Never bet on MLS. Pity those who do:
I think he is a Jedi. There is no other explanation for how he can get so wide open so consistently. "This isn't the forward you're looking for. Move along."
His next goal will make him the eighth member of the 100-goal club in MLS, and of that group he'll be No. 2 behind Taylor Twellman in the goals-per-90 stat. This is remarkable all on its own, but it's also remarkable because the last six seasons have been the lowest-scoring in league history. Wondo's ascent (2010) started with the league's nadir in terms of attacking play, and he's just kept banging goals home no matter who he's been surrounded by or gone up against. He's four goals away from becoming the first player in league history to score double-digits six straight times.
Now, this is the part where somebody mentions Belgium. And fine – you don't have to move on from it, even if he has. I won't pretend to be 100 percent over it, and I'm not sure I'll ever be, either:
Some folks wanted the caveat that much of the play here was deep in midfield, with minimal pressure from the 'Caps. Fine, I'll paraphrase Xavi:
Every single pass forces the defense to adjust, creating new angles and gaps. Every pass.
If the greatest passer of the ball who ever lived can carve that ethos into his very soul, don't you think us mortals should, too?
4. Clint Dempsey's been pretty good lately:
3. Toronto FC and New England played a blinder of a game on Saturday evening. The 1-1 draw at Foxborough flattered the visitors a little bit – Diego Fagundez headed wide at the end, and Chris Konopka had a couple of "Wow!" saves – but this was mostly MLS at its best, including a Michael Bradley golazo and some vintage Lee Nguyen playmaking (welcome back, Lee).
Jozy Altidore came off in the first half of that one with what was described as a minor hamstring worry, while Jermaine Jones came off just past the hour mark and headed straight to the locker room. No word on what's ailing him, though he certainly didn't look 100 percent.
2. D.C. United started their two-game week with a come-from-behind, 2-1 win over Orlando City at RFK. It was a typical United result in that they never looked great but still got the win. I wagered large that the same thing would happen on Sunday night, but instead it was Philadelphia that got the late goal in a 1-0 win at PPL Park.
My point? D.C.'s margins are always razor thin, but that's even more true when Fabian Espindola is out injured. They need him back if they're going to maintain their status as one of the East's elite teams.
1. Congrats to the Union's Zach Pfeffer on that goal, which was deserved after a tough week – he was the last cut from Tab Ramos' US U-20 national team. Instead of pouting, Pfeffer persevered in the best way imaginable, and I suspect we'll see more of him in that left wing role.
