This Week in MLS - July 2, 2018

• Diomande's record scoring clip sparks LAFC during World Cup stretch
• O'Connor reunites with Dwyer, Orlando in MLS coaching debut
• New York Derby pits Eastern Conference No. 2 against No. 3 on Sunday
• MLS Week 19: Match Notes

Diomande’s record scoring clip sparks LAFC during World Cup stretch
Filling a crucial role for the Los Angeles Football Club with key personalities competing in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, 28-year-old Norwegian forward 
Adama Diomande
, has been a constant offensive threat during this stretch. Diomande etched his name in the MLS record books this past weekend, becoming the first player to score seven goals within his first five league games while also becoming the first LAFC player to garner a hat trick during a 4-1 win against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.
Diomande is in the midst of his second campaign with LAFC head coach
Bob Bradley
. Bradley was Diomande’s head coach at Stabaek IF in Norway in 2015. “That is a lot closer to the Dio that I remember,” Bradley said after Saturday’s match. “The goals are great. I know they will keep coming because of the way he’s moving, and as his understanding with the other players continues to grow.”
The previous individual goalscoring record was six goals in five games, accomplished by three players: former LA Galaxy forward
Carlos Ruiz
(2002), former Colombian international and New York Red Bulls forward
Juan Pablo Angel
(2007) and Atlanta United’s
Josef Martínez
last season (2017).
Diomande and LAFC will now look to extend their three-game winning streak with a two-game set this week, starting on Tuesday when they visit the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium (9 p.m. ET), followed by a Saturday home match against Orlando City SC on FOX (4:30 p.m. ET). Saturday’s game follows the network’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal between host Russia and Croatia (2 p.m. ET).
O’Connor reunites with Dwyer, Orlando in MLS coaching debut
Newly named Orlando City SC head coach 
James O’Connor
 carries some familiarity into his first MLS game when his Eastern Conference side visits the Los Angeles Football Club on Saturday at Banc of California Stadium (4:30 p.m. ET, FOX). After previously playing for and serving as an assistant coach for the Lions in the USL (2012-14), the 2017 USL championship head coach has a prominent Orlando City connection at the forefront.




Alongside O’Connor for Orlando's 2013 championship run was current Orlando striker 
Dom Dwyer
. That year, Dwyer scored four goals in Orlando's 7-4 championship win against the Charlotte Eagles when the forward was on loan from Sporting Kansas City.




“Dom’s someone who I’ve got tremendous belief in. I think he’s one of the best strikers in the league,” O’Connor said at Monday’s introductory press conference. “I’m fortunate that I was able to play with him and I realize how good he is. He went on that great record for us at the end with the championship in the USL and then went to Sporting and started ripping it up there.”




In search of the club’s first league win since May 6, O’Connor hopes to instill some confidence to turn Orlando’s season around as the club enters the week ninth in the Eastern Conference standings.




“When you look at some of the players we have and the quality that’s there, I think the confidence is something that needs to be brought back to the team,” O’Connor said. “The togetherness with the supporters, and really try to marry everything together where we all get back on the same page, I think that’s something that I’m intentionally going to try and do. I think it’s a fantastic football club.”
New York Derby pits Eastern Conference No. 2 against No. 3 on Sunday
The Big Apple plays host to a critical rivalry matchup between two
of the top
three teams in the Eastern Conference this weekend, when separated by only one point, the No. 2 New York Red Bulls cross the Hudson River to face the No. 3 New York City FC at Yankee Stadium in their 13th all-time meeting this Sunday (7 p.m. ET, FS1 / TSN2).
A mixture of tradition, star power, and attacking will be on display as these crosstown foes – each with 34 goals scored this season – go head-to-head in this red-versus-blue showdown. Dominant in the series, the Red Bulls own an all-time 6-3-1 derby advantage in league play, including a 4-0 shutout result in early May of this year. The tables could turn, however, against the hosting NYCFC side which is unbeaten at home this season with a 7-0-1 record in the Bronx. NYCFC also will be looking to avenge that embarrassing loss with a resurgence spurred by newly appointed NYCFC Head Coach Domènec Torrent in his first New York Derby.
All-Star-studded rosters will be a highlight of the matchup, which will feature a total of five newly selected MLS All-Stars in
Bradley Wright-Phillips
,
Aaron Long
and
Michael Murillo
of the Red Bulls in addition to
David Villa
and
Alex Ring
of New York City FC.
Will the Red Bulls continue to command this rivalry, or will homefield advantage hold true for NYCFC?
MLS Week 19: Match Notes
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Houston Dynamo vs. Los Angeles Football Club, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The Dynamo return to action after a weekend away from league play, suffering a third loss in their last four games in their last MLS match, a 3-2 loss to Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park on June 23.
  
