This Week in MLS - May 28, 2018

• Three MLS players prep for World Cup with Mexico
• Led by teenagers Trusty, McKenzie, Union's backline halting top strikers
• Young Real Salt Lake gear up for hefty test against Houston, Seattle at Rio Tinto
• Defending Open Cup champs Sporting, MLS clubs drawn for fourth-round matchups
• MLS Week 14: Match Notes

Three MLS players prep for World Cup with Mexico


Three MLS players will have a chance to make a strong impression to represent Mexico at the 2018 FIFA World Cup when facing Wales in a pre-World Cup friendly against Wales at the Rose Bowl on Monday (8:30 p.m. ET, FS1 / UniMas / UDN). Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) forward Carlos Vela has been one of the top performers in the league this season, with his 12 combined goals and assists (7 goals, 5 assists) tied for second in MLS. Vela has helped LAFC to a strong expansion start as the club ranks second in the Western Conference.

Jonathan dos Santos, meanwhile captained the LA Galaxy in a 1-0 victory over California Clásico rivals the San Jose Earthquakes on Friday in his last match with the club before joining Mexico. Giovani dos Santos also made his return from injury in the Galaxy’s victory, coming on in the 75th minute before LA’s game-winning goal in the 82nd minute. The trio of Mexican players will face Wales before traveling back to Mexico City to face Scotland on June 2 in the final match before World Cup rosters are due to FIFA on June 4.
Led by teenagers Trusty, McKenzie, Union's backline halting top strikers


The Philadelphia Union are on a tear, outscoring opponents 6-1 and undefeated in their past three outings as they prepare to face Atlanta United, the No. 1 team in league standings, this Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+ / FOX Sports South / PHL17). Charting recent wins over the Montreal Impact and Real Salt Lake with shared goal scoring among attackers, it’s Philadelphia’s young backline featuring Homegrown 19-year-old center backs Auston Trusty and Mark McKenzie, who are playing a large part of the Union’s success.
Last week, Philadelphia’s backline held two-time Golden Boot winner Bradley Wright-Phillips scoreless en route to securing a 0-0 tie for the club’s second straight road shutout. The Union will follow that effort with a strong test against Atlanta United, which features a pacey, three-pronged attacking front that includes Josef Martinez, whose eight goals are tied with Wright-Phillips for most in MLS this season. As Philadelphia’s backline comes into its own, will they be able to hold off Atlanta’s fiery attack?
Young Real Salt Lake gear up for hefty test against Houston, Seattle at Rio Tinto


Real Salt Lake’s Homegrowns made a big statement with their first road win of the season and look to ride that momentum heading into an important two-game homestand. RSL notched a 1-0 victory at Seattle this past Saturday, with Homegrown Player Sebastian Saucedo’s first MLS goal from distance highlighting the big day. Salt Lake now returns to Sandy, Utah, to host the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET) and welcome a rematch against the Sounders on Saturday (9:30 p.m. ET).

The bending strike from the 21-year-old Saucedo was only a portion of Real’s winning equation this past week. The youthful back line also stepped up with its third clean sheet of 2018. Brooks Lennon (20 years old), Justen Glad (21) and Danny Acosta (20) – all products of Real’s youth system and teammates on the USA’s 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup squad – teamed with defender Alejandro Silva and goalkeeper Nick Rimando to put together one of their strongest results of the year.

RSL has held strong at Rio Tinto Stadium this season with a 4-1-0 record, the four home victories tying for first among the Western Conference clubs heading into this week. Real will need repeat performances from Saturday, facing a Houston team that is unbeaten in four straight (3-0-1), followed by a Sounders side that earned its second straight MLS Cup appearance last season.




Defending Open Cup champs Sporting, MLS clubs drawn for fourth-round matchups


The 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is right around the corner for MLS clubs, who enter the tournament’s fourth round next Tuesday and Wednesday. The draw took place last Thursday, when the 20 U.S.-based MLS teams learned their upcoming opponents. The schedule includes one matchup Tuesday, June 5, when the Philadelphia Union host the United Soccer League’s Richmond Kickers. That is followed by 15 games Wednesday, June 6, including Sporting Kansas City beginning their title defense on the road against Real Salt Lake – one of four all-MLS matchups.

