take on the Earthquakes.
Photo Courtesy: cdchivasusa.com
VANCOUVER 3 KANSAS CITY 3
An unbelievable finish in Vancouver as the Whitecaps rallied from 3 goals down including a pair of goals in stoppage time to tie Sporting 3-3. Teal Bunbury scored a pair of goals and Kei Kamara added a 3rd to give Kansas City what appeared to be a commanding 3-0 lead. For the first 72 minutes, Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen had an answer for everything Vancouver had to offer. Then they started chipping away. Nizar Khalfan hit Atiba Harris with a cross that he literally walked into the goal to make it 3-1 in the 73rd minute, but it was stoppage time when things really started to happen. Brazilian Camilo Sanvezzo one-timed a finish from close range from Davide Chiumiento to make it 3-2 and then just one minute later, Camilo was at it again, this time heading home a cross from Khalfan capping off the improbable comeback and forcing a fantastic draw in front of the home crowd. Kansas City has some time to recover from their epic collapse as they're off this week while Vancouver will be back at it tonight at home against New England.
NEW ENGLAND 1 PORTLAND 1
The Portland Timbers picked up their first MLS point getting a hard earned draw with the unbeaten Revolution. New England struck first when Stephen McCarthy got on the end of a failed clearance ripping a one-time volley past a helpless Jake Gleeson. The 20 year old was otherwise impressive though in his first MLS start allowing the Timbers to stay in the game and equalize a little while later. Kenny Cooper fed Jeremy Hall in the box who was able to hold off the Revs defense and lay a ball off for captain Jack Jewsbury who drove his shot past Matt Reis. Portland had the best chance to win the game in the second half when Kalif Alhassan's free kick attempt hit off the post, but the Timbers will take any points they can get. The Timbers are off this week while the Revs will head across the border to take on the high-scoring Whitecaps tonight.
Photo Courtesy: revolutionsoccer.net
Houston spoiled the New York debut of Dwayne De Rosario and picked up a point on the road forcing a 1-1 tie. De Rosario didn't start, but came on at halftime for Mehdi Ballouchy and within 5 minutes left his mark on the match. De Rosario put Dane Richards in behind the defense with a beautiful through ball that Richards eventually converted past an otherwise solid Tally Hall to give the Red Bulls the 1-0 lead. It would be short lived though as Houston would score off a goal kick less than 3 minutes later when Tally Hall's kick was flicked on by Will Bruin and flicked home by Cam Weaver past Bouna Coundoul, New York's third goalkeeper in as many matches. New York had lots of chances the rest of the way, but were unable to convert and were forced to settle for a point. The Red Bulls look to stay unbeaten in Philadelphia on Saturday while Houston hosts Vancouver on Sunday.
Photo Courtesy: newyorkredbulls.com
The Galaxy were back at full strength in this one with Donovan Ricketts, Omar Gonzalez and Landon Donovan all back in the lineup, as they were able to bounce back from their crushing defeat at the hands of Real Salt Lake last week and defeat the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Union 1-0. L.A. went up off a set piece when David Beckham found a wide open Leonardo who was able to head the cross home for his first MLS goal. In the second half things got chippy though. A total of 10 cards (8 yellows and 2 reds) were all handed out after the intermission. L.A.'s Chris Birchall was sent off in the 53rd minute for his part in a tussle with Carlos Ruiz and Philadelphia's Jack McInerney was ejected in stoppage time for a shot to the face of L.A.'s Chad Barrett. Despite playing almost half the game a man down the Galaxy outshot the Union 10-4 en route to their second win of the season. Next up for the Galaxy is a trip to D.C. on Saturday while the Union will head home to take on the unbeaten Red Bulls.
Photo Courtesy: lagalaxy.com
SAN JOSE 2 SEATTLE 2
Finally someone other their Chris Wondolowski scored for San Jose as they kept Seattle winless in forcing a 2-2 draw with the Sounders. Seattle twice blew leads in this one, but San Jose was up to the task each time. Brad Evans opened the scoring for Seattle in the 17th minute one-timing a shot from close range on a slotted cross from Mauro Rosales. 15 minutes later though Bobby Convey found Simon Dawkins who beat Kasey Keller to equalize. The score stayed tied for 10 minutes before O'Brian White scored his first goal of the season heading home a cross from Steve Zakuani. The lead didn't last long though as just 7 minutes into the second half Khari Stephenson ripped home a shot from about 30 yards out off Keller's outstretched finger tips into the upper right corner for just a spectacular goal. Seattle now 0-2-2 heads back home to take on the Chicago Fire as they hope to finally get over the hump and into the win column on Saturday while the Earthquakes will host Toronto.
Photo Courtesy: sjearthquakes.com
Colorado improved to 3-0 on the strength of 3 second half headers as they continued their title defense in style with a 4-1 win over D.C. Caleb Folan opened the scoring in the 39th minute after some nifty footwork to set up a left footed strike that Pat Onstad had no chance on. D.C., who was without leading scorer Charlie Davies, was able to equalize in the second half though when Santino Quaranta volleyed home a cross from Chris Korb. United's joy was short lived though as a minute later Jamie Smith headed home a cross from Anthony Wallace. Ten minutes later, Folan scored his 2nd MLS goal heading home a cross from Sanna Nyassi. Finally in stoppage time Omar Cummings finished the scoring heading in a deflected cross from Pablo Mastroeni to make it 4-1. Cummings came on as a sub for Conor Casey in the 52nd when Casey appeared to injure his hamstring. Casey also picked up his third yellow card in as many matches in the first half. The Rapids have now outscored their opponents 8-2 over their first three matches this season. Next up for Colorado is a trip to Dallas for an MLS Cup rematch on Friday night while D.C. will look to regroup against the Galaxy on Saturday.
Photo Courtesy: coloradorapids.com
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