• Mauro Manotas scored a pair of goals, the fourth multiple-goal game of his MLS career, his first this season. Manotas has scored each of the Dynamo’s last three goals.
  
• LAFC matched their inaugural season-long with their third consecutive victory, rolling to a 4-1 win against the Philadelphia Union at Banc of California Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
  
• Adama Diomande scored the first hat trick in LAFC club history. Diomande has scored seven goals in his first five MLS games – the most of any player after their first five games in MLS history.
  
• The teams are meeting for the first time. The Dynamo have defeated incoming expansion teams in their first meeting just twice – both coming in 2011, when they defeated both Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the Portland Timbers in their first meetings that season (both at BBVA Compass Stadium). The Dynamo have lost eight of the 12 inaugural meetings with expansion clubs, with two draws, including a 4-1 loss to Atlanta United and a 2-2 draw with Minnesota United FC in their first encounters last year.
  

Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Minnesota United FC vs. Toronto FC, 7 p.m. ET (TSN, ESPN+)

• Minnesota United FC suffered a third consecutive defeat, falling 1-0 to FC Dallas at TCF Bank Stadium on Friday evening.
  
• Toronto FC suffered a second consecutive defeat, dropping a 1-0 decision to the New York Red Bulls at BMO Field on Sunday afternoon. TFC have not lost three games in a row this season in defense of their MLS Cup crown.
  
• The teams met once in Minnesota United’s inaugural season, with Toronto FC claiming a 3-2 win on May 13 at BMO Field.
  

FC Dallas vs. Atlanta United, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• FC Dallas returned to their winning ways after seeing their four-game winning streak and seven-game undefeated run put to an end, getting the game’s only goal for a victory against Minnesota United FC at TCF Bank Stadium on Friday evening.
  
• Atlanta United extended their undefeated streak to six games, easing to a 4-0 win against Orlando City SC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Josef Martínez scored his 15th goal of the season, leading the MLS Golden Boot standings by four goals ahead of Bradley Wright-Phillips (NYR) and Gyasi Zardes (CLB). Martínez has scored 34 goals in 38 career MLS league appearances.
  
• The teams met once in Atlanta United’s inaugural season, with the expansion team taking a 3-0 win on Sept. 10 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
  

Colorado Rapids vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The Rapids have won consecutive games for the first time this season, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1-0 at BC Place on Sunday evening.
  
• Sounders FC saw their winless streak extended to three games with a second defeat in that time, falling 3-2 to the Portland Timbers at CenturyLink Field on Saturday afternoon.
  
• Sounders FC won both meetings a year ago, a 3-1 win on July 4 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, and a 3-0 victory on Decision Day presented by AT&T on Oct. 22, 2017, at CenturyLink Field.
  
• The win in the first meeting last year ended the Rapids’ three-game winning streak in the series, including wins in both meetings in 2016. The Rapids winning streak had come on the heels of a five-game Sounders FC winning streak in the series, over the 2014 season and first two meetings in 2015.
  
• Sounders FC have won four of the past five meetings in Commerce City in both league and MLS Cup Playoffs competition, dating back to 2014. The Rapids had a two-game winning streak at CenturyLink Field before last year’s Sounders FC win – Colorado’s first wins ever in Seattle.
  

Real Salt Lake vs. Sporting Kansas City, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• RSL saw their winless streak extended to three games with a second defeat in that time, falling 2-1 to Columbus Crew SC at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Sporting saw their seven-game undefeated streak come to an end, falling 2-0 to the Montréal Impact at Stade Saputo on Saturday evening.
  
• The teams met three times a year ago, evenly splitting their season series. Each team won on its home ground – Sporting with a 3-0 win on April 29 at Children’s Mercy Park, and RSL with a 2-1 win on Decision Day (Oct. 22) at Rio Tinto Stadium. The teams also reached a 1-1 draw on July 22 in Sandy.
  
