MLS Power Rankings: Galaxy climbs into first
- by Ridge Mahoney @ridgemax, Mar 16, 2015
MLS Results, Week 2
Sunday, March 15
New York City 2 New England 0. Highlights
Portland 2 LA Galaxy 2.
Highlights
Saturday, March 14
Chicago 0 Vancouver 1. Highlights
Columbus 2 Toronto FC 0. Highlights
FC Dallas 3 Sporting KC 1. Highlights
Real Salt Lake 3 Philadelphia 3. Highlights
Seattle 2 San Jose 3. Highlights
Friday, March 13
Houston 0 Orlando 1. Highlights
1. LA GALAXY, (1-0-1), 2. The Galaxy’s shrewd work in the player market since Bruce Arena took over as head coach in 2008 is overshadowed by its big-spending ways, but deals like one that brought Alan Gordon back to the Galaxy last year are vital elements. Gordon scored several goals off the bench in 2014 and on Sunday swooped into Providence Park to salvage a 2-2 tie.
2. FC DALLAS (2-0-0), 3. Since he came to MLS in 2012, Blas Perez has always been a handful but he hasn’t always been reliable. So far in the 2015 season, he looks like an All-Star. His second and third goals of the season propelled FCD past Sporting KC, 3-1, and Fabian Castillo punctuated a lively performance by scoring the clincher. By snuffing a PK, Chris Seitz strengthened his case for keeping Dan Kennedy on the bench.
3. D.C. UNITED (1-0-0), 4. General manager Dave Kasper signed a contract extension during an off-week. United plays its first road game of the season Sunday at Red Bull Arena.
4. NEW YORK CITY (1-0-1), 11. For a day, at least, Yankee Stadium looked and felt like an MLS soccer venue. An energized crowd of 43,507 fans that included a section of Revs supporters cheered and groaned and chanted and ultimately celebrated a 2-0 defeat of the Revs, who eventually wilted after going down to 10 men. David Villa’s crisp finish of a one-two with Ned Grabavoy and set-up of ex-Rev Patrick Mullins to score personified the class and talent by which such DPs upgrade the league.
5. ORLANDO CITY (1-0-1), 10. One of the uglier winning goals in recent history was the difference in Houston, yet a shutout in any team’s MLS road debut is to be heralded. Pedro Ribeiro’s hustle forced the decisive error and defender Sean St. Ledger stepped in for the suspended Aurelien Collin.
6. SAN JOSE (1-1-0), 17. Beaten in stoppage time at FC Dallas on the opening weekend, the Quakes shook off the shock of going down after 20 seconds at CenturyLink Field and cut up the Seattle back line in an impressive 3-2 win. Newcomer Innocent Emeghara skinned Brad Evans to score the eventual winner after Chris Wondolowski’s sharp finishes had erased the early 1-0 deficit. Two league games aren’t much of a database, yet heading into the home opener at brand-new Avaya Stadium on Sunday, the once-forlorn Quakes look much improved.
7. TORONTO FC (1-1-0), 6. Deprived of defender Justin Morrow for the second half because of a red card, TFC couldn’t contain Columbus in a 2-0 road loss. Had Sebastian Giovinco put away a breakaway chance in the early minutes, the game might have unfolded differently. Instead, TFC just folded.
8. SEATTLE (1-1-0), 1. Evans is being rightly ripped for his performance, but the Sounders attack went flat after Clint Dempsey’s early strike and the midfield couldn’t contain the assertive, confident San Jose attack. Lamar Neagle sleepwalked through his 72 minutes before being subbed. Maybe lay the blame on Kurt Schmid, the son of head coach Sigi Schmid, who missed the game to attend Kurt’s wedding?
9. REAL SALT LAKE (0-0-2), 8. Defender Jamison Olave marked his return to Rio Tinto Stadium -- and team’s 17th consecutive home sellout -- by scoring once for each team in a 3-3 tie with Philadelphia. He steered a Union cross into his own net to drop RSL into a 3-2 hole that Alvaro Saborio covered with a penalty kick awarded for a very dubious foul. Javier Morales scored with a deflected free kick and swerved another dead ball that Olave banged into the net. Three goals conceded and a dodgy equalizer are causes for concern.
10. HOUSTON (1-1-0), 5. For the second straight week, keeper Tyler Deric pulled off sharp saves but he also punched a loose ball into his own net by which the Dynamo lost to Orlando City. Leonel Miranda came into the starting lineup with little effect; despite the urging of a sellout crowd Houston failed to put a shot on target.
11. COLUMBUS (1-1-0), 13. Kei Kamara celebrated his first home game in a Crew SC uniform since 2007 by slamming home the second goal in a 2-0 defeat of Toronto FC. A nice cross by by Waylon Francis produced that goal, four minutes after Ethan Finlay’s serve had set up Justin Meram to power home the winner. A controversial red card yielded a man advantage that was efficiently exploited.
12. NEW YORK (0-0-1), 12. During an off-week, the Red Bulls waived Ruben Bover, who made 22 appearances the past two seasons. They open the home campaign Sunday against D.C. United.
13. VANCOUVER (1-1-0), 16. Two goals in his first two MLS games has Octavio Rivero ascending in popularity amongst ‘Caps fans, and rightly so, but his goal from a Steven Beitashour feed wouldn’t have been so meaningful had not keeper David Ousted stoned the Fire on several occasions in a 1-0 triumph.
14. PORTLAND (0-0-2), 14. The setting and the outcome were all too familiar for the Timbers Army: a packed house at Providence Park, wind, rain, and two goals by Fanendo Adi that failed to produce a victory. He netted twice for the fifth time in his MLS career and still the Timbers couldn’t fend off the Galaxy in a 2-2 tie.
15. COLORADO (0-0-1), 15. The only unscored-upon team in the Western Conference hosts NYCFC Saturday.
16. PHILADELPHIA (0-0-2), 19. The Union exploited a couple of fortunate bounces against RSL but was also victimized by a mystifying decision that yielded a penalty kick and subsequent 3-3 tie. However, there’s no question forward Fernando Aristeguieta should have no trouble adding to the two goals he netted at Rio Tinto.
17. NEW ENGLAND (0-2-0), 7. The Revs were at least as good as New York City FC in an enthralling first half and were unlucky to be behind, but when NYCFC stepped it up a gear in the second half they were scrambling most of time and would have been buried if not for a spectacular set of saves by Bobby Shuttleworth. However, just one clean finish by Juan Agudelo could have changed the match. Charlie Davies replaced him in the second half and probably deserves to start.
18. SPORTING KC (0-1-1), 17. Returnee Roger Espinoza equalized just before halftime, but a back line deprived of Matt Besler (suspended) conceded twice to FC Dallas in a 3-1 loss. More than 800 SKC fans made the trip to Texas and didn’t see a lot to alleviate fears that last year’s fifth-place finish wasn't an aberration.
19. MONTREAL (0-1-0), 19. The Impact used an open weekend to prepare for the first leg of its Concacaf Champions League semifinal against Alajuelense, which ousted D.C. United, 6-4, on aggregate in the quarterfinals, on Wednesday.
20. CHICAGO (0-2-0), 20. Blanked in the home opener isn’t an encouraging sign, yet the Fire attack -- despite missing Mike Magee and DP David Accam -- conjured up a fair number of chances. Keeper Jon Busch, playing his first game in a Fire shirt since 2009, recorded five saves but couldn’t atone for a defensive blip in the 86th minute that produced the ‘Caps' only goal.
