MLS Recap: Atlanta United Stay Hot While D.C. and Toronto Draw in Eight-Goal Thriller
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)—Josef Martinez scored his MLS-leading 14th goal of the season, Hector Villalba added a goal in the 82nd minute and Atlanta United beat the Columbus Crew 2-0 on Wednesday night.
Atlanta (10-3-3), the Supporters' Shield leader, handed Columbus (7-4-6) its second loss in its last 16 home games. United also snapped the Crew's nine-game unbeaten streak.
Martinez opened the scoring in the 30th minute by heading home Ezequiel Barco's corner kick. Martinez was injured on the play and was replaced at halftime. Martinez has six goals in the last four games.
Villalba, a second-half sub returning from injury, finished off Atlanta's counterattack by rolling a shot under goalkeeper Zack Steffen.
Steffen had a 525-minute shutout streak snapped. The run was the eighth longest in MLS history.
Toronto 4, D.C. 4
TORONTO (AP)—Nick Hagglund scored two of Toronto FC's four-second half goals and the Reds overcame a three-goal deficit to tie D.C. United 4-0 on Wednesday night.
Jonathan Osorio and Victor Vasquez also scored for defending MLS champion Toronto (4-7-3). Yamil Asad scored twice, and Paul Arriola and Darren Matt added goals for United (2-6-4).
Asad scored what appeared to be the winner in the 90th minute after Patrick Mullins found him unmarked in front of the net. ButHagglund tied it again seconds later when he connected on Osorio's cross.
Asad scored in the 12th minute, finishing a string of a dozen tic-tac-toe passes that sliced through Toronto's defense. Arriola doubled the visitors' lead 5 minutes later on a counterattack. Mattocks scored in the 45th minute on a defensive breakdown. Eric Zavaleta was about to clear the ball when he had it stolen from behind, and Mattocks beat Michael Bradley to score from close in.
Osorio finally got Toronto on the scoreboard in the 54th minute when he connected on a cross from Ryan Telfer just inside the 18-yard box.
Vasquez gave the crowd renewed hope in the 64th minute, when Sebastian Giovinco's shot banged off the crossbar and fell virtually at his feet. Vasquez one-timed it for an easy goal. Hagglund tied it in the 86th, racing up from the back line to connect on a cross from Justin Morrow.
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Montreal 3, Orlando 0
MONTREAL (AP)—Ignacio Piatti scored twice to end a five-game drought and the Montreal Impact beat Orlando City 3-0 in the rain Wednesday night.
Montreal (5-11-0) also benefited from an own goal while handing Orlando City (6-8-1) its sixth straight defeat. The Impact picked up only their second victory in their last seven games.
Piatti, back after sitting out a game with a minor injury, scored from the spot 5 minutes in after Sahir Taider was tripped by Cristian Higuita in the penalty area.
Piatti fed Daniel Lovitz on the left side for a cross that went in off sliding defender Amro Tarek for the own goal in the 55th. Piatti dribbled through the area and scored his seventh of the season in added time.
New York 2, Seattle 1
HARRISON, N.J. (AP)—Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his 10th goal of the season in the second half and the New York Red Bulls beat the Seattle Sounders 2-1 on Wednesday night.
The home team has won the last five meetings in the series. The Red Bulls' last home loss against the Sounders came in 2010.
Daniel Royer gave New York (8-4-2) a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute, and Wright-Phillips made it 2-0 in the 52nd. Royer was left open at the far post for an easy finish of Florian Valot's cross that got past three players. Wright-Phillips scored on a glancing header of Ethan Kutler's chipped cross. It was the first career assist for Kutler.
Harry Shipp scored for Seattle (3-8-2) in the 87nd minute on a sliding shot that hit off the far post and in.
Chicago 2, Colorado 2
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP)—Aleksandar Katai scored the fourth goal of the game in the 24th minute and the Chicago Fire tied the Colorado Rapids 2-2 on Wednesday night.
Colorado took a 2-0 lead in the first 15 minutes on goals by Dominique Badji and Tommy Smith. But nine minutes later, Chicago tied it after an own goal and Katai's finish.
Badji, returning from suspension, got it started in the seventh minute by rolling in his first goal since April 29th. Smith was left wide open for an easy header at the far post.
Danny Wilson's own goal put the Fire within a goal in the 21st. Katai controlled a long pass with his chest, beat his defender and curled in a shot off the crossbar.
Chicago (5-7-4) is 1-2-2 in its last five road games. Colorado (2-9-3) ended a franchise-worst eight-game losing streak. It was tied for the second-longest league losing streak since the start of 2010.
San Jose 2, New England 2
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP)—Danny Hoesen scored two goals to help the San Jose Earthquakes tie the New England Revolution 2-2 on Wednesday night.
San Jose (2-9-4) avoided its first five-game losing streak since 2009. New England (6-4-6) is unbeaten in its last six games in the series, with three victories.
Hoesen opened the scoring in the 17th minute. After a defensive turnover, Hoesen dribbled into the penalty area and sent a left-footed shot past Matt Turner. Hoesen tied it at 2 in the 51st on a header for his ninth goal of the season.
Diego Fagundez tied it at 1 in the 31st by bending a free kick over the wall and inside the near post. Cristian Penilla scored his sixth goal of the season in the 43rd on a fast break to give New England the lead. Penilla dribbled down the left side, cut back his defender inside the box and smashed a shot into the top corner.
