Outside90’s Daniel Fraiz-Martinez breaks down all the biggest talking points to come from the latest round of Major League Soccer action.
Kaká crushes the champs as Orlando roar in to gear
The fourth Soccer Sunday of MLS’ 2016-17 season only featured one game. But boy did the quality make up for the lack of quantity, as Orlando City SC thrashed the reigning champions the Portland Timbers 4-1 in a thoroughly one-side affair at the Citrus Bowl.
The return of Orlando’s talismanic captain and Designated Player Kaká proved the catalyst for an emphatic victory, with the Brazilian star creating two, and adding a third goal of his own. This was all while he still had time to handover over penalty taking duties to a franchise original in Kevin Molino to score his first ever MLS goal.
The win, also punctuated by a penalty save by Orlando City goalkeeper Joe Bendik, will certainly help add to the feel-good factor in the Lions camp this season.
Adrian Heath’s side have started well, despite being without Kaká until Sunday’s game, and now currently sit top of the Eastern Conference.
Indeed, even the recent signing of another former Brazil international and “Galactico” Julio Baptista, shows that the Florida franchise now also boast the missing depth in their squad versus last years inaugural campaign in MLS. The Brazilian is likely to be rushed in to the XI, due to last seasons Rookie of the year Cyle Larin exiting early against the Timbers through injury.
https://youtu.be/J8NvCWP8swU
Dempsey heads Seattle to a much needed first win of the season
Heading into the fourth round of MLS fixtures, the Seattle Sounders had the unenviable task of picking up their first win of the season, against one of the form sides so far in the shape of Didier Drogba’s Montreal Impact.
In fact it was the notable absence of the former Ivory Coast and Chelsea star, due to Seattle’s artificial turf, that likely gave the Sounders a timely boast en route to also snapping a three-game loosing streak with their victory.
US international Clint Dempsey’s late headed goal proved enough to separate both teams, with the game teetering towards a stalemate in what would have been a more appropriate result.
Dempsey, who has looked out of sorts so far without last season’s attacking partner Obafemi Martins, has been reverted to a slightly less characteristic (in recent times at least) withdrawn midfield role, and in truth he needed the goal to soften some of the growing concerns since the start of campaign.
However, the unspectacular nature of the Sounders victory still leaves more open causes for concern, than Seattle have points at this early stage of the season.
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Below strength Galaxy eek out a point against Vancouver
In a lineup that could be seen as the antithesis of the Los Angles star-studded collection. The LA Galaxy took a somewhat credible away point from the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday evening, given that Bruce Arena’s side did not start with any of their triumvirate in Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard and Gio Dos Santos.
Added to the fact that homegrown stalwart Gyassi Zardes was only fit enough for a place on the bench, usually an away draw in Canada would be considered a good point earned. However, in the context of the game itself this was actually more like two points dropped, with the Whitecaps reduced to 10 men for an hour of the contest, after a red card to Argentine midfielder Matias Laba.
At this point the Whitecaps had already been deprived of their most influential player, not to mention captain and chief Chilean playmaker Pedro Morales, ensuring Saturday’s game would prove an all-round forgettable affair.
Therefore Carl Robinson will most certainly have been more enthused with the result at BC Place Saturday than his counterpart Bruce Arena, although both managers will hope that the coming weeks will see them return to fielding full strength XI’s in their bids to propel themselves further up the Western Conference table.
Rash of red cards blights week four and the MLS in general!
Felipe Martins, Cheyrou, Laba, Creavalle… nearly half the games in week four featured a Red Card.
Add this to the fact that in just four rounds the MLS has already amassed 16 such ejections, the lack of discipline is proving a notable hindrance to the quality on show this campaign so far. This is before even taking in to consideration the leagues harsher than normal retrospective suspensions!
While the official line coming out of the leagues office is that the 0.38 Red Cards per game is in line with recent seasons averages, there does (unofficially at least) seem to be a concerted clamp down, combining with the infamously poor refereeing standards in the US.
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