MLS Matchweek 11 – A Hooligan Wrap-Up | OneFootball

It was a good week to be the home team, as they won 66% of the fixtures.

Atlanta United FC 1 – 1 Nashville SC

Welcome back to scoring, Miggy Almirón! He redirected it into the net from a rocket pass from Brooks Lemmon in the 20th minute, and beamed that trademark smile to the home crowd. But Daniel Lovitz threaded a corner kick between three sets of legs into the corner for the equalizer, extending Atlanta’s winless streak to six games.

Toronto FC 0 – 2 New England Revolution

The best cure for any ailing team is a dose of Toronto FC. This week it was the Revs who benefited from their medicine, scoring two goals in the opening 30 and then cruising to the final whistle.

CF Montréal 1 – 2 Philadelphia Union

Philly’s Indiana Vassilev scored his first Union goal before most of the fans had even reached their seats, capping a brilliant counter-attack by hitting the net after 76 seconds. But give Montréal credit, they had a solid effort one minute later and after steadying themselves grabbed a stoppage time goal from Giacomo Vrioni. That was also Montréal’s first home goal scored in the campaign. It looked like a draw was in the cards when Mikkel Urhe received a toe-poke through-ball behind his defender, took a touch, and calmly struck it under the onrushing keeper for a game-winner.

Columbus Crew 4 – 2 Charlotte FC

A strong statement from Columbus. Charlotte really missed Pep Biel. Kahlina made three saves before bobbling a shot that landed in the path of Dylan Chambost for the easy tap-in. His first MLS goal. The teams traded PKs before halftime. Crew were the better team, and continued that dominance with Aziel Jackson’s 51st minute score. A poor clearance from keeper Patrick Schulte gave Charlotte a gift goal in the 64th but the hosts were always in control of the game and their 81st minute dagger wrapped up their win.

D.C. United 2 – 1 Colorado Rapids

Three shots hit the woodwork in the first 15 minutes, presaging that this was going to be a wide-open game. Both teams traded attacks until Yapi just eked the ball over the line in the 43rd off an arcing cross from Navarro. But United made the most of six minutes of stoppage. Their first came from Christian Benteke (who else?) heading into the net in the 49th. Their second was scored by winger Jose Kajima with a low volley off a long cross seconds before the half-time whistle.

Inter Miami CF 4 – 1 New York Red Bulls

After three straight losses, Inter Miami really needed this boost, and none more so than Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, whose performance over the past weeks had been less than stellar. Miami seized the game early with goals from Fafá Picault and Marcelo Weigant, with the elder statesmen putting in the clinchers later. Giving the GOAT credit, Messi’s goal was a banger.

Austin FC 0 – 3 Minnesota United FC

With no disrespect to Austin, if you play a game and have 66% possession and outshoot your opponent 14 to 11, you’d expect at least a goal to show for it. But such are the offensive woes of the host side that they drew a blank on the day (it doesn’t help that Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair had five clean sheets prior to this one, the highest in the MLS). The game’s tone was set when a Joaquín Pereyra shot slipped through the hands (and legs) of keeper Brad Styuver. Pereyra would add a third goal in stoppage time, with Anthony Markanich grabbing the Loons’ second off a set-piece cross.

Chicago Fire FC 0 – 0 Orlando City SC

Was this game as dull as its scoreline indicates? Actually, no. Chicago forced four saves from Orlando’s keeper Pedro Gallese in the first 30 minutes. They looked to be in the driver’s seat until their keeper Chris Brady made a dangerous leap into Duncan McGuire on the edge of the penalty area. Brady was shown red, and Chicago’s momentum stalled. But Fire would recover in the second half and despite the man shortage made Gallese deliver four more saves to keep the scoreline level.

San Diego FC 5 – 0 FC Dallas

We knew FC Dallas was porous after Miami put in three against them last week, but this soft? San Diego was ruthless in their attack, putting in five from nine on frame.

Vancouver Whitecaps 2 – 1 Real Salt Lake

No Brian White? No problem. Vancouver returned to BC Place and put a world of hurt on Real Salt Lake missing their dynamic striker. In his place Jayden Nelson and Tristan Blackmon found the net, while Daniel Ríos missed a PK. Real grabbed a consolation goal in the 96th from a Diego Luna penalty kick.

LAFC 2 – 0 Houston Dynamo FC

This was all LAFC. Dynamo keeper Jonathan Bond made eight saves to keep a respectable scoreline but found no support from his attackers, who failed to register a single shot on target.

San Jose Earthquakes 4 – 1 Portland Timbers

In a league where inconsistent performance has been on display through eleven games, this Quakes team takes the top prize. Exploding out of the gate like a Kentucky Derby contender, San Jose scored three in under 30 minutes. Portland were game opponents, and snatched back one just before halftime but could not add to their tally.

Seattle Sounders FC 4 – 1 St. Louis CITY SC

With all the focus on the travails of LA Galaxy, Sporting Kansas City, Houston Dynamo and the Canadian teams not on the west coast, we’ve failed to notice the other MLS team that’s wallowing in the lower standings: St. Louis CITY. They struck first in Seattle from a PK, only to turn around four minutes later and concede their own. In the second half Seattle ran away with the match with three more goals from Obed Vargas, Daniel Musovski and Nouhou Tolo.

New York City FC 1 – 0 FC Cincinnati

Upset of the Week here! NYCFC pounced early on the visitors, Julián Fernández hitting the net in just the 9th minute. FC Cincinnati, flying in hot from five consecutive wins, crashed into the New Jersey fens.

Sporting Kansas City 1 – 0 LA Galaxy

You wouldn’t know it from the scoreline, but history was made in this game. Sporting Kansas City became the first team in MLS history to win a game without attempting a SINGLE SHOT. In honor of this dubious achievement, I want everyone to acknowledge the prescience of this sentence: “The only reason to tune in is to see how badly LA Galaxy bollocks it up.” Mic drop.