• MLSsoccer.com:2018 U.S. Open Cup: MLS clubs learn opening matchups

The past nine tournaments have featured all-MLS finals. Sporting, Seattle Sounders FC and the Chicago Fire have each earned four Open Cup championships and are one away from matching the tournament record of five held by Maccabi Los Angeles and the Bethlehem Steel. During last year’s final, Sporting defeated the New York Red Bulls 2-1 at Children’s Mercy Park on Sept. 20, 2017, with goals coming from current Los Angeles Football Club forward Latif Blessing and Hungarian striker Daniel Salloi for the winner.




MLS Week 14: Match Notes


Wednesday, May 30, 2018


New England Revolution vs. Atlanta United, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• Atlanta United return to action after a weekend off, their last match a 3-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls on May 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
  
• Atlanta United have lost back-to-back home games for the first time in their history. The loss to the Red Bulls was only the second time Atlanta has trailed by two goals in a home game (the first in a 3-1 loss to D.C. United on April 30, 2017).
  
• The Revolution are now winless in their past three away matches, after a wild 3-3 draw with Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place on Saturday afternoon.
  
• The teams met twice in Atlanta United’s inaugural season. Atlanta equaled the all-time MLS margin of victory, with a 7-0 win against the Revolution at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sept. 13. Josef Martínez scored a hat trick as part of the most goals ever scored in a single game by an expansion team. The teams then played to a goalless draw on Sept. 30 at Gillette Stadium.
  

Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The Union saw their two-game winning streak come to an end but still extended their undefeated run to three matches, reaching a scoreless draw with the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening.
  
• The Fire put an end to a two-game losing run, getting a late wonder goal from Alan Gordon for a 2-1 win against Orlando City SC at Orlando City Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• The teams met twice a year ago, each winning on their home ground. The Union claimed a 3-1 win on Sept. 23 at Talen Energy Stadium, then the Fire took a 3-2 win on Oct. 15 at Toyota Park.
  
• The Union have won the past two meetings in Chester; the home team has won each of the last five matches in the series. The Union’s home win in 2016 snapped a seven-game winless streak overall in the league series.
  
• The Fire have won the past four meetings at Toyota Park, their first wins at home against the Union since 2012. Philadelphia had won two of the four Bridgeview meetings in between, with two draws.
  

Real Salt Lake vs. Houston Dynamo, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• Real Salt Lake won for the first time on the road this season, snapping a five-game away losing run, getting the game’s only goal for the victory against Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field on Saturday afternoon. The win ended a 10-game road winless run overall, dating back to last Aug. 19, the third-longest such streak in club history.
  
• The Dynamo have won back-to-back games for the first time this season, following their 3-1 win against New York City FC at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• The teams met twice a year ago. The Dynamo stormed to a 5-1 win on May 31 at BBVA Compass Stadium; the clubs then reached a scoreless draw on Oct. 15 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
  
• The Dynamo have won the past three meetings between the teams. They have won the past two encounters at BBVA Compass Stadium, ending a two-game RSL winning streak in Houston – Real’s first wins ever there. Real suffered eight defeats and one draw in their first nine road games against the Dynamo.
  
• The Dynamo’s win Sept. 17, 2016 at Rio Tinto Stadium was their first ever in Sandy in seven visits all-time. It ended an eight-game undefeated streak for Real at home in the series (5-0-3).
  

LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The Galaxy have won consecutive games for the first time this season, defeating the San Jose Earthquakes by the game’s only goal in the first Cali Clásico of the season at StubHub Center on Friday evening.
  
• David Bingham was credited with one save in keeping the clean sheet against his former club, his second in a row and fourth of the season, tied for third-most in MLS. Bingham and the Galaxy have now not allowed a goal in their past 218 minutes.
  
• FC Dallas extended their undefeated run to four games with a second win in that time, defeating Toronto FC by the game’s only goal at BMO Field on Friday evening.
  
• Jesse Gonzalez was credited with nine saves – his career-high, in his 47th league appearance – in keeping the clean sheet. The start, his first of the 2018 MLS regular season, also came on his 23rd birthday.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Roland Lamah scored twice as Mauro Diaz set up all three FC Dallas goals, leading them to a 3-2 win May 12 at Toyota Stadium.
  
