MLS Week Two Review

The second weekend of MLS action saw the goals and excitement continue. After an enjoyable season opening, which brought twenty-one goals in the first eight league matches, this weekend saw a goal glut; twenty-two in the five games played.

Game of the round took place on Sunday afternoon in front of over 20,000 fans at Robertson Stadium, Houston, as the defending champions opened their home campaign in the Texas Derby with F.C. Dallas. The pre-match entertainment saw a “Back-to-Back Champions” hat giveaway, parachutists arriving in the centre circle, the unveiling of the Dynamo Girls’ new cheerleading line-up, fighter planes soaring over the stands at the conclusion of the national anthem and a video message of encouragement from one of the city’s most illustrious residents, former President George H. W. Bush. How the home support must have wished that the slick off-field operations could have been transmitted to Dynamo’s beleaguered back four.

Despite temperatures reaching into the 80’s, the players served up a fast-paced, physical encounter which saw Franco Caraccio, the young Argentinian forward signed during the close season, notch his first MLS goal to edge Houston ahead after 21 minutes. Injury to Pat Onstad, Dynamo’s veteran Canadian goalkeeper, saw another new signing, Tony Caig, making his first appearance on 28 minutes. The former Gretna man could not have envisaged a more turbulent welcoming.

His first task was to pick the ball out of his net on 35 minutes after being lobbed by Kenny Cooper, the imposing Dallas front man who shrugged off a challenge from Wade Barrett before finishing in style. His second task, on the stroke of half-time, was identical as Cooper converted from Juan Toja’s pass. Though Caig may be absolved of any blame on the first goal, his positioning appearing to be correct, he should have done better than let Cooper’s second effort slip under his body although he had been cruelly exposed on both occasions.

Dynamo’s success in recent years has been built upon a solid foundation with their defence proudly boasting the fewest number of goals conceded in four of the last seven regular seasons (dating back to their previous incarnation as the original San Jose Earthquakes). However, the loss of Ryan Cochrane back to San Jose as part of this year’s expansion draft appears to have unsettled their understanding. Bobby Boswell, a native Texan and MLS Defender of the Year in 2006, was acquired from D.C. United, but he has struggled so far to settle into his new surroundings and looked uncomfortable throughout the afternoon.

The same could not be said, however, of midfielder Geoff Cameron, making his first professional start after being acquired in 42nd place during January’s Superdraft. Cameron made an immediate aerial impact, flicking on a few headers from the right flank to set up his forwards in dangerous areas, but he also displayed good ability on the ground. He provided the assist for Houston’s 57th minute equaliser, picking up Dwayne De Rosario’s lay-off to cross for Brian Ching to bundle over the line from inside the six yard box.

Much to the crowd’s disbelief, Dynamo fell behind again within seconds of the restart as Houstonian Arturo Alvarez raced clear with his path to goal unobstructed. He finished with ease, leaving Caig and Boswell to partake in a minor altercation. Dallas should have wrapped up the win with two chances on the counter-attack as Houston committed men forward, but profligate finishing and selfish decision-making kept the home side alive.

As injury time arrived, with tempers becoming frayed on the home bench, Cameron capped his impressive afternoon with a thunderous equaliser to rescue a point for Dynamo. He picked up possession in the middle of the Dallas half and laid the ball into Brian Ching, who did well under pressure to hold off a challenge and set up a return for the advancing Cameron. The rookie did not need a second invitation as he thrashed his right-foot shot high beyond Dario Sala in the Dallas goal to level the score at 3-3.

Saturday’s action saw Kansas City Wizards remain top of the Eastern Conference with a thrilling second half display to see off Colorado Rapids by 3-2; substitute Scott Sealy grabbing a late winner after Colorado had fought back from Jimmy Conrad’s brace. The Wizards’ victims in Week One, D.C. United, experienced further troubles in the midweek loss to Mexican side Pachuca in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions’ Cup Semi-Final, but bounced back to sweep past Toronto F.C. by 4-1. Overturning the 2-0 deficit at RFK Stadium this Wednesday evening will pose a significantly stiffer test.

Elsewhere, New York Red Bulls opened their campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over Colombus Crew; both goals coming in the opening eight minutes.

Chivas USA underlined their potential with a 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake at Home Depot Center. In midfielders Sacha Kljestan and Francisco Mendoza, Chivas possess two of the league’s most attractive and intelligent players, and only the unfortunate timing of injuries to their strike pairing of Maykel Galindo and Ante Razov derailed their campaign last season as the play-offs commenced. Kljestan, who will captain the US U-23 side at this summer’s Olympic Games, opened the scoring on 32 minutes after a fine counter-attacking move, a hallmark of this team, involving Mendoza and Galindo. The midfield duo also played a significant role in setting up Atiba Harris for the second on 55 minutes.

Kenny Deuchar, another former Gretna man now plying his trade in the States, pulled a goal back for Salt Lake before Alecko Eskandarian, whose father played for Iran in the 1978 World Cup, sealed the win in stoppage time.

Complete Weekend Results

Chicago 4 New England 0
LA Galaxy 2 San Jose 0
Kansas City 3 Colorado 2 (great five man pile-up for Rapids' equaliser)
New York 2 Colombus 0 (brilliant penalty save, pity about the first goal!)
D.C. United 4 Toronto 1 (some amazing saves, but Toronto's goalkeeper left helpless)
Chivas 3 Salt Lake 1
Houston 3 Dallas 3

Standings

Eastern Conference

1) Kansas City 6 points (played 2)

2) Chicago 4 (2)

3) New York 3 (1)

4) D.C. United 3 (2)

5) Colombus 3 (2)

6) New England 3 (2)

7) Toronto 0 (2)

Western Conference

1) Chivas 4 (2)

2) Colorado 3 (2)

3) L.A. Galaxy 3 (2)

4) Dallas 2 (2)

5) Salt Lake 1 (2)

6) Houston 1 (2)

7) San Jose 0 (1)