MLS Week 24 – Wednesday Fixture Report | OneFootball

I don’t know what it is about those mid-week fixtures, but they produce some great soccer. Yesterday we had some real doozies.

Humdingers

FC Cincinnati 3 – 0 Inter Miami CF

Inter Miami came to TQL Stadium in red hot form. Messi had scored a brace in three straight games, but could only muster five total shots, only two of which were on target. But from the get go it was all Cincy, as evinced by Kai Kamara’s age-defying attack in the 4th minute that forced a fingertip save from Ustari. Gerardo Valenzuela struck the net first in the 15th, firing a low shot into the right corner from a tight angle, and Evander put the game away with two goals in the 50th and 70th minutes. Miami fought back mightily but despite dominating second half possession couldn’t muster a potent enough attack.

New York Red Bulls 5 – 3 New England Revolution

Yeah, any eight-goal game is gonna get called out as special. Especially when seven of those come in the second half, and six in the final 20 minutes. Explosive.

Houston Dynamo FC 0 – 3 Vancouver Whitecaps

Vancouver’s form has been choppy, with three losses in their last four. But a trip to the often terrible Houston Dynamo can cure any slump. The ‘Caps hit the net in the 4th minute, and later first half goals from Brian White and Sebastian Berhalter wrapped a ribbon on the match before the halftime whistle.

Seattle Sounders FC 3 – 3 Colorado Rapids

Quite frankly, this match looked a done deal by the 47th minute when the Sounders (wearing their ‘90s throwback “Orca” kit) took a 3 goal lead after Albert Rúsnak’s brace. But an inexplicable series of dunderheaded defensive plays that gave Colorado two penalty kicks in the 50th and 53rd minute put the visitors right back into the game. What should have been a boring second half became a tight contest, with the Rapids’ Darren Yapi earning the equalizer.

Nashville SC 3 – 0 Columbus Crew

A second minute own goal is a terrible way to start, and it just kept getting worse for Columbus. They outpassed Nashville 646 to 384. They outshot them 21 to 10 (though each had four on target). In possession they owned 63% of the ball. In nearly every statistical category Columbus were the better team. Except goals. And those are win games.

Headscratchers

San Diego FC 0 – 1 Toronto FC

How the Western Conference’s best team lost to the East’s second worst team is still making my head spin. Toronto put on a masterclass of disruption soccer, stymieing one of the league’s most potent offensive units by simply outhustling and winning more duels and challenges. Put an early PK converted by Theo Corbeanu, and you have the winning formula.

Portland Timbers 0 – 1 Real Salt Lake

The Timbers had superior xG with more shots and corners, but RSL had Diogo Gonçalves, who struck into the high right corner in the final ten minutes.

San Jose Earthquakes 2 – 2 FC Dallas

I mean, maybe not that much of a headscratcher. The Quakes are still one of the most inconsistent sides in MLS, and Dallas… well… uh. Petar Musa certainly showed to play. His 84th minute goal put the visitors in the lead until Josef Martínez equalized a minute later. That’s the type of game it was. Thrilling for the neutral, agonizing for the fan.

Minnesota United FC 0 – 1 LAFC

You can slot this match into the week’s major theme of statistically better teams losing. Denis Bouanga hit from the penalty spot in the 42nd, and Minnesota just couldn’t do the business.

And the Rest…