Major League Soccer started its fourth weekend of the season with three perfect teams, all in the Eastern Conference. After Saturdayโs games, however, only Columbus was left standing among the leagueโs untouchables, with trips westย sending Toronto and Houston to their first losses of the season. Having concurred itsย own western excursion, the Crew are two points clear at the top of the East.
In the leagueโs other half, FC Dallas remained on top after a bizarre game in Frisco, Tex., one that saw themselves and Portlandย reduced to 10 men before halftime. Real Salt Lake, however, made the biggest impression with itsย performance against TFC, one which sent the Reds home with a three-goal loss.
Jeff Cassarโs team remains one of four sides thatโs yet to suffer a loss this season. The others: Columbus, Dallas, and Vancouver. At the other end of the spectrum, seven teams have yet to claim their seasonโs first win, though New York has the potential to reduce that number on Sunday against Chivas USA.
Hereโs how fourth Saturday of the Major League Soccer season played out.
The Unionโs strong start to the 2014 season continued over Saturdayโs first 80 minutes before one moment of transition gave the Impact its first points of the season. Marking his return from a three-match suspension incurred in last yearโs playoffs, Marco Di Vaio finished from the left of the area into Zac MacMathโs upper right hand corner, converting Montrรฉalโs first shot on goal of the match. Pulling back Vincent Nogueiraโs first half opener, Di Vaio delivered a point for the struggling Impact, simultaneously costing Philadelphia two points at home.
Quincy Amarikwaโs second goal of the season pulled Chicago even late,ย extending D.C. Unitedโs winless run to 15 games. Along the way, however, Ben Olsenโs team showed some signs of progress, scoring their first goals of the season while taking ย 2-1 lead. After Jhon Kennedy Hurtadoโs first half opener, the Black and Red got goals from Fabian Espindola and Perry Kitchen, giving them a lead that survived until the 82nd minute.
Colorado 2-3 Sporting Kansas City
A scoreless first half gave way to five goals, two penalties, two lead changes, and a red card in the second, with a stoppage time goal from Dom Dwyer giving the defending champions their second win of the season. Graham Zusi, whoโd finish the night with a goal and two assists, opened the scoring early in the second half before penalties in the 60th and 78th minutes allowed Vicente Sanchez to put Colorado on top. Sporting quickly equalized through Benny Feilhaber and took full points after Marvell Wynne saw straight red five minutes from time.
Another impressive home outing from Vancouver had the Whitecaps up two in the second half, with Kenny Millerโs second penalty conversion of the season building on Jordan Harveyโs early opener. By that time, however, Houston had began to even out play, eventually seeing Ricardo Clark convert on a set piece that brought the Dynamoย within one. The Whitecaps, however, were able to drain out the gameโs last 15 minutes to stay unbeaten through four matches.
Red cards to Michael Harrington and Je-Vaughn Watsonย shown five minutes before half sent both teams into halftimeย down a man, with a Blas Pรฉrez goal four minutes into extra time giving the home side a lead at intermission. Though aย Mark Hedges own goal early in the second brought Portland back even,ย a breakdown defending an 84th minute set piece gave the game back to Dallas, with Mauro Dรญazโs finish from the middle of the area lifting รscar Parejaโs team to a 3-0-1ย start.
A one-sided game from the opening kick-off broke Real Salt Lakeโs way in the 10th minute when Doniel Henry tossed รlvaro Saborรญo down in the penalty area. The Costa Ricaโs conversion gave RSL an early lead, one that was doubled later in the half when a Luis Gil shot deflected off Henry and past Julio Cesar. When Saborรญo completed his brace 10 minutes into the second, the game was decided, with Ryan Nelsenโs team handed theย first loss of itsย new, more ambitious era.
The better team for the gameโs first hour, Seattleโs fortunes turned after Djimi Traorรฉ was judged to have denied Dominic Oduro an obvious goal-scoring opportunity in the 58th minute, an offense that saw the Seattle captain sent off. When Federico Higuaรญn converted the ensuing penalty, Kenny Cooperโs 22nd minute opener had been pulled back, leaving Seattle with nothing to show for itโs best soccer of the season. In second half stoppage time, a curling effort from Justin Meram off a quickly taken corner beat a frozen Stefan Frei, giving the Crew its first 3-0-0 start in franchise history.
A strong first half from the Revolution was rewarded when Vรญctor Bernรกrdez slipped while trying to clear a ball in front of Jon Buschโs net, giving New England a 35thย minute own goal. San Jose reboundedin the second and found an 69th minute equalizer, though Chris Wondolowskiโs goal couldnโt spark another trademark comeback. Instead, it was the Revolution who performedย Saturdayโs theatrics, getting a 93rd minute goal from Lee Nguyen to earn its first victory of the season.