• Last year’s win by SKC in the first meeting snapped a seven-game winless streak in league play in the all-time series vs. RSL (0-4-3), their first victory since 2013.
  
• Real are undefeated in their past five home meetings with Sporting in league play (3-0-2), dating back to 2015. Real have won twice in their history at Children’s Mercy Park in eight matches all-time (including MLS Cup 2013) – winning both meetings there in 2016.
  

LA Galaxy vs. D.C. United, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The Galaxy extended their undefeated streak to three games with a second draw in that time, holding out for a 3-3 result with the San Jose Earthquakes at Stanford Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Zlatan Ibrahimović scored a pair of goals, his second consecutive two-goal game, his third in the past four games and his fourth in 12 appearances in his MLS career. Ibrahimović has scored nine goals, tied for sixth place in the MLS Golden Boot standings.
  
• D.C. United saw their winless streak stretched to four games with a second loss in that time, falling 3-2 to the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening. Yamil Asad scored a pair of goals, his second consecutive two-goal game.
  
• The teams reached a goalless draw on June 3 of last year in their final meeting ever at RFK Stadium – which began with United’s first-ever home match, April 20, 1996 (a 2-1 Galaxy win).
  
• The Galaxy are riding a nine-game home undefeated streak vs. D.C. United at StubHub Center. D.C.’s last victory vs. the Galaxy in Carson came on July 23, 2005, a 2-1 triumph.
  
• United’s last win in the series, a 1-0 victory on March 28, 2015 at RFK Stadium, ended a 10-game Galaxy undefeated streak. The Galaxy had won five of the matches in between, with five draws, dating back to 2008.
  

Saturday, July 7, 2018
Los Angeles Football Club vs. Orlando City SC, 4:30 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX Deportes)

• Orlando City SC saw their club-record losing streak extended to eight games, falling 4-0 to Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• The LAFC match will be the first in charge for new OCSC head coach James O’Connor, who was previously in charge of USL side Louisville City FC.
  
• Latif Blessing had a goal and two assists in LAFC’s 4-1 win against the Philadelphia Union, now with three goals of the season, matching his season total from last year with Sporting Kansas City, his first year in MLS.
  
• The teams are meeting for the first time. Orlando City lost both of their first encounters with the expansion class of 2017, both by 1-0 scorelines – May 27 at Minnesota United, and July 21 vs. Atlanta United.
  

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

• The Union weren’t able to build upon a first win in three matches, dropping a 4-1 decision to the Los Angeles Football Club at Banc of California Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Miguel Almirón scored a pair of goals in the 4-0 win vs. Orlando City on Saturday, now with eight goals for the season, one shy of his season-high last year in his first MLS season. Almirón has six multiple-goal games in his MLS career, three in each season.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Josef Martínez scored the fifth hat trick of his MLS career – tied for the all-time career record – leading Atlanta United to a 3-1 win on June 2 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
  
• 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.
  

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

• The Impact extended their winning streak to a season-long three matches, defeating Sporting Kansas City 2-0 at Stade Saputo on Saturday evening. Ignacio Piatti scored his ninth goal of the season, his fourth in the past three games. The Impact have scored 16 goals since April 21; Piatti has netted eight of those.
  
• Evan Bush recorded a third consecutive shutout for the Impact, the first time in his MLS career he’s had three clean sheets in a row. The Impact’s shutout streak was extended to 342 minutes, the longest in the club’s MLS history.
  
• The teams met once a season ago, the Rapids taking a 2-1 win on Sept. 30 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
  
• The Impact had won on their last visit to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, a 1-0 win on Oct. 10, 2015, their only win ever against the Rapids in six meetings all-time. Colorado had won the first three matchups between the teams, over the Impact’s first three seasons in MLS.
  
• The Rapids have come away with points on their two trips to Montréal, including a 2-2 draw in their last match there, April 30, 2016. The Rapids won 4-3 in 2013 at Stade Saputo.
  

New England Revolution vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 7:30 p.m.

• Cristian Penilla scored a pair of goals as the Revolution extended their undefeated streak to six games – their longest since 2015 – with a 3-2 win against D.C. United at Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Teal Bunbury scored his 10th goal of the season for the Revs, now in a tie for fourth place in the MLS Golden Boot standings. The 10 goals are a single-season career-high in Bunbury’s nine MLS seasons.
  
