Columbus Crew SC 2-1 FC Dallas
The game in 100 words (or less): It’s panic-button time in Dallas, after Oscar Pareja’s side fell to six games without a victory (four losses) on Saturday, falling 2-1 in Columbus. Ola Kamara and Jonathan Mensah got the goals for Gregg Berhalter’s side; Walker Zimmerman grabbed the late consolation tally for FCD, who have been outscored by a total of 14-5 in those six games. The defending Supporters’ Shield winners, who currently sit sixth in the Western Conference, will find themselves outside the playoff places at the end of weekend if the San Jose Earthquakes defeat the LA Galaxy on Sunday. Columbus, thanks to the victory, move up two places to third in the Eastern Conference.
[ MORE: Wednesday’s MLS roundup — TFC dominant; wild Texas derby ]
Three moments that mattered
50′ — Kamara finishes Jimenez’s cross for 1-0 — Federico Higuain got the ball wide to Hector Jimenez, who played the simple cross into the box, and Kamara managed to keep his feet just long enough to open the scoring.
71′ — Mensah heads Higuain’s free kick for 2-0 — There was a time, not so long ago, when FCD were one of MLS’s two best defensive sides. At this point, it seems long, long ago.
78′ — Zimmerman rises above, and it’s 2-1 — Columbus, unlike their Saturday’s counterparts, have rarely been good defensively, especially against set pieces.
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Man of the match: Federico Higuain
Goalscorers: Kamara (50′), Mensah (71′), Zimmerman (78′)
Orlando City SC 1-2 Vancouver Whitecaps
The game in 100 words (or less): Let’s take a quick second to check in on Orlando City’s highest-paid player, and one of the highest-profile names in MLS history.
Well, that seems far from ideal. Saturday’s home defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps was the latest puzzling result in a thoroughly disappointing season for Jason Kreis’ side, who are now seven games without a win (five losses) and currently sit six points adrift of the sixth and final playoff place in the East. Orlando out-possessed Vancouver, 73-27; out-shot Vancouver, 25-7 (4-3 on target); crossed the ball a mind-numbing 48 times; and came within inches of an equalizing goal what felt like a dozen times altogether. Vancouver, meanwhile, vault all the way up to fourth in the West, past FCD and the Houston Dynamo, now five points clear of the playoff cut line.
[ MORE: Wednesday’s MLS roundup — TFC dominant; wild Texas derby ]
Three moments that mattered
9′ — Redding heads it into his own net — Tommy Redding could do little more than get his head to the ball as the free kick sailed into the box. Joe Bendik could do nothing to bail him out.
53′ — Shea lifts it over Bendik for 2-0 — Cheeky finish by Brek Shea, against his former club.
62′ — Larin heads home for a lifeline — In theory, having a skilled striker the size of Cyle Larin should always be this easy. In reality, not every cross is as perfect as this one from Yoshimar Yotun.
[ FOLLOW: All of PST’s MLS coverage | Standings | Stats | Schedule ]
Man of the match: Marcel de Jong
Goalscorers: Redding (9′ – OG), Shea (53′), Larin (62′)
