With the MLS beginning to heat up, Outside90’s Daniel Fraiz-Martinez takes a look at the biggest headlines to come out of the matchday 25 action.
Quakes sneak into play-off contention
Heading in to MLS Matchday 25, very few would have included the San Jose Earthquakes as one of the serious playoff contenders in a competitive Western Conference.
However on the back of two unlikely away victories, the Earthquakes look likely to join the post-season play offs.
Unsurprisingly the influence behind San Jose’s late turnaround is none other than captain and talisman, Chris Wondolowski.
Having netted a brace in the teams remarkable 5-0 away victory against MLS Cup Finalists Sporting Kansas City, ‘Wondo’ became only the fourth player in MLS history to score over 100 goals for a single franchise.
Wondolowski was at it once again against DC United. He opened the scoring as the Quakes picked up a surprise 2-0 victory lifting them into seventh place.
With 7 of their next 8 games played at home, the San Jose Earthquakes stand a real chance of improving on their 1.4 points per game average and leapfrogging into the playoff positions.
Five-star Toronto pile an all to familiar misery on Orlando City SC
An embarrassing late collapse used to be a Toronto FC speciality.
Hence it may have felt somewhat familiar for fans at BC Place on Saturday night to see their team on the other end of the equation as Toronto handed out a humbling 5-0 drubbing to the depleted Orlando City SC.
In a season that began with so much promise, Ricardo Kaká and company have been treated to the harsh realities of MLS since some earlier success.
A lack of squad depth, punctuated by a worrying lack of discipline has seen Orlando plummet down the table and out of playoff contention. The focus now moves towards a more concerted effort for their second MLS campaign next season.
Toronto FC on the other hand, inspired by yet another stunning Sebastian Giovinco free kick, look well placed to finally address their crumbling performances after a strong win.
Whitecaps bounce back, Sporting can’t yet do so
Last week was a tale of Sporting Kansas City turning things around to defeat the Vancouver Whitecaps. But this MLS matchday has turned the tables once again with a reversal in fortune for both these sides.
Having looked primed for some consistent late-season form, Sporting Kansas City surprised the entire league when they were thoroughly defeated midweek against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Peter Vermes’ men followed up poorly, slumping to another defeat after a late onslaught from the Columbus Crew.
Carl Robinson’s Whitecaps however, should no signs of the previous weekend’s defeat, claiming an impressive 1-0 victory over FC Dallas. The result moved them to the top of the Supporters Shield standings in the process.
The victory, in part down to a classy back-heel finish from the inform Christian Techera, set a new franchise record for MLS regular season victories. Those numbers look set to continue to grow with the Whitecaps seemingly poised to challenge in earnest this season.
Stars out in force for LA, but none of them are New York City’s
Soccer Sunday’s eagerly anticipated “Box Office Event” between the LA Galaxy and New York City FC proved to be anything but. The Galaxy comprehensively outplayed New York in an almost embarrassing fashion, inflicting the young team’s biggest ever defeat.
While New York City’s European stars, David Villa and Andrea Pirlo featured, the overall performance more than highlighted the gulf in quality between both sides. The American “Galactico’s” made light work of their opponents, with only some wasteful finishing preventing the scoreline reflecting the true difference in quality between the two franchises.
The win ominously takes the Galaxy to the top of the Supporters Shield.
However truth be told, despite Robbie Keane and Giovanni Dos Santos getting off the mark the result owed just as much to the likes of Sebastian Lletget, Gyassi Zardes and AJ De La Garza.
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