Outside90’s Daniel Fraiz-Martinez breaks down all the action from Major League Soccer’s third annual ‘Rivalry Week’.
DPs the key as Toronto kick off Rivalry Week with a win
The start of MLS Matchday 17 – ‘Rivalry Week’ was kicked off by an all Canadian affair, as Toronto FC’s Designated Player trio proved too much for the Montreal Impact in an ultimately one sided 3-1 home victory at the BMO field.
Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco all netted and showed again why Toronto are fast becoming the talk of the league, as Montreal Impact’s own Designated Player Ignacio Piatti proved insufficient, this despite the Argentine classily creating Ambroise Oyongo’s early opener.
A cautionary note for Greg Vanney’s Toronto side is that they will now be missing two of their ‘Three Muskeeters’, as Bradley and Altidore both head-off on Gold Cup duty for the US. Indeed the teams overall depth is set to be severely tested, as regular starters Jonathan Osorio and Ashtone Morgan also depart to represent a resurgent Canadian national team.
Castillo is FC Dallas’ ‘Capitan’ and saviour
Under a stormy set of Friday night lights, FC Dallas’ Fabian Castillo proved to be the difference as his side defeated the Houston Dynamo to claim round two of the ‘El Capitan’ spoils.
The Colombian live-wire was a dangerous foil throughout, tormenting the Dynamo from the wing, his cross creating the own goal first, and his finish after some neat interplay with Argentine playmaker Mauro Diaz put the contest beyond any doubt.
Having been tipped highly early on, the win proved even more significant than claiming the Rivalry Week bragging rights, as it helped break a five game winless streak, with Dallas no doubt hoping it can prove the turning point towards recapturing their early season form.
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The California Clasico just another chapter in the Bau Daigh Warrior story
At face value Saturday nights Cali’ Classico may have seemed like a straight forward proposition for the LA Galaxy. However, the San Jose Earthquakes, lead by captain and local boy come good Chris Wondolowski, upset the odds and overcame an early Juninho goal to claim an eye catching 3-1 victory at their newly formed Stanford Stadium.
Un-ruffled by an early goal from a team that had posted consecutive five goal showings. Chris Wondolowski and his teammates (in particular aided by another influential show from diminutive Argentine DP Matías Pérez García) set about the task of heaping more away-day misery for Bruce Arena’s reigning MLS Cup champions.
In a week where the league realised a three part series chronicling Wondolowski’s native American heritage, the ‘Bau Daigh Warrior’, as he is tribally known, added yet another chapter to one of the most heart warming, inspirational stories in MLS history.
And with perseverance being the key, and the mantra by witch the Wondolowski story is anchored, it would not be unthinkable to find his San Jose Eartquakes side in playoff contention as we the season nears its close.
New York sees red as City fail to hang on
Soccer Sunday’s eagerly anticipated second instalment of the Hudson River Derby may have Invoked a strong sense of Dejavu on the watching fans. As despite a strong start, and a half time lead by New York City, the Red Bulls would overpower their rivals in the second 45, claiming a resounding 3-1 victory at the iconic Yankee Stadium.
The ‘Mulleted Maestro’ Thommy McNamara’s fantastic first-half strike looked to have set Jason Kreis’ side on their way, in a game that saw the two sides arrive in contrasting form.
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But the Red Bulls, who had claimed only their first win in five in the game prior to Sunday night, made it two in two, and in the process ended a four game mini revival for New York City.
In truth, both sides have some glaring flaws to their game, and have lacked the combination of quality and consistency that would auger an ultimately successful conclusion to he campaign. But for Sunday night at least, the New York Red Bulls claimed the local bragging rights, this is no small part down to a towering performance by homegrown defender Matt Miazga, who capped a towering performance with the games third goal, and a colourful baseball themed celebration to boot.
Adi at the double, as Cascadia highlights the Sounders’ worrying slide
The final chapter of MLS Rivalry Week ended with perhaps the most passionate and vocal of them all, as the Portland Timbers thrashed Cascadia rivals the Seattle Sounders 4-1, lead by a brace from their towering DP striker Fanendo Adi.
The win, the Timber’s second comprehensive such display after a 3-1 victory in the US Open Cup, highlighted a worrying downturn for the Sounders that perhaps began with defeat at the hands of their rivals, and that could effectively end any opportunity for Conference silverware for typically one of the leagues strongest and consistent sides.
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Of course many will point to the absence of key duo Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey, however, this will not make Portland’s victory any less sweet, and indeed is not an issue that the Sounders will be able to address.
And with the win putting the Timbers back inside the play-off line and into joint third in the West, Sounders fans may well have to worry about their Rose City Cascadia rivals far more than they have been accustomed to in recent times.
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