• Nicolas Lodeiro had two assists in Sounders FC’s 3-2 loss to the Portland Timbers at CenturyLink Field on Saturday afternoon, the fourth multiple-goal game of his MLS career (his first this season).
  
• The teams reached a 3-3 draw in their only meeting last season, April 29 at CenturyLink Field, Sounders FC coming back from a three-goal deficit to secure a draw.
  
• The Revolution have won the past two meetings between the teams at Gillette Stadium. When the Revolution took a 5-0 victory in 2014 in Foxborough, it was the heaviest defeat in the six-year history of the all-time series, the Revolution’s first victory against Sounders FC since 2010, with two Seattle wins and two draws in between.
  
• Sounders FC have now scored three goals in back-to-back meetings in Seattle. Sounders FC won 3-0 on March 8, 2015 at CenturyLink Field; the opening Seattle goal ended a 259-minute goalless streak vs. New England, the first goal scored by Sounders FC in the series since 2012.
  

Sporting Kansas City vs. Toronto FC, 8:30 p.m. ET (TSN, ESPN+)

• Sporting have an eight-game undefeated streak alive vs. Toronto FC, dating back to the 2013 season, a four-game winning streak in the series put to an end last year when the teams reached a goalless draw in their lone meeting, March 31 at BMO Field.
  
• TFC have never won at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting are undefeated in their last eight home meetings vs. TFC, with seven wins and one draw in that time; Toronto FC’s lone win in Kansas City came in 2009 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Sporting have taken points on their past four trips to BMO Field.
  
• Sporting return home riding an eight-game undefeated streak at Children’s Mercy Park, since losing their season opener to New York City FC in Kansas City. SKC had a 24-game home undefeated streak – the third-longest in MLS history – put to an end last September.
  

Houston Dynamo vs. Minnesota United FC, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Darwin Quintero and Ibson scored on either side of halftime to lead Minnesota United to a come-from-behind 2-1 win on April 28 at TCF Bank Stadium, their first victory vs. the Dynamo.
  
• The teams met three times a year ago in Minnesota United’s inaugural MLS season, and the Dynamo claimed the only win, a 2-1 victory Sept. 30 at Houston. The teams played to draws in the first two meetings, once at each ground – a 2-2 result on April 15 at BBVA Compass Stadium, and a goalless match July 19 at TCF Bank Stadium.
  

Real Salt Lake vs. FC Dallas, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Joao Plata scored in the first half for FCD, but a late own goal from RSL left the teams in a 1-1 draw in the March 3 season opener at Toyota Stadium.
  

• FCD won both meetings a year ago, a 3-0 win on May 6 at Rio Tinto Stadium, and a 6-2 win on June 3 at Toyota Stadium, as Roland Lamah scored a hat trick in the opening 31 minutes of the game, matching the second-quickest three goals by a player from the start of a game in MLS history. FCD became the first team in league history to score five goals in the first half.
  
• FC Dallas have come away with points on three of their past four trips to Sandy. RSL is 1-13-3 at FC Dallas all-time in league games between the clubs, FCD undefeated in the last five meetings there. FC Dallas has also won a home game in the MLS Cup Playoffs (in 2010) and a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal (in 2011). The lone RSL win in Frisco came July 13, 2013, a 3-0 victory.
  

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Chicago Fire, 10:30 p.m. ET (TSN, ESPN+)

• Whitecaps FC suffered a second consecutive defeat – both by shutout after scoring multiple goals in seven games in a row – falling 1-0 to the Colorado Rapids at BC Place on Sunday evening, the game’s lone goal an own goal.
  
• The Fire extended their undefeated streak to five games, putting an end to a run of three draws in a row, coming back for a 3-2 win against New York City FC at Toyota Park on Saturday evening.
  
• Aleksandar Katai scored a pair of goals, now with a goal and/or an assist in eight consecutive games, three games shy of the MLS record set on three separate occasions, last in 1998.
  
• The Fire won the lone meeting between the teams last year, a 4-0 victory on July 1 at Toyota Park, ending a two-game Whitecaps FC winning streak in the series.
  
