signed to a contract just the day before -- latched onto a loose ball in midfield, raced in the penalty area past a couple of defenders and hit a low strike inside the left-hand post for his first MLS goal and condemning FCD to an 0-2 start to the season for the first time in club history.
At Columbus Crew Stadium, the Crew were making their first home appearance after winning their first title, taking on a Toronto FC side buoyed by the support of some 2,000 fans for the first Trillium Cup match.
The Crew took the lead in the 30th minute when Guillermo Barros Schelotto converted from the penalty spot for his second goal on the campaign, winning the penalty when his cross in the area was knocked down with a handball.
But Toronto FC used a bit of good fortune for the equalizer six minutes from the end. Dwayne De Rosario launched a free kick into the area that Gino Padula headed back toward his own goal, only to see the ball tipped onto the bar by goalkeeper William Hesmer then rebound back into the goal off the Crew shot-stopper.
At Buck Shaw Stadium, two teams sharing a common ancestry renewed their burgeoning rivalry both looking for a first victory on the season.
The game burst into life at the half-hour mark. First, Cam Weaver popped a through ball forward for Ryan Johnson to run onto, and he slotted home for the 30th-minute opener. Then Arturo Alvarez doubled the Quakes lead just three minutes later, cutting through the Dynamo defense on a mazy run from the right flank and lashing home a low shot inside the right post.
But it took the Dynamo barely a minute to respond. Stuart Holden cut in a cross from the right corner and Chris Wondolowski nodded it home on the run for his first goal of the season. Then just two minutes later, the Dynamo had pulled level, Brad Davis curling home a wonderfully placed strike from outside the area.
Yet just before the half, the Quakes took the lead for good. A Chris Leitch shot bobbled toward goal where Weaver ran onto it, bundling it home past Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad for his first MLS goal.
At Giants Stadium, the Red Bulls were making their home bow looking for a first win, facing a Revoution team that had opened its season on the road with a victory.
But there were once again late heroics for the Revolution at the Meadowlands. Sharlie Joseph hooked the ball into the area, and Kenny Mansally raced in to head the bouncing ball past the advancing Danny Cepero and extend the Revolution's unbeaten streak to 11 games vs. New York.
At RFK Stadium, United were kicking off the 14th season of MLS soccer on East Capitol Street, looking for a first win while Chicago had opened its season victorious on the road.
It took United just seven minutes to give the RFK faithful something to cheer. Luciano Emilio latched onto the ball in midfield from the D.C. end and drove home a low shot from outside the box for his first goal on the 2009 campaign.
But the Fire pulled level eight minutes after the break. Patrick Nyarko ran onto Marco Pappa's through ball in the right side of the area and slid home the equalizer past on-rushing United goalkeeper Josh Wicks inside the far post for his first career MLS goal.
At Dick's Sporting Goods Park, both the Rapids and Wizards were looking for their first point of the campaign.
In the first half, Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman made two saves in short order late, becoming the all-time MLS saves leader. Hartman ended the night with four saves and 1,139 for his MLS career, now three ahead of previous record-holder Tony Meola.
Hartman saw his shutout bid ended in dramatic fashion in the 65th minute. Terry Cooke came on the field as a substitute and immediately took a free kick from outside the area on the left, whipping it off the inside of the near post for a 1-0 Colorado lead.
The Wizards tied the game five minutes later in equally dramatic circumstances. Michael Kraus, who had come on just two minutes earlier in his first ever MLS regular season game action, ripped a rising shot that bounced off the underside of the crossbar and down into the goal.
But the Rapids took the lead back just four minutes later. Cooke found Colin Clark on the left with a long ball, and he in turn sent Omar Cummings through with a diagonal ball, and the Jamaican striker hit home for the second time in as many weeks.
