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October 20, 2012
MLS ROUNDUP
DC knocks out Crew, Dynamo wins
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Lewis Neal’s stoppage-time goal lifted DC United to a 3-2 win and knocked the Columbus Crew out of the Eastern Conference playoff chase.
Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images |
MONTREAL IMPACT 0, TORONTO FC 0
TORONTO—Toronto FC’s winless streak reached 13 games with Saturday’s 0-0 draw against the Montreal Impact at BMO Field.
Between injuries and suspensions, the Reds (5-2-8, 23 pts) dressed only 18 players, several of them reserves. The makeshift roster provided little for striker Eric Hassli – who played 81 minutes, his longest shift since recovering from a sprained ankle—to work with, although he managed to put two shots on goal.
Designated Player Marco Di Vaio had two chances to snatch a win for Montreal (12-15-6, 42 pts) in stoppage time, but had one point-blank shot blocked by a defender and sent the other over the bar. Toronto goalkeeper Freddy Hall also came up with a pair of clutch saves in the extra minutes, on shots by Collen Warner and Justin Mapp.
In keeping with the dreary end of the Reds 2012 home season, much of the match was played in the rain.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 0, NEW YORK RED BULLS 0
HARRISON, NJ—Sporting Kansas City fell out of the race for the MLS Supporters’ Shield, and the New York Red Bulls clinched a playoff berth for the third straight season, with Saturday’s scoreless draw at Red Bull Arena.
The Red Bulls had some help in their playoff chase from DC United, who knocked Columbus out of the running with a 3-2 overtime win at RFK Stadium.
KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen saved the day for Sporting, coming up with five saves to keep the Red Bulls off the board. In the 23rd minute, he parried away Dax McCarty’s 24-yard effort, and in the 41st, he knocked away Kenny Cooper’s drive from 22 yards. Seven minutes into the second half, he stopped Thierry Henry from close range, and thwarted the Frenchman again in the 65th. McCarty challenged Nielsen again in the 88th minute, but the Danish ‘keeper dove right to stop the shot and preserve his 15th shutout of the season.
Red Bulls first-year ‘keeper Luis Robles turned away Sporting’s only shot on goal, a point-blank header by Kei Kamara in the 86th minute.
That result left the Red Bulls at 15-9-9 and 54 points while KC moved to 17-7-9 and 60 points.
Full story from Big Apple Soccer
DC UNITED 3, COLUMBUS CREW 2
WASHINGTON, DC--D.C. United clinched a playoff spot for the first time in five years with a 3-2 win over the Columbus Crew in front of a sellout crowd of 19, 647 Saturday at RFK Stadium. The win extended D.C.'s home unbeaten streak to 16 games.
The back-and-forth battle wasn't settled until the 91st minute, when Lewis Neal scored the game winning goal for United on a breakaway, clinching their playoff berth while knocking Columbus out.
The Crew took it right to United, with Eddie Gaven scoring in the seventh minute. After a long build up by the Crew, Gaven got a ball that deflected off a United player and sent a volley from just outside the six into the net.
DC tied it up in the 39th minute on a goal by Nick DeLeon. A shot by Lionard Pajoy was blocked by Crew goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum and DeLeon charged in on the right side to put in the rebound.
The Crew regained the lead just before the half on a goal by Jairo Arrieta, who worked a give-and-go with Federico Higuain before lacing a shot off the right post from 18 yards.
Columbus only held the lead until the 59th minute when Marcelo Saragosa one timed a shot from 19 yards out into the right side of the net.
United improve to 17-10-6, 57 points, and extended their unbeaten streak to six games since captain and last year's MVP Dwayne De Rosario suffered a season ending knee injury. Columbus falls to 14-12-7, 49 points.
HOUSTON DYNAMO 3, PHILADELPHIA UNION 1
HOUSTON-- The Houston Dynamo dominated the Philadelphia Union, caused several defensive mistakes and came away with a 3-1 win in front of 22,039 Saturday at sold-out BBVA Compass Stadium.
With the win, the Dynamo (14-8-11, 53 pts) clinched the fifth and final playoff spot in the MLS East and finished their inaugural season in their stadium unbeaten with an 11-0-6 record.
In the fifth minute, Dynamo forward Macoumba Kandji took advantage of a whiff by Union defender Carlos Valdes, cut to the right and finished his shot into the left side of the net to give Houston the lead. Jack McInerney leveled the score in the 19th, extending his scoring streak to four games. Sheanon Williams played a ball into the penalty area from the left side near midfield. With both McInerney and Freddy Adu making a run into the area, McInerney got between the defenders and went up for a header to put the ball inside the left netting.
The Dynamo regained the lead in the 71st minute, on a field-length counterattack finished by Boniek Garcia, who ripped a shot off the hands of Union netminder Zac MacMath and into the net. Brad Davis closed out the scoring with a penalty kick, after Valdes fouled Will Bruin in the penalty area.
The result leaves the Union at 10-16-6 and 36 points.
Fulll story from Philly Soccer News
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 1, CHICAGO FIRE 0
FOXBOROUGH, Mass.--The New England Revolution closed out the home end of their troubled 2012 season on a positive note, making a 17th minute by teenager Diego Fagundez goal hold up for a 1-0 victory over the playoff-bound Chicago Fire before a season-high Gillette Stadium crowd of 25,534.
The loss, coupled with DC United’s 3-2 win over Columbus, dropped the Fire (17-11-5, 56 points) from second to third place in the MLS East. The Revs improve to 8-17-8, 32 points.
The Fire’s lackadaisical approach to the match burned them early, as Fagundez pulled up ahead of three slow-footed Chicago defenders and sent the 25-yard game-winner dipping into the left inside netting past Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson in the 17th minute.
The Fire didn’t have a solid look at goal until the 72nd minute, when left back Gonzalo Segares got behind the New England defense only to slice his left-footed effort wide of goal. Patrick Nyarko had he only Chicago shot on goal, a weak side volley that was handled easily by New England ‘keeper Bobby Shuttleworth in the 85th minute.
Full story from New England Soccer News
Full story from ChicagoLand Soccer News
COLORADO RAPIDS 2, CHIVAS USA 0
CARSON, Calif.—First-half goals by Martin Rivero and Kamani Hill gave the Colorado Rapids a 2-0 win over Chivas USA Saturday night at the Home Depot Center.
Rivero capitalized on a bobble by Chivas USA goalkeeper Tim Melia – making his first MLS start to bring Dan Kennedy’s ironman run for the Goats to an end – to open the scoring in the 17th minute. Seconds before the goal, Melia mishandled a pop header by Kamani Hill, letting the ball slip behind him. A defender rushed the clearance, but sent the ball right back to Tyson Wahl, whose service into the six was relayed to the unmarked Rivero, who slipped his shot between Melia and the near post to put Colorado up 1-0. Kamani Hill victimized the unprotected netminder with an open header from off the left post in the 43rd to close things out, after Omar Cummings drew the defense to the right side of the box.
The Goats also were running at a green goalkeeper in Colorado’s Steward Ceus, who got the nod over Matt Pickens for the first start of his four-year MLS career. Juan Agudelo missed the target twice from point-blank range, Alejandro Moreno sent the ball wide of the post from inside the six-yard box, and Ceus stopped a 76th-minute attempt by Chivas substitute Laurent Courtois.
Chivas remain at the bottom of the MLS West at 7-18-8 and 29 points. Colorado also are well out of the playoff picture at 10-19-4 (34).
Full story from LA Soccer News
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