• The Whitecaps have won all three matches vs. the Fire at home, scoring nine goals (allowing four) vs. Chicago, including a 2-1 win May 11, 2016 in the last BC Place encounter between the clubs.
  
• Whitecaps FC have been shut out on four of their five trips all-time to Bridgeview. When the ‘Caps won 1-0 there on March 14, 2015, it was their only win ever at Toyota Park, as Octavio Rivero put an end to a 355-minute goalless drought there with the game’s lone goal.
  

LA Galaxy vs. Columbus Crew SC, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• Crew SC put an end to their brief two-game losing run, defeating Real Salt Lake 2-1 at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday evening. Gyasi Zardes scored his 11th goal of the season, tied for second in the MLS Golden Boot standings with Bradley Wright-Phillips (NYR), four goals behind Josef Martínez (ATL).
  
• Crew SC won the lone meeting between the teams last year, a 3-0 victory Aug. 23 at Mapfre Stadium. It was the second win for Columbus in the last 10 meetings between the teams, dating back to 2010.
  
• The Galaxy have a six-game home undefeated streak alive vs. Columbus dating back to 2007, with four wins and two draws in that time, including a 2-1 win on Sept. 3, 2016, in the last matchup at StubHub Center.
  
• The Galaxy have not won in Columbus since 2011, though the teams have played to draws in two of the last four meetings there.
  

Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 11 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

• Larrys Mabiala scored a pair of goals, including the 74th-minute game-winner, as the Timbers won for the first time ever in MLS league play in Seattle, a 3-2 victory over Sounders FC on Saturday afternoon at CenturyLink Field. The win extended the Timbers’ undefeated streak to 10 games in league play, matching the second-longest in the club’s MLS history.
  
• The Quakes had their winless streak extended to eight games but secured a third consecutive draw, coming back for a 3-3 result with the LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• Chris Wondolowski scored a pair of goals, the 20th multiple-goal game of his MLS career, tied for fourth-most in league history. Wondolowski now has 140 career league goals, five away from Landon Donovan’s all-time MLS record.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season in league play. Diego Valeri scored the game’s only goal in the 88th minute, giving the Timbers the victory on May 5 at Avaya Stadium.
  
• The Timbers’ victory in the first meeting was their first ever at Avaya Stadium in five meetings all-time, just the second victory by a visiting team in the all-time league series (the first coming in 2014, a Portland 2-1 win at Buck Shaw Stadium).
  
• The Timbers have never lost to the Quakes at home in their MLS history. The Timbers have won seven of 10 meetings between the teams in Portland (with three draws), including the past five meetings there.
  
• The teams also met in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this year, the Timbers taking a 2-0 win at Providence Park.
  

Sunday, July 8, 2018
New York City FC vs. New York Red Bulls, 7 p.m. (FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN)

• NYCFC saw their three-game undefeated streak put to an end, falling 3-2 to the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park on Saturday evening. Jo Inge Berget scored his fourth goal, his third in the past two games.
  
• The Red Bulls won their third consecutive match, defeating Toronto FC by the game’s only goal at BMO Field on Sunday evening. Luis Robles recorded a second consecutive shutout.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season in league play. Kaku scored one goal and set up two others, one by Bradley Wright-Phillips, as the Red Bulls against cruised to another heavy victory in the New York derby, a 4-0 win May 5 at Red Bull Arena. The teams also met in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, with Daniel Royer scoring a pair of goals as the Red Bulls eased to another 4-0 victory in the series, also at Red Bull Arena.
  
• The Red Bulls have won six of the 10 meetings all-time in league play, with a 25-11 goal differential. Included in that was a 7-0 Red Bulls win on May 21, 2016 at Yankee Stadium, the victory matching the largest margin of victory in MLS history (and the seven goals by the Red Bulls their club record). In all competitions, the Red Bulls have won eight of 12 matches, with one draw, with a 29-11 goal differential.
  
• Two of NYCFC’s three wins vs. the Red Bulls came last year, a 2-0 victory June 24 in the club’s first win ever at Red Bull Arena, and a 3-2 victory at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 6, as David Villa hit for his first career MLS hat trick, overcoming a Wright-Phillips brace.
  
• Wright-Phillips has scored 11 goals against NYCFC, scoring in seven of the games, with two goals in a game on four occasions.