A rare three-match Wednesday in Major League Soccer saw the crowd atop of the Eastern Conference grow. Coming into the mid-week slate, a trio of teams shared the East’s lead, but after Houston’s victory over Columbus, the Dynamo joined Sporting Kansas City, New England, and New York at 14 points. Going into the 10th weekend of the season, six teams are within three points at the top of the convoluted East.
In the West, Seattle’s simplified things. With their fifth win in a row, the Sounders opened a five-point lead on second place Real Salt Lake, and while the Sounders have played one more match, the points-per-game column affirms SSFC’s strong start. At 2.2 points-per-game, the Sounders are far out-pacing the second-best rate in the league (RSL’s 1.89).
Here’s how Wednesday night played out in Major League Soccer:
Houston Dynamo 1-0 Columbus Crew
Brad Davis and Will Bruin came together on an early second half set piece to extend Columbus’s winless run to six. Though Justin Meram nearly pulled the Crew even, Gregg Berhalter’s team was kept off the scoresheet for the second time in five days. Houston, meanwhile, registered its second straight win, with Bruin scoring in his third consecutive game.
Seattle Sounders 2-1 FC Dallas
For the fifth time this season, Seattle gave up the first goal, but just was they’ve done on three previous occasions, the Sounders came back to win. After Brad Evans gave up an early penalty kick, the league’s leaders came back with second half goals from Lamar Neagle and Kenny Cooper, with the former FCD striker declining to celebrate against his former team as he claimed full points for the Sounders.
San Jose Earthquakes 0-0 Colorado Rapids
A big night from Clint Irwin left the sides locked at zero for the second time this season, but whereas the teams’ first meeting in Colorado led to a combined one shot on target, the Earthquakes and Rapids forced 11 saves on Wednesday. Ultimately (as far as the standings), the teams ended the night where they started. Colorado sits fourth, seven points back of the Sounders, while only Chivas USA keeps San Jose from the Western Conference cellar.
