This is your weekly Major League Soccer update reviewing all the action happening over in the States.
Week 10 started in uninspiring fashion on Thursday night as the Portland Timbers drew a 0-0 blank with New England Revolution with Timbers coach Caleb Porter admitting his short passing and attacking principles can’t click for every match. New England will be pleased on the flip side to secure a third clean sheet in four matches and stopped the Timbers scoring in MLS for the first time this season.
The action could only get better for MLS fans as Saturday began with a potentially entertaining game: Columbus Crew hosting New York Red Bulls. For the second successive match former Everton Aussie Tim Cahill proved to be the match-winner in a 1-0 away victory for New York, unleashing his boxing antics on the corner flag and quietening those critics who have been on his back since his move over to the Big Apple. Goalkeeper Luis Robles also played his part saving a penalty moments before Cahill’s winner.
Two 2-2 draws followed: Philadelphia 2 – Seattle Sounders 2; San Jose Earthquakes 2 – Montreal Impact 2 (too many two’s t(w)o mention!). Ryan Nelsen’s (yes, that one) Toronto FC suffered another disappointing defeat going down 1-0 away to Colorado Rapids with Edson Buddle, a former Toronto FC man with 10 games over in Canada, scoring an 86th minute winner.
The final three games of the weekend threw up seven goals with each match only having one team on the scoresheet. Real Salt Lake registered a very impressive 2-0 home win against the Vancouver Whitecaps, with Joao Plata assisting both Luis Gil and Javier Morales in the process. In arguably the performance of the week, Sporting Kansas City tore apart Chivas USA 4-0 with highly rated due Claudio Bieler (2) and Graham Zusi (1) both getting on the scoresheet with C.J. Sapong rounding off the scoring.
LA Galaxy were looking to maintain their recent performances however slumped to a 0-1 home defeat to the Houston Dynamo. Another familiar name to Toffees fans, Landon Donovan, failed to convert from the penalty spot for the Galaxy which allowed on-loan Hearts man Andrew Driver to drive home the winner.
Those results leave New York on top spot in the Eastern Conference with 17 points from 11 games, while FC Dallas remain in top spot over in the Western Conference with 20 points from 9 games, which also leaves them in top spot for the race for the Supporters Shield. The Supporters Shield winner is the team with the total number of points from the Eastern and Western Conference combined with a trophy and a spot in next season’s CONCACAF Champions League.
Play off spots after week 10: Eastern Conference: New York Red Bulls; Sporting Kansas City; Houston Dynamo; Montreal Impact; Columbus Crew. Western Conference: FC Dallas, LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake; Portland Timbers; Colorado Rapids.
So what’s next? On Wednesday night New York Red Bulls host Montreal Impact on a night that has six MLS fixtures. The pick of the weekend sees the Vancouver Whitecaps host LA Galaxy, Houston Dynamo hosting Sporting Kansas City and two attacking teams colliding in Portland with the Timbers and their resident chainsaw loving maniac watching their side face up against Chivas USA on Sunday, May 12th.
Tomos Llewellyn @tomllew