The US may have gotten the big win over Mexico on Tuesday night, but Gabriel Torres will be walking away with the best goal of the evening among MLS representatives in international play.
With Panama down 1-0 in Honduras, Torres connected on a ridiculous backheel flick from a narrow angle that looped over Catrachos 'keeper Noel Valladares and into the goal for a second-half equalizer, which you can watch here:
In addition to Torres, Blas Pérez and Jaime Penedo went the distance for Panama, who battled back in stoppage time to earn a 2-2 draw, while Víctor Bernárdez went the full 90 for Honduras. Jerry Bengtson and Boniek García also started for the home side and were substituted late in the game.
Over in Jamaica, Jermaine Taylor was the only MLSer of a complement of seven on the Reggae Boyz roster to see action in their 1-1 draw vs. Costa Rica while Álvaro Saborío missed out for the Ticos through injury and reported back to Real Salt Lake.
Across the Atlantic in Europe, Robbie Keane's dream of playing in a second World Cup took a major hit, as his Republic of Ireland side lost 1-0 to Austria in Vienna.
The LA Galaxy star wore the armband for the Irish and nearly scored near the half-hour mark when he put a promising look just wide, but he and his mates squandered a host of scoring chances and were stunned by David Alaba's 84th-minute winner.
The result leaves Ireland in fourth place in UEFA's Group C with 11 points, 11 behind group-leading Germany and six behind second-place Sweden with two group-stage games to go. Their only chance to steal the second-place slot in the group is by beating Germany in Cologne in ther next game on Oct. 16, then topping Kazakhstan in Dublin five days later and hope they've made up a cumulative six-goal differential on Sweden while leapfrogging Austria.
In Budapest, Chicago's Joel Lindpere did not get off the bench in already-eliminated Estonia's 5-1 loss to Hungary.
Over in South America, Lindpere's club teammate Arévalo Ríos went the full 90 as Uruguay scored twice in the final 13 minutes to defeat Colombia 2-0 in Montevideo. Uruguay now have 22 points in the CONMEBOL table, tied with Ecuador for the fourth automatic qualifying spot in the region with two games to go.
Though the odds were long to begin with, Raúl Fernández and Peru were officially eliminated after falling 3-2 to Venezuela in an exciting game that saw Fernández go the full 90 in goal.
Here's the full rundown of MLSers in international action on Tuesday:
Republic of Ireland – lost 1-0 to Austria, World Cup qualifier
Robbie Keane (LA) - Started, played 90 minutes, picked up a yellow card
Estonia – lost 5-1 to Hungary, World Cup qualifier
Joel Lindpere (CHI) - Dressed, did not play
Peru – lost 3-2 to Venezuela, World Cup qualifier
Raúl Fernández (DAL) - Started, played the full 90 minutes, conceded three goals, picked up a yellow card
Uruguay – beat Colombia 2-0, World Cup qualifier
Arévalo Ríos (CHI) - Started, played 90 minutes
Honduras/Panama – drew 2-2, World Cup qualifier
Víctor Bernárdez (SJ) - Started, played the full 90 minutes
Boniek García (HOU) - Started, played 81 minutes
Marvin Chávez (SJ) - Dressed, did not play
Jerry Bengtson (NE) - Started, played 90 minutes (stoppage-time sub)
Gabriel Torres (COL) - Started, scored a goal
Blas Pérez (DAL) - Started, played the full 90 minutes
Jaime Penedo (LA) - Started, played the full 90 minutes, conceded two goals
Jamaica – drew 1-1 vs. Costa Rica, World Cup qualifier
Ryan Johnson (POR) - Dressed, did not play
Donovan Ricketts (POR) - Did not dress
Alvas Powell (POR) - Did not dress
Jermaine Taylor (HOU) - Started, played the full 90 minutes
Darren Mattocks (VAN) - Dressed, did not play
O'Brien Woodbine (NE) - Dressed, did not play
Trinidad & Tobago – Beat Saudi Arabia 3-1, OSN Cup
Kevan George (CLB) - Subbed on in the 87th minute