• FC Dallas have won the last three meetings between the teams, including each of the last two meetings in Frisco, and have now gained points in the last five meetings (with four victories).
  

• The win in the first meeting last year ended a nine-game home undefeated streak in the series for the Galaxy, their first loss to FC Dallas in Carson since Sept. 12, 2009, having gone 7-0-2 over that stretch.
  

Friday, June 1, 2018


Colorado Rapids vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 9 p.m. ET (TSN, ESPN+)

• The Rapids suffered a sixth consecutive defeat, a third in a row on their home ground, falling 3-2 to the Portland Timbers at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday evening. The streak is one game shy of the club’s record set over its 23-year history, set July 30-Sept. 5, 2014.
  
• Whitecaps FC played to a fourth consecutive multiple-goal draw, this time in a 3-3 result with the New England Revolution at BC Place on Saturday afternoon.
  
• Cristian Techera scored his first MLS hat trick, the first for Whitecaps FC since 2013. The 25-minute span for the three goals (49, 51, 74) equaled the 28th-fastest in league history. The span between hat tricks for Vancouver was the third-longest since the last triple among current MLS clubs.
  
• The teams met three times a year ago, and Whitecaps FC won twice, once at each ground. The ‘Caps took a 1-0 win May 5 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, then claimed a 2-1 victory on Sept. 23 at BC Place. The teams also reached a 2-2 draw Aug. 5 in Commerce City.
  
• The win in the first meeting last year was just the second-ever for Whitecaps FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, ending a six-game winning streak for the Rapids in the series on their home ground. The only other Whitecaps FC win in Commerce City came in 2012.
  
• The Rapids have not won on their past five trips to Vancouver; their last win there, April 5, 2014, was their second victory ever at BC Place, now in 10 visits all-time.
  

Saturday, June 2, 2018


Portland Timbers vs. LA Galaxy, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, TSN)

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Ola Kamara and Romain Alessandrini scored two minutes apart midway through the first half to pace the Galaxy to a 2-1 win in the season opener, March 4 at StubHub Center.
  
• The Timbers’ 3-1 win in the last meeting at Providence Park, on Aug. 6 last season, was their first in a home game against the Galaxy since Sept. 29, 2013, ending a three-game winless streak in Portland in the series (0-1-2). The Timbers have won just twice all-time at StubHub Center, last in a 1-0 victory last March 12.
  
• The Timbers extended their club record with a sixth consecutive victory, defeating the Colorado Rapids 3-2 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday evening. The six-game winning run matches Orlando City SC for the longest of 2018, also equaling the second-longest winning streak in MLS since the 2000 season.
  
• Samuel Armenteros scored a pair of goals, his first two-goal game in MLS. Armenteros has goals in consecutive games, with all three of his goals for the Timbers coming in that span.
  
• Alessandrini netted his second goal of the season in the Galaxy’s 1-0 win against the San Jose Earthquakes – his first coming in the season-opening win vs. Portland. Emmanuel Boateng collected an assist for a second consecutive game; he has a goal or an assist in three matches in a row, with a goal and two assists in that span.
  

Atlanta United vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• Ezequiel Barco netted a goal for a second consecutive game in Atlanta United’s 3-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls in their last match. It was his third goal in MLS – all coming over the past four games.
  
• Andre Blake was credited with four saves in recording a shutout in the Union’s goalless draw with the Red Bulls on Saturday evening, his second in the last three matches and his fourth of the season. The four shutouts were tied for third-most in MLS following Week 13.
  
• The teams met twice a year ago in Atlanta United’s inaugural campaign. They reached a 2-2 draw in the first encounter, Aug. 26 at Talen Energy Stadium; Atlanta United then cruised to a 3-0 win on Sept. 27 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
  

Columbus Crew SC vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m. ET (TSN, ESPN+)

• Crew SC extended their shutout streak to 495 minutes, a club record, with their goalless draw with Sporting KC on Sunday evening. A fifth consecutive shutout for Crew SC and goalkeeper Zack Steffen, the streak is the eighth-longest in MLS league history.
  
• Toronto FC weren’t able to build upon a first victory in three matches, falling by the game’s only goal in a loss to FC Dallas at BMO Field on Friday evening.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Federico Higuaín and Gyasi Zardes scored on either side of halftime as Crew SC took a 2-0 victory in the league season opener for both teams on March 3 at BMO Field.
  
