Josef Martinez, Atlanta United Stay Hot; Michael Barrios Leads FC Dallas to Win
MONTREAL — Josef Martinez scored his 23rd and 24th goals of the season to help MLS-leading Atlanta United beat the Montreal Impact 2-1 in a rain-delayed game Saturday night.
With 11 games left in the regular season, Martinez is only three short of the MLS season record of 27 goals shared by three players.
Atlanta (14-4-5) has a four-game unbeaten string.
Ignacio Piatti scored for Montreal (9-13-1). Goalkeeping coach Joel Bats acted as Montreal coach as Remi Garde served a one-game suspension. Garde was shown the red card during a 2-2 draw in Portland last week.
Montreal had most of the ball in the opening half, but Atlanta had the better chances off counterattacks, with Martinez heading wide on the rebound of a Julian Gressel shot in the 17th minute and Evan Bush stopping a Miguel Almiron blast in the 28th.
Atlanta opened the scoring in the 31st minute. Hector Villalba won a race for a ball down the right flank and crossed a ball in front that defender Rudy Camacho just missed before a leaping Martinez headed it under the crossbar.
The 75-minute rain delay, which started during the intermission, was announced as a thundershower passed over Saputo Stadium, soaking the field as fans sought shelter under the grandstands.
When play resumed, players were sliding around on the slick grass and Atlanta took advantage on another counter when Jukka Raitala stopped a shot on the goal line, only to see Martinez steal the ball and tap it over the line in the 57th minute.
Piatti scored in the 87th minute.
FC Dallas 3, Sporting KC 2
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Michael Barrios had his first MLS hat trick to help FC Dallas beat Sporting Kansas City 3-2 on Saturday night.
Dallas (12-3-6) is unbeaten in its last three games and has four wins in its last six.
Barrios, who scored for the first time since Oct. 22 and matched his goal total from last season, opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, tapping it over goalkeeper Tim Melia into an open net.
Kansas City's Gerso Fernandes split a pair of defenders on the right side and bent a left-footer past the outstretched arms of Jesse Gonzalez and inside the far post to make it 1-1 in the 50th.
Barrios, near the top-left corner of the box, rolled it between a charging Melia's legs to put FC Dallas back in front in the 62nd minute and blasted a right-footer to make it 3-1 in the 74th.
Sporting's Daniel Salloi capped the scoring in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Kansas City (9-6-6) is winless in its last five games.
Gianluca Busio, a 16-year-old homegrown who came on in the 77th minute, made his first MLS appearance for Sporting KC.
Columbus Crew SC 3, New York Red Bulls 2
HARRISON, N.J. — Patrick Mullins had a goal and an assist and Jonathan Mensah scored his first goal of the season to help the Columbus Crew beat the New York Red Bulls 3-2 on Saturday night.
Zack Steffen had four saves, including a diving stop on Aaron Long's header, for Columbus (10-7-6). The Crew have won back-to-back games for the first time since winning three in a row in May.
Mensah, a 28-year-old defender, opened the scoring in the seventh minute. New York's Michael Murillo picked up the ball when he mistakenly thought it was out of bounds, giving Columbus a free kick. Pedro Santos' entry was headed by Mullins to Mensah for the finish from near the spot.
Mullins, acquired via trade from D.C. United on July 12, ran onto a long feed from Harrison Afful and side-netted a left-footer in the 24th and an own goal by New York's Sean Davis made it 3-0 in the 31st minute.
Mensah deflected a cross from the Red Bulls' Daniel Royer into the net early in the second half and Royer's header in the 69th minute capped the scoring.
The Red Bulls (13-6-2) had their three-game winning streak snapped.
D.C. United 2, Colorado Rapids 1
WASHINGTON — Wayne Rooney scored his first MLS goal to help D.C. United beat the Colorado Rapids 2-1 on Saturday night.
United (4-9-5), who won for just the second time since May 19, took a 2-1 lead on an own goal in the 90th minute when Ulises Segura's cross deflected off Colorado's Niki Jackson into the net.
Rooney, the 32-year-old English star who ranks second with 208 career Premier League goals, opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. Rooney ran onto a pass from Luciano Acosta and slipped it between the legs of Tim Howard into the net.
Later in the match, however, Rooney needed stitches after breaking his nose while defending a corner.
