MLS round-up: Toronto FC's title defence starts with Columbus Crew defeat
Monday 5 March 2018 13:46, UK
Toronto FC's MLS Cup title defence got off to a rocky start Saturday as they were beaten 2-0 at home to Columbus Crew in the first game of the season.
Federico Higuain and Gyasi Zardes on either side of half-time lifted Columbus, who gained a measure of revenge after they were eliminated by Toronto in the Eastern Conference championship tie in last season's MLS Cup play-offs.
Higuain opened the scoring in the 44th as Milton Valenzuela collected a long diagonal ball from Artur near the baseline and sent a cross back for the Argentina veteran to fire home a shot that Toronto goalkeeper Alex Bono couldn't control.
Zardes, acquired from LA Galaxy in an off-season trade, doubled the score less than a minute into the second half, sliding a shot past Bono from a well-timed pass from Pedro Santos.
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That proved enough as Toronto saw two chances go begging in the second half, when Sebastian Giovinco's curling shot in the 65th minute and Ager Aketxe's long-range effort in the 78th both hit the woodwork.
Danny Hoesen scored two goals and Valeri "Vako" Qazaishvili added a goal and two assists as the San Jose Earthquakes held on for a 3-2 victory over Minnesota United.
Chris Wondolowski had an assist and goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell finished with three saves for San Jose, which gave Mikael Stahre a victory in his first game as head coach of the Earthquakes.
After San Jose raced into a 3-0 lead, Kevin Molino scored in the 81st minute and 85th minute for Minnesota United to set up a nervy finish, but they could not find an equalising goal.
An own goal by Real Salt Lake's Marcelo Silva in the 86th minute allowed FC Dallas to salvage a 1-1 draw on Saturday night.
FC Dallas had won six straight MLS openers, the longest streak in league history, but it took the hosts to near the end to even get in position for the tie.
Joao Plata opened the scoring for Real Salt Lake, dribbling the ball inside the box under pressure from Dallas defender Reggie Cannon and beat a sliding Matt Hedges to the ball with enough power to get it past Dallas keeper Jimmy Mauer.
FC Dallas pressed for the equaliser and was successful, thanks to a pass from Jacori Hayes and a touch by Maximiliano Urruti ahead of the own goal.
Stefano Pinho scored the equalising goal in second-half stoppage time as 10-man Orlando City earned a 1-1 draw with D.C. United.
D.C's Yamil Asad scored on a free-kick in the 32nd minute when the ball made its way through traffic and bounced into the corner of the goal.
Orlando City had to play over half the game with 10 men after Victor Giro received a red card in the 41st minute for violent conduct. Despite being short-handed, Pinho earned his team a draw in the 93rd minute off a pass from Jonathan Spector.
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Anthony Fontana scored a goal on his debut and C.J. Sapong added second as Philadelphia Union opened the season with a 2-0 victory over the New England Revolution on a cold and windy Saturday night.
Revolution ended the game with nine men after defender Antonio Mlinar Delamea got a red card for a denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity in the 24th minute, and defender Claude Dielna picked up his second yellow card in the 87th minute.
Houston Dynamo kicked off the MLS season with a bang, routing visiting Atlanta United 4-0 Saturday in a battle between teams with high hopes at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Andrew Wenger, Phillippe Senderos, Maura Manotas and Darwin Ceren scored in the first half, and Dynamo keeper Chris Seitz recorded a clean sheet in an impressive all-around showing for Houston.
Atlanta reached the play-offs in their inaugural campaign last year and are among the favourites in the Eastern Conference, but never got going against the Dynamo.
