So you probably didn't get to watch every MLS match this weekend. That's what we're here for. Here's what you missed, while you were doing who knows what.
COLUMBUS ARE FOR REAL: The new-look Crew under Gregg Berhalter are the only team with a 100-percent record in MLS, with a stoppage-time winner from Justin Meram to stun Seattle and snag a 2-1 road win (WATCH THE GOAL HERE). Credit Berhalter's golden touch, bringing on Meram with a minute left.
Under Berhalter's new style, the Crew have arguably turned into the most entertaining team to watch in MLS. The end-to-end affair with the Sounders was the best game of the weekend and it was in large part due to the Crew's attack-minded philosophy. They did, however, leave themselves exposed on the counter once again (it happened last week vs. Philadelphia). But fortune favors the bold and the players are buying into the system. It helps they're seeing the results of all the running they say they were asked to do during the preseason.
A small sign that the squad loves their new coach: After his game-winner, Meram leapt into Berhalter's arms to celebrate and later said this.
QUIET ON THE SET: Analyst Robbie Mustoe was in his "Between the Benches" post created by NBCSN down on the field. But sometimes you're so close to the benches you don't want to be a distraction. It was evident that he was using a quieter voice during the match. Meanwhile, you almost thought you were hearing too much from the field mikes on the Altitude broadcast this weekend.
On the pronunciation front, Revs right back Andrew Farrell became Pharrell (as in Williams) during the first half of the San Jose broadcast, while RSL broadcaster Brian Dunseth apparently had the line of the season thus far:
But not everyone was impressed, as at least one Canadian outlet called Dunseth's comments "a cheap shot."
WHAT AILS RED BULLS? Despite winning a Supporters' Shield last year, the Red Bulls have yet to really carve out a clear identity on the field like other teams in the league have. What are they about? A high-pressure team? Counterattacking? Possession-based? Being a chamaeleon squad can only take you so far. And you can't always rely on energy and urgency in every match. You need to be able to resort to what it is you do best. And I'm still not sure what that is for RBNY.
PETKE GOES TO WAWA: The RBNY manager was asked during the week whether he was concerned by the team's winless start. Sunday's MSG broadcast aired his tongue-in-cheek reply: "I worry that Wawa is going to make crappy coffee when I go there in the morning. I tell you one thing and it turns into a headline."
BLACK ARMBANDS: If you noticed them this weekend all around MLS -- in addition to the moments of silence -- they were worn in memory of former MLS player Shawn Kuykendall, who passed away after a battle with cancer. The New England Revolution used the match to remember last week's Boston Fire Department victims with a special armband.
PAPER TRAIL:
When Houston Dynamo rookie
Mark Sherrod
ran onto the field as a substitute for his team in Vancouver, he brought with him aerial prowess, plenty of hustle ... and a piece of paper. Yep, the cameras caught him pass along to captain Brad Davis what we presume were some instructions from the bench.
KAKA NEWS: On the same weekend that Kaka speaks out about coming to MLS and reports emerge on the topic with more and more details, he goes ahead and gives MLS fans a tease of what might be in store with two goals against Chievo Verona (WATCH THEM HERE).
MLS ROLLERCOASTER: Another Brazilian native had the wildest two minutes of any player in MLS this weekend. Sporting KC's Benny Feilhaber went from being the culprit on the Colorado penalty kick which gave the Rapids a 2-1 lead (WATCH IT HERE), to scoring the 2-2 equalizer just seconds later (WATCH IT HERE).
WEEK 4 INFIRMARY LIST: We'll wait from word on some of the more disconcerting injuries from the weekend. It starts with Sporting KC's Ike Opara, who was hurt on the play that resulted in a PK for the opposition (early reports are that it's nothing long-term). But the defender confirmed it's not a break or a fracture to his leg. San Jose's Steven Lenhart left after appearing to tweak his knee. Bash brother Alan Gordon replaced him. RSL's Chris Wingert left his match with groin trouble.
