Outside90’s Daniel Fraiz-Martinez breaks down all the action from a packed Matchday 18 of Major League Soccer.
Creator Finlay proves he can score too
Independence day’s opening Saturday night MLS fixture helped bring to the fore one of MLS’ (largely) unsung stars this term – the Columbus Crew’s dynamic midfielder Ethan Finlay.
While he may not be getting as many headlines as the likes of Sebastian Giovinco, Kaká, David Villa and company, Finlay has been a standout MLS performer in 2015, so much so that he currently leads the league in goals created.
Saturday nights 2-1 home victory over the (seemingly in-form) New York Red Bulls helped showcase the midfielder’s finishing skills, as for the night he reversed roles with teammate Kei Kamara (who coincidentally also leads the league, but in goals scored) as the striker created both opportunities for Finlay on route to a highly impressive win.
The Crew, much like Finlay and Kamara, have largely gone under the radar so far this campaign, yet somewhat paradoxically currently sit in second place in the Eastern Conference, within touching distance of runaway leaders DC United, factoring in games in hand that is.
And without the catalogue of international absences/injuries that other teams have to contend with, Greg Berhalter’s side may well (at least) be the best placed team to push the side from the nation’s capital all the way to the end.
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Galaxy give Gerrard a glimpse of home comforts
Saturday night also saw the unveiling of the LA Galaxy’s latest DP Steven Gerrard, to his new home public at the StubHub Center. And while this was only a symbolic affair, and the former England captain was not yet eligible for game time. ‘Stevie G’ would no doubt have noted the supremacy of his new teammates in dispatching a clearly weakened Toronto FC side on the way to a resounding 4-0 win.
14 goals in their last three home games have left many seeing the Galaxy of old, and in many ways the inspiration behind Saturday’s win was perhaps one of the main reasons behind their earlier stutter in the campaign.
Reigning MVP Robbie Keane’s hat-trick against Toronto highlighted the influence the Irish international striker has on his sides performances, and leaving onlookers in no doubt how important he will again be to any potential silverware.
However, Saturday’s result should for all intents and purposes be taken in isolation, with opponents Toronto showcasing the other side of the coin in how important DP’s can be in MLS terms, with Giovinco cutting a somewhat forlorn figure without the assistance of his fellow Designated cohorts Jozy Altidore, and in particular Michael Bradley.
New England’s Déjà vu perhaps a bit too close for comfort
Five successive defeats, compounded with some woeful defending in Saturday nights 3-0 loss to the reborn FC Dallas, will have left most New England Revolution with that mid-season sinking déjà vu feeling.
As the once feared Rev’s continue an all too familiar trait of capitulating at the half-way point of the campaign. The difference to last season and this may well lie in the figure of US international Jermaine Jones, currently out through injury. Jones added to the Revolution in an almost serendipitous fashion through a blind draw and proved the catalyst for a resurgence that saw Jay Heaps’ men go all the way to the MLS Cup final.
However, whilst it may prove convenient to look in Jones’ direction for answers, the continued anonymity of one of last season’s most exciting performers, attacking midfielder Lee Nguyen is highly likely to prove as salient a factor in the team current downward spiral.
Throw the departure of defender A.J Soares in to the melting pot (his loss a significant factor behind this seasons calamitous defending), and you may well be three quarters of the way to correctly assessing the reasons behind New England’s decline. All this means that those expecting the return of Jones and another ending of season resurrection, may well brace themselves for an altogether different conclusion this time round.
Captain Jack is the man for the Timbers’ late heroics
Soccer Sunday saw the Portland Timbers claim a none too important victory over the always difficult San Jose Earthquakes, down to a goal of the most paradoxical of natures.
A veteran utility man would be a potential unlikely source to come up with a clutch Timbers goal, but it is already the second time this season (the other versus Colorado) that a Jack Jewsbury stoppage time goal has given his side all three points.
Equally given that Portland had managed to outshoot San Jose 21 to seven going into the last minute, it would perhaps seem strange that they would score at the death. However, Jewsbury’s strike was the 10th such occasion that the Timbers have scored from the 75th minute onwards.
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All-in-all, with five wins out of the last six (albeit the “blip” being a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of the LA Galaxy) Caleb Porter’s side have quietly got themselves in prime position for not only the Western Conference, but potentially Supporters Shield honours also. Impressively, the team has demonstrated a robust, defensive durability that was notable in its absence campaign, and perhaps even lacking in Porter’s impressive and largely successful season prior to this.
And while they may not have the marquee names of some of their other rivals, a team boasting the variety of options, including the likes of Liam Ridgewell, Nat Borchers, Diego Chara, Darlington Nagbe and Diego Valeri, would be foolishly cast aside when contemplating this season’s MLS silverware.
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