The All-Star Game is behind us, and the fabled stretch run unfolds before us. MLS got back to brass tacks in Week 22; here’s a few of its head-turning moments.
Video Review cometh
Undoubtedly the weekend’s biggest talking point was the debut of Video Review, the carefully-crafted new technology that aims to help referees correct game-changing errors. Video Assistant Referees got involved in several games, including a pivotal moment in Portland’s win over the LA Galaxy on Sunday. Here’s a rundown of the big moments.
Last stops first
Stuck in last place and mired in a six-game losing skid, no one expected D.C. United to mount too much resistance to league leaders Toronto FC on Saturday. Some of the home fans were paying almost as much attention to RFK Stadium’s mezzanine levels as to the pitch, with D.C. hunting down new signings with an eye toward future improvement.
United gave TFC an almighty scare, however, dominating the early stages and mounting a legit upset bid ... until Lloyd Sam’s rush of blood to the head forced them to play the second half with 10 men. Nonetheless, the 1-1 draw was a brave performance from a squad many thought dead and buried.
Biblical storms in Colorado
Speaking of the almighty: the Colorado Rapids’ and Vancouver Whitecaps’ nicknames were a bit too on-the-nose at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, which seemed in danger of blowing away amid torrential rainstorms and heavy rain. The weather relented long enough for the game to be played, and despite the conditions, some lovely goals were scored:
Fire cooking again
The Chicago Fire were aggravated to carry a three-game winless run into their hosting of the All-Star Game presented by Target last week. And boy, did this year’s biggest success story rebound against New England on Saturday. The Revolution were swept aside by a committed team performance from the Men in Red, though we’re partial to the cheeky Bastian Schweinsteiger dummy that set up Juninho’s long-range worm-burner:
Major Tom
The San Jose Earthquakes picked up an important victory over Columbus on Saturday. So who should we celebrate: Quakes scorers Marco Urena and Chris Wondolowski? Or perhaps Wondo’s enthusiastic embrace of Tommy Thompson after the Homegrown assisted on his goal tells a story, too.
“TomThom” has blossomed since San Jose’s midseason coaching change, and while it’s taken more than three years since he turned pro, we’re now seeing a fuller picture of the talent who helped bring the term “hype train” into the North American soccer mainstream.
llsin-WHOA
He’s not the priciest or best-known player on the Philadelphia Union’s roster. But on his day, Ilsinho can make a fool of any defender. The Brazilian reminded FC Dallas of his world-class skill on the ball with a virtuoso performance at Talen Energy Stadium, as he notched an assist with a mixtape-worthy spin move before lashing home a goal of his own:
Fanendo heeling
Some delightful dimes were dropped over the weekend. But perhaps the dirtiest came in sweltering Portland, where Fanendo Adi’s backheel set up Alvas Powell for one of the Timbers’ three goals in a 3-1 defeat of the Galaxy. Unfortunately, the Nigerian picked up an injury on the play; any lengthy absence could be disastrous for playoff-chasing PTFC.
El Guaje activates God mode
Sunday’s New York Derby at Yankee Stadium was a memorable affair, with some real cut and thrust and timely goals from David Villa and Bradley Wright-Phillips, two of the best forwards in MLS history.
With 25 minutes or so to go, BWP’s second strike of the day seemed to have earned the Red Bulls a precious rivalry win. But then Villa summoned his simply unstoppable best to turn the game on its head. NYCFC's World Cup-winning Spaniard bagged his second of the day, then earned and finished a game-winning penalty kick to bag his first MLS hat trick. It was truly a sight to behold:
