making his first MLS start -- got his first league goal. Playing a neat one-two with Nate Jaqua, Ljungberg strolled into the area to collect the return pass and slotted home past Greg Sutton.
Sounders FC doubled the lead almost on the stroke of halftime. A Jaqua shot bounced off a couple of TFC defenders in front of goal and fell right to Steve Zakuani, and the No. 1 pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft buried the rebound for his first professional goal.
Kasey Keller was called upon to make three saves as he extended his shutout streak to 270 minutes, the longest ever for a goalkeeper to begin his MLS career.
At The Home Depot Center on Sunday, Chivas USA were back home after defeating Colorado and FC Dallas to start the season, while Columbus was on the second game of a Western road swing.
Chivas opened the scoring after 25 minutes. Youngster Gerson Mayen, making his second career start, turned the corner on the left and hit a low crossing pass that Atiba Harris turned home first-time for his first goal of the year.
The Crew pulled level 12 minutes later. A corner flew over the goalmouth but was collected by Emmanuel Ekpo on the back side, and he flipped a cross into the area that bounced around before Andy Iro volleyed it into the back of the net for his second career goal.
Just after the break, Chivas pulled back into the lead. A free kick from the left was headed toward goal by Shavar Thomas, but came off the right goalpost. From the goalmouth scrum, Eduardo Lillingston was quickest and poked it into the goal for his second tally in as many weeks.
The Crew were left a man down just four minutes later when Iro was sent off for a tackle on Chivas USA defender Carey Talley.
At The Home Depot Center on Saturday, the Galaxy were back in action after a week off following their season-opening draw with D.C., while the Rapids were back in Carson for the second time in three weeks, coming off their first win on the campaign.
The Rapids opened the scoring just 16 seconds into the game -- off the Galaxy kickoff. The ball was played to the left touchline, where it eventually came to Rapids defender Ugo Ihemelu. He sent a long ball back down the flank where Omar Cummings chased it down and sent a rolling cross to the far post for Casey to tap it in. It was the second-fastest goal at the start of a game in MLS history.
The Galaxy gained the lead with goals on either side of halftime. First, in the 37th minute, rookie defender Omar Gonzalez scored his first professional goal, heading home a corner kick. Then three minutes after the restart, Sean Franklin set off on a mazy run before finding Landon Donovan on the left of the area, and he slid a square pass for Alan Gordon to provide the easiest of finishes.
But Casey wasn't done. Barely a minute after the Galaxy goal, Cummings was again freed on the right flank, and again centered the ball for the burly forward to knock home.
Dema Kovalenko was sent off in the 59th minute and Casey and the Rapids took advantage six minutes from the end. Colin Clark won the ball on the left and sent Casey in alone, and he rounded goalkeeper Josh Saunders before sliding the ball home to complete his second career MLS hat trick.
At Rio Tinto Stadium on Thursday, Real Salt Lake were playing in their first home match since last year's Western Conference Championship and got off to a dream start. Will Johnson hammered a freekick toward goal, and while Columbus 'keeper William Hesmer parried the effort, it fell right to Robbie Findley, who banged home the rebound just two minutes in.
The Crew pulled level in the 22nd minute. From a short corner, Gino Padula swung in a high cross that Clint Mathis couldn't clear, and it fell right to the feet of Jason Garey, who knocked into the open side of the goal.
But RSL were ahead again just seven minutes later, and again it was Findley. This time, a poorly hit clearance from Hesmer from a backpass went right to Findley, and he raced in alone on goal, rounding Hesmer before sliding the ball into the open goal.
Real made it 3-1 in the 62nd minute. Yura Movsisyan was freed down the left and swung in a cross for Findley to head home, giving him his first career hat trick and the first in league play in RSL history. The home side finished off the rout five minutes later, when Kyle Beckerman powered home a near-post header from a Mathis corner kick.
At Gillette Stadium, the Revolution were in their home opener after a win and a draw on the road to kick off the season, while FC Dallas had lost the first two games in a season for the first time in club history.
The visitors took the lead in the 38th minute. Michael Dello-Russo overlapped down the right wing and overcooked a cross to the far post. No one tracked Dave van den Bergh, and he collected the ball and fed for an unmarked Kenny Cooper to turn home from close range for his second goal on the season.
The Revolution pulled level in the 56th minute. Shalrie Joseph hit a long diagonal pass to set Sainey Nyassi free on the right flank. The Gambian midfielder then skinned rookie defender George John and rifled home with his left foot from outside the area to draw the scores level.
Ten minutes from the end, the Revolution took the lead through Steve Ralston, making his season debut. John tugged on Kheli Dube's jersey and referee Silviu Petrescu pointed to the spot. Ralston stepped up and calmly slotted home the resulting penalty to give the Revs all three points.
At Toyota Park, the Fire were also making their home bow, with a victory and a draw from two games to start the season, while the Red Bulls were looking for a first win -- and a first goal scored by one of their players.
Just 14 minutes, the Red Bulls were given a massive advantage. Mac Kandji escaped defender Wilman Conde and headed alone toward goal, but John Thorrington tripped him up from behind, and referee Tim Weyland immediately showed a red card.
But it was the Fire who scored the game's only goal in the 33rd minute. A high ball caught in the wind was half-cleared out the area, and Marco Pappa stepped up to send it back goalward with a low shot. The ball bounced off the inside of the left post and rolled across the goal, barely crossing the line for his first MLS goal.
At RFK Stadium, United and the Dynamo were each looking for a first victory on the season, D.C. having started with two draws, and Houston with a draw and a loss.
The game's lone goal came two minutes after the halftime break. Bryan Namoff lofted a high ball toward the Dynamo penalty area and Bobby Boswell was unable to deal with it, Luciano Emilio slipping behind him and popping a soft effort over goalkeeper Pat Onstad and just into the net ahead of retreating defenders for his second goal in as many games.
At CommunityAmerica Ballpark, howling winds and bitter wind chills greeted the Wizards as they looked to overcome a pair of losses to start the season, facing an Earthquakes side that had won its first the week before.
The home side took the lead in the 28th minute. A pair of shots from a free kick were blocked by San Jose defenders, the rebound from the second falling to defender Aaron Hohlbein, and he directed the ball to the back of the net for his first professional goal.
The Wizards put the game away 12 minutes from the end. A long searching cross-field ball from Herculez Gomez found Claudio Lopez racing down the left flank, and he skipped into the box before coolly slotting past Joe Cannon inside the far post for his first goal on the campaign.