• The Crew SC win in the first meeting ended a two-game TFC winning streak at BMO Field in the series, the opening goal the first scored by Crew SC in 404 minutes in Toronto over all competitions.
  
• TFC won in the last league meeting in Columbus, a 2-1 victory last May 10, their first win in Columbus since 2014, snapping a four-game Crew SC home undefeated streak there in the series in league play (2-0-2).
  
• The teams also met in a gripping Eastern Conference Championship last year, with Toronto FC winning the tie 1-0 on aggregate, with a goal from Jozy Altidore in the second leg at home that booked TFC’s place in MLS Cup.
  

Montreal Impact vs. Houston Dynamo, 7:30 p.m. ET (TVA Sports, ESPN+)

• The Impact suffered a fourth consecutive defeat – matching their longest losing run of the season – in a 2-0 loss to Minnesota United FC at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday evening. It was also a fourth consecutive attacking shutout for the Impact, now 382 minutes since their last goal, a club record for their MLS history.
  
• Alberth Elis scored for a second consecutive game in the win vs. New York City FC, his seventh goal of the season, which moved him one off the MLS Golden Boot lead after Week 13. Elis has five goals and one assist over his past six games, three of the goals in the last two matches.
  
• The visiting team has never won in the five-year history of the series between the clubs, after the Dynamo won 3-1 in the lone meeting between the teams last year, July 5 at BBVA Compass Stadium. The road team has come away with points just once – after a 1-1 draw in Houston in 2011.
  
• The Dynamo have won the past six meetings between the teams in Houston in all competitions, including in the Knockout Round of the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2013. The Impact have won all five meetings in the series at Stade Saputo, last a 1-0 win on Aug. 6, 2016.
  

New England Revolution vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN+)

• The teams met twice a season ago, and the Red Bulls took both – a 2-1 win May 27 at Red Bull Arena, then a 3-2 victory on July 5 at Gillette Stadium.
  
• The Red Bulls in the second encounter a year ago ended a seven-game winning streak for the home team in the I-95 rivalry, also snapping a three-game winning streak for the Revolution in Foxborough against the Red Bulls. When the Red Bulls won 2-0 at Gillette Stadium on June 8, 2014, it was the first for New York in New England since 2002. The Revolution had won 13 of 19 meetings in league and MLS Cup play since that previous New York win.
  
• The Revolution have never won at Red Bull Arena in league play. Since the stadium opened in 2010, the Red Bulls have won nine of 10 regular-season games there, with one draw. When the Revolution won 2-1 in Harrison in the first leg of the 2014 Eastern Conference Championship, it was their first win of any sort in New Jersey since 2007, ending a 10-game winless streak there in all competitions.
  
• Teal Bunbury scored his sixth goal of the season against Vancouver, all six goals coming over the last nine matches (since March 31). Cristian Penilla added his fifth goal of the season, his third goal in the last three matches.
  
• The Red Bulls saw their four-game winning streak put to an end, but still stretched their undefeated run to five games in a goalless draw with the Philadelphia Union at Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening.
  
• Ryan Meara was credited with two saves in keeping the clean sheet for the Red Bulls, his first in MLS since recording shutouts in three consecutive games April 28-May 9, 2012, his first three shutouts in league play.
  

New York City FC vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• NYCFC saw their road winless streak extended to five games, suffering a 3-1 loss to the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium on Friday evening.
  
• David Villa scored for a third consecutive game, now with eight goals on the season, ending Week 13 tied for the lead in the MLS Golden Boot standings with Josef Martinez (ATL), Bradley Wright-Phillips (NYRB) and Gyasi Zardes (CLB). Villa has scored six goals in the past five games, since April 29.
  
• Orlando City SC suffered a third consecutive loss on the heels of a club-record six-game winning streak, falling 2-1 to the Chicago Fire at Orlando City Stadium on Saturday evening. Cristian Higuita scored for a second consecutive game and assisted on both goals by rookie Chris Mueller and Josué Colman.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Ismael Tajouri-Shradi and Maxi Moralez netted second-half goals as NYCFC eased to a 2-0 win on March 17 at Yankee Stadium, their second consecutive victory in the series.
  
