The game in 100 words (or less): Narratives are easily one of the worst things in sports, but sometimes you just can’t help feeling as if you’re living a Hollywood script so predictable that you can’t help but shake your head and wish you’d chosen a better way to spend two hours of your life. When Kei Kamara‘s name showed up in the starting lineup Saturday night, you just knew he was going to score in his first game against his former team, Columbus Crew SC, after the two parties’ nasty breakup in May. Kamara’s goal came late in the second half and served as the insurance goal in the New England Revolution’s 3-1 victory over Crew SC; a result that pushes Jay Heaps’ side (22 points) up two spots in the Eastern Conference table, into sixth place for the time being, a point clear of the playoff cut line. As for Crew SC (16 points), only the league-worst Chicago Fire reside below them in the East.
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Three Four moments that mattered
3′ — Nguyen goes upper-90 with his volley — With a first touch and the audacity required to pull this off, there’s simply no place for Nguyen on the USMNT. Stunning goal.
34′ — Trapp pokes it into his own net for 2-0 — Kamara enjoyed playing his part in the Revs’ second goal. Probably a little bit way too much.
42′ — The other Kamara pulls one back for Crew SC — Way too easy for Tony Tchani and Ola Kamara here. This is precisely the Revs’ problem week after week.
71′ — Crew SC concede worst goal in soccer history — Chad Barson and Waylon Francis got this one all kinds of wrong. So wrong that collusion actually crossed my mind, even if only briefly so.
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Man of the match: Lee Nguyen
Goalscorers: Nguyen (3′), Trapp (34′ – OG), O. Kamara (42′), K. Kamara (71′)
The game in 100 words (or less): With their two best midfield players, Michael Bradley and Will Johnson, sidelined for the next month or more — and Jozy Altidore having not played a game in nearly two months — Toronto FC are very much in “keep our heads above water and scrape together whatever points we can” mode, and they’re making it look pretty good right now. Following a draw the Seattle Sounders last week, Greg Vanney’s side grabbed an ugly but deserved 1-0 victory over the lowly Chicago Fire Saturday night at BMO Field; a result that sends the Reds two places upward in the Eastern Conference standings, up to fifth, two points clear of the playoff cut line. Until the other stars return, Sebastian Giovinco will have to keep willing his team to points.
[ MORE: Previewing the rest of the MLS weekend ]
Three moments that mattered
9′ — Giovinco feeds Morrow for the opener — Here’s the thing about Giovinco: as good as he is, even when he’s not the one scoring goals, he commands opposition attention to the point where his teammates get chances like this.
64′ — Igboananike hits the crossbar from a tight angle — Kennedy Igboananike nearly scored from a ridiculous angle, but the crossbar was very unkind to the Nigerian.
70′ — Giovinco smashes the post with a free kick — When Giovinco is standing over a free kick, you stop what you’re doing and watch intently, because you never know when (near-)brilliance is about to occur.
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Man of the match: Sebastian Giovinco
Goalscorers: Morrow (9′)