RBNY's Tim Cahill (right hamstring) and D.C.'s Luis Silva left their respective matches after just a half-hour. Another ankle sprain sidelined Red Bulls right back Richard Eckersley before halftime (his right ankle looked like a baseball, according to his head coach).
NGUYEN-ING Of course it would be former Vietnamese league star Lee Nguyen who would score the stoppage-time game-winner on Saturday night in San Jose. He's rounding into form with every game and Saturday's showing also makes this much clear: Good things happen for the Revs when Nguyen operates closer to goal.
WWE IN MLS:
Michael Jordan had the talcum powder pre-game ritual. San Jose Earthquakes captain Chris Wondolowski, who already has a "funny faces" routine on the team photo (right), opts for more of a wrestling-like move to get him pumped up (see below):
KAEPERNICKING: That's even less clunky than saying "Amarikwa-ing" when referring to a biceps-kiss celebration. Plus, the Chicago Fire forward is going to have to score a few more goals to justify renaming it. Below is his celebration after his equalizer vs. D.C. But there's more: He also captained himself in MLS Fantasy.
STANDOUTS:Loyd Sam was a star on the right wing for the Red Bulls. South American playmakers Javier Morales (RSL), Pedro Morales (Vancouver) and Federico Higuain (Columbus) were everywhere for their teams. Defensively, Vancouver's Andy O'Brien continues to quietly impress and the Union's center-back pairing of Amobi Okugo and converted defender Aaron Wheeler made play after play (although Okugo clearly conceded a bit too much space to Di Vaio on the equalizer).
Rapids rookie midfielder Jared Watts showed he belonged in his first-ever MLS minutes as a starting holding mid (and he even moved to left back later in the match). And a round of applause was earned by goalkeepers Dan Kennedy (Chivas USA), Steve Clark (Columbus Crew) and Eric Kronberg (Sporting KC), who each stood on his head.
MLS VERSION OF SOLAR ECLIPSE: When Toronto FC's Kyle Bekker was brought into the match at Rio Tinto Stadium, it ensured he was on the field at the same time as RSL's Kyle Beckerman. Last time we had anything similar had to be back in 2005 when WIll John and Will Johnson both played for the Chicago Fire.
ROADDRON: That was the name coined for the massive mobilization of somewhere between 800-1,000 Sporting Kansas City fans who made the trek to Dick's Sporting Goods Park. And the trip was well worth it after Dom Dwyer's stoppage-time winner. They did the celebrating for Dwyer, who didn't even smile after his blast found net (WATCH THE GOAL AND CELEBRATION HERE). No backflip. Nothing.
TIFO TALK: It was a case of extremes on the tifo front this weekend. You had the very graphic tifo by D.C. United supporters group La Norte, which was inspired by an old Virginia-based band, Gwar. It even included an image of a Fire player being impaled, which didn't go down well with everyone.
For a more wholesome tifo, we go to Vancouver.
And yet this might've been the best tifo of the lot in San Jose:
MILESTONES:
Congrats to D.C.'s
Davy Arnaud
who's only the 25th player in MLS history to join the 300 club (as in 300 appearances). Another veteran, Chicago's Colombian center back
Jhon Kennedy Hurtado
, also scored his first MLS goal since 2009.
And if you weren't paying attention, with two more goals scored on Saturday night, RSL forward Alvaro Saborio is up to 55 goals in 101 MLS matches, and 71 goals in 119 games in all competitions. Love him or hate him, he's going down as one of the all-time MLS greats.
TWEET(S) OF THE WEEKEND: Here are the ones that caught our eye, including one that references Perry Kitchen's goal in a 2-2 tie:
REVERSE GOONIE MAGIC: The Quakes are the self-proclaimed "Goonies" of MLS because they have a flair for late drama. But the roles were reversed on Saturday night with the Revs getting the stoppage-time winner in San Jose, halting the Quakes' 21-match home unbeaten run.
