Outside90’s Daniel Fraiz-Martinez breaks down all the action from a packed Matchday 13 of Major League Soccer.
The Timbers begin their Argentine-inspired resurrection
The Portland Timbers have been slow to get going this season, but a sudden injection of Argentine passion would help engender a notable turnaround. Their Argentine midfield maestro Diego Valeri has returned and as a result, things have begun to turn around.
However, Matchday 13’s back-to-back Timbers wins over DC United at home and the Colorado Rapids away (the first ever in the franchise’s history) were largely down to the influence of “the other Argentinos“: Gastón Fernández, Maxi Urruti and “Fourth Musketeer” Norberto Paparatto, who contributed in shutting out DC United’s defence in Portland’s first game of the week.
A single Urruti goal, laid on by compatriot Fernández, proved enough to put the high-flying DC United to the sword. Urutti returned the favour by laying on the opening Timbers goal for Fernández, on route to a dramatic last minute 2-1 victory in Colorado.
The consecutive wins happily returned Caleb Porter’s side into a Western Conference playoff position, and to a distinctly brighter-looking future – the “Main Argentino” Valeri, along with captain and midfield engine Will Johnson, are not too far away from returning to the Timbers XI.
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Toronto and Sporting KC continue their hot streaks
If in Matchday 12 it seemed as if Sporting KC and Toronto FC where starting to stake a surge up their respective conferences, week 13 confirmed this.
Sporting, led by Benny Feilhaber and the returning US World Cup star Graham Zusi, thrashed one of the league’s better sides, FC Dallas. The result is all the more impressive considering Peter Vermes was forced in to fielding a makeshift side severely depleted by injury, in particular their talismanic English striker Dom Dwyer.
Toronto, on the other hand, also impressed last week, albeit with a narrow 1-0 victory. Matchday 13 saw Sebastian Giovinco at his brilliant best, with his side this time managing to capitalise on a higher percentage of the “Atomic Ants'” magical approach play. A 3-1 victory over an outclassed San Jose Earthquakes side hardly does Giovinco’s performance justice – the level of his play reached Messi-esque status in a game that left fans at the BMO Field with a starry-eyed gaze at the end of Saturday’s match.
The Fire show the Impact some championship quality
In contrast to Toronto and Sporting KC, the Montreal Impact’s recent upturn in form was abruptly brought to a halt by a ruthlessly effective Chicago Fire side at a rain-soaked Toyota Park Saturday.
The Fire, led by their exciting homegrown star Harrison Shipp, dismantled Frank Klopas’ beleaguered side, with only some wasteful finishing by the hosts keeping the scoreline from reaching embarrassing levels.
The result asks questions of both sides, with neutrals as well as fans from both teams wondering if either side will be able to sustain a level of consistency that will see them make this season’s playoffs.
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Deuces are wild in the MLS’s Cup final rematch
Soccer Sunday and indeed Matchday 13 finished off with a rematch of last season’s MLS Cup final. Both sides did not disappoint as the New England Revolution and the Los Angeles Galaxy played out an exciting 2-2 draw that left neither side satisfied, but perhaps leaves both sides content.
Bruce Arena’s side, shorn of their captain and reigning league MVP Robbie Keane, might have feared the worst when going behind to an early Teal Bunbury strike. But led by their crop of young stars Gyasi Zardes, Jose Villareal and Spanish striker Igancio Maganto, LA managed to turn things around to lead 1-2, only to be pegged back by a stunning free kick by the equally prodigious Diego Fagundez.
The main disappointment for both teams will be that neither managed to hit the heights of the first half, playing out a largely sedate second 45. The Galaxy were left to rue another injury too, with young midfielder Villareal removed on a stretcher due to a potentially serious shoulder problem.
The game itself represented a fairly accurate microcosm of both teams’ realities at the moment: capable of the very best, but not yet capable of sustaining such brilliance as they did last term.
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