Goals, goals and goals, it was again an exciting set of games in the MLS for matchday 16.
Round Up
The Wednesday action kicked off with a tale of two stoppage time goals in Washington DC. The New England Revolution took the lead through Ilay Feingold in first half stoppage time before a 91st minute equaliser from Gabriel Pirani meant both sides got a point. An own goal and two from Gabriel Segal earned Houston Dynamo their third win in four in the MLS away from home at New York City FC.
It was a back and forth clash between New York Red Bulls and Charlotte as Wiktor Bogacz put the home side in front before Kerwin Vargas was able to level. Mohammed Sofo gave NYRB the lead at the break and that was then a two goal advantage from the spot as Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting hit his penalty into the middle of the goal. Leil Abada got one back, but Choupo-Moting had the last laugh in stoppage time for a 4-2 victory.
There was late drama in Canada as Toronto met the Philadelphia Union. Ola Brynhildsen scored from a tight angle to put Toronto in front but there was fight in Bradley Carnell’s side and Nathan Harriel struck with four minutes to go to level the game. In the second minute of stoppage time there was a winner, and it went to the away side as Kai Wagner’s long rage spectacular effort went in.
Six goals and a late goal again, the MLS really needs a new script doesn’t it. Pavel Bucha and Kevin Denkey had Cincinnati two in front in the first half but in the second goals from Petar Musa and Anderson Julio flipped the script for Dallas. Gerardo Valenzuela had looked to have snatched it for Cincinnati until Dallas’ Seb Ibeagha levelled in stoppage time.
Only five goals and a last minute winner, well that’s pretty boring given the current standard of the MLS. Orlando City had led 2-1 at the break as Cesar Araujo and Ramiro Enrique had netted around a goal from Aleksei Miranchuk. Araujo was sent off with ten minutes to go and the script was flipped. Bartosz Slisz equalised for Atlanta and then in the 95th minute Jamal Thiare got his third goal in four games for the winner.
Well now that bore fest is done onto another six goal contest, this time in Florida. It was the Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi show for Inter Miami as they both got two goals in a 4-2 win against Montreal with late goals from Dante Sealy and Victor Loturi only consolations. Sam Surridge gave Nashville the lead early on away at Columbus and it took until the 70th minute for them to respond through Diego Rossi. A quickfire goal for either side, one by Hany Mukhtar the other an own goal saw the game end 2-2.
Paul Rothrock’s cross was met by Jesus Ferreira for the Seattle Sounders’ only goal in their 1-0 win over San Diego which sent them to 10th int the overall standing. Real Salt Lake had thought they’d won it due to William Agada’s 67th minute goal against Austin but in the 93rd minute Diego Rubio popped up with a header to rescue a point.
The later in the evening it got the more the goals dried up it seemed, but it was the same old story for the LA Galaxy who remain in capable of winning a game this season. They fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to San Jose Earthquakes with an Ousseni Bouda goal the difference. Only one goalless draw in Matchday 16’s action and it was the league leaders who played out the draw with Minnesota United.
Lastly, the Portland Timbers got their first MLS win in four as they came from behind against the Colorado Rapids. They had gone 1-0 down as Dorde Mihailovic slotted into the bottom right corner and then the home side had a penalty saved just before the break. Goals from Antony Alves and Kevin Kelsey in the second half turned the game around and got Portland the 2-1 win.