• The win in the first meeting ended a three-game undefeated run for Orlando City SC on trips to Yankee Stadium, with two wins and a draw over that span.
  
• NYCFC won the last meeting at Orlando City Stadium, a 3-0 victory on May 21, 2016, their first win ever in Orlando. OCSC won the three previous meetings in Orlando; the teams played to a 1-1 draw when they opened their MLS histories against each other on March 8, 2015.
  

FC Dallas vs. Los Angeles Football Club, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season and in their histories. Steven Beitashour gave LAFC an early lead, but Maximiliano Urruti canceled it out with a second-half goal, leaving the teams in a 1-1 draw on May 5 at Banc of California Stadium.
  
• Urruti scored the game’s only goal in FCD’s win vs. Toronto FC, his fourth consecutive game with a goal. The streak matches his career-long in his six MLS seasons, achieved twice previously, once in each of the last two seasons. Urruti ended Week 13 tied for seventh in the MLS Golden Boot standings.
  
• LAFC saw their winless run extended to three games with a second draw in that time, reaching a 1-1 result with D.C. United at Banc of California Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Diego Rossi netted his fifth goal of the season for the LAFC tally; he has a goal and/or an assist in seven of the club’s first 12 games in MLS.
  

Chicago Fire vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The Fire won the lone meeting between the teams last season, a 4-1 victory at Avaya Stadium on Sept. 27, their second consecutive victory in the series.
  
• It was the first victory for the road team in the series since 2010, when each team won away in the two meetings that year. The Quakes had lost two meetings in the series in northern California.
  
• The Fire have won the last two encounters between the clubs at Toyota Park; the Quakes have not won on their last three trips to Bridgeview.
  
• Alan Gordon’s game-winning goal against Orlando City SC was scored from outside the penalty area – just the second goal scored from outside the box among his 57 career MLS league goals. The first came Oct. 4, 2014, for the LA Galaxy against Toronto FC. The goalkeeper on both occasions was Joe Bendik.
  
• The Quakes suffered a second consecutive defeat, a fifth in the last seven matches, falling by the game’s lone goal to the LA Galaxy in the first Cali Clasico of the season at StubHub Center on Friday evening.
  

Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season, on the back end of a home-and-home series over consecutive weekends, after Real claimed a 1-0 win last Saturday at CenturyLink Field.
  
• Sebastian Saucedo scored the game’s lone goal, the first goal of his MLS career, in his 37th league appearance over three seasons. Saucedo had a goal and an assist in back-to-back games.
  
• Nick Rimando was credited with three saves in recording the shutout, his third of the season and the 140th of his MLS league career, the all-time record.
  
• The RSL win in Seattle was just their second there all-time, the first since May 12, 2012, also a 1-0 victory. Sounders FC had won the last seven meetings between the teams at CenturyLink Field.
  
• Real have won their last five home games vs. Seattle; Sounders FC last won in league play in Sandy on May 28, 2011, a span of seven games (they did win there in the Western Conference Semifinals in 2012).
  

Sunday, June 3, 2018


Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FC, 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Deportes)

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Khiry Shelton put Sporting ahead after just eight minutes, but Darwin Quintero hit for the equalizer for MNUFC just 12 minutes later, leaving the teams in a 1-1 deadlock on May 20 at TCF Bank Stadium.
  
• The teams met three times in MNUFC’s inaugural season, evenly splitting their league series. Minnesota United won the first matchup between the clubs, a 2-0 win on May 7 at TCF Bank Stadium; they also reached a 1-1 draw in Minneapolis on Oct. 7. Sporting won the lone meeting in Kansas City, a 3-0 triumph on June 3. The teams also met in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Sporting strolling to a 4-0 victory on June 14 at Children’s Mercy Park.
  
• Sporting extended their undefeated streak to four matches with a second consecutive draw, reaching a scoreless result with Columbus Crew SC at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday evening.
  
• Tim Melia was credited with three saves in recording his sixth shutout of the season, all coming over the past nine matches (since March 31), ending Week 13 one behind Zack Steffen of Columbus for the league lead.
  
• MNUFC put an end to a three-game winless run, defeating the Montréal Impact 2-0 at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Bobby Shuttleworth was credited with four saves in keeping his second shutout of the season, both coming in his last four starts. Christian Ramirez scored his third goal of the season, his second in the last three games.