Colorado's Kellyn Acosta, who was acquired in trade with FC Dallas on Monday, chipped a first-timer over goalkeeper David Ousted and inside the near post to make it 1-1 in the 82nd.
The Rapids (4-12-5) are winless in their last five games.
Vancouver Whitecaps 4, Minnesota United 2
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Alphonso Davies showed why he landed a big transfer deal with German soccer giant Bayern Munich, dazzling the home crowd in the Vancouver Whitecaps' 4-2 victory over Minnesota United on Saturday night.
The 17-year-old Canadian midfielder had two goals and two assists in his homecoming. He missed Vancouver's three previous matches as negotiations took place over his $22 million transfer with Bayern Munich.
Yordy Reyna and Kei Kamara also scored for the Whitecaps (8-9-5).
Abu Danladi and Ibson scored for Minnesota (9-12-1)
Toronto FC 3, Chicago Fire 0
TORONTO — Jozy Altidore, Jonathan Osorio and Sebastian Giovinco scored in the second half in Toronto FC's 3-0 victory over the Chicago Fire on Saturday night.
Defending champion Toronto (6-11-4) won for the first time at home since May 18. Chicago (6-12-5) has lost five straight and is 1-5-3 in its last nine.
Altidore opened the scoring in the 52nd minute off a rebound. The U.S. star celebrated by taking off his orange boot and pretending to use it as a phone.
Osorio made it 2-0 in the 72nd minute, and Giovinco connected in the 89th.
San Jose Earthquakes 0, Real Salt Lake 0
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Andrew Tarbell had three saves to help the San Jose Earthquakes to a 0-0 tie with Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.
The 24-year-old Tarbell had his first clean sheet of the season and the third of his career. It was San Jose's first shutout in 25 games, dating to a 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Sept. 16.
Nick Rimando had three saves in his sixth shutout of the season for Real Salt Lake (9-9-4).
The Earthquakes (2-12-7) are winless in their last 12 games after a 3-1 victory over Minnesota United on May 12.
Real Salt Lake's Albert Rusnak, who came in tied for second on the team with five goals this season, left the game due to neck pain in the seventh minute.
RSL has been outscored 25-8 and is 1-8-2 on the road this season.
Portland Timbers, 2, Houston Dynamo 1
PORTLAND, Ore. — Fanendo Adi tapped in a short-range goal during the 80th minute and the Portland Timbers extended their MLS unbeaten streak to 14 matches, beating the Houston Dynamo 2-1 on Saturday night.
Adi, coming off the bench earlier in the second half, finished a close-in shot that had rebounded off two teammates.
Adi, with the Timbers since 2014, is second on Portland's career list with 54 goals. Adi hadn't suited up the previous two games, as it was reported he was seeking a trade.
Sebastian Blanco scored a first-half goal for Portland (9-3-7). The Timbers moved into third place in the West with 34 points.
Portland won for the ninth time during its unbeaten streak. The Timbers haven't lost since April 8, when they dropped a 3-2 decision to Orlando City.
Romell Quioto provided the lone goal for Houston (7-8-6). The Dynamo have won just once in 10 road games this season.
The Timbers outshot Houston 19-5.
Tied at 1-1, Portland set up the game-winner when Blanco fired a pass into the middle. The ball was first shot by Andy Polo, then again off a rebound by Diego Valeri. Adi was in position for the second rebound, finishing a 5-yard shot to put the Timbers in front.
The game was tied 1-1 at halftime, despite Portland dominating the offensive action.
The Timbers took a 1-0 lead during the seventh minute on Blanco's goal. Alvas Powell set up Blanco with a long cross, and the Portland midfielder finished with a 10-yard left-footed blast to the far post.
Houston countered five minutes later when Portland's defense broke down. Alberth Ellis stole a ball just outside the box, and quickly crossed the ball. Timbers goalie Jeff Attinella appeared to have the ball stopped, but hesitated, and Quioto capitalized with an easy tap-in.
Midfielder Diego Chara returned to action for Portland after missing a game due to yellow card accumulation, but the Timbers were without forward Samuel Armenteros (back). Armenteros, tied for Timbers' lead in goals with seven, has scored four goals in his past four games.
Both teams resume action next Saturday at home. Houston hosts Sporting KC, while the Timbers face Philadelphia.
