Major League Soccer’s Opening Day had a lot to do to break into the world headlines given a later start to the season that coincides with major European league run-ins, Lionel Messi starring in a Copa del Rey Final, and Chelsea upending Man City in the FA Cup semifinals.
MLS opted for the golazo route.
[ MORE: Sheffield Utd relegated | Norwich promoted ]
A series of outstanding goals drove the weekend in America, with big names, new faces, and under-the-radar kids delivering a wild amount of fun around MLS (and we’ve still got Vanney v Neville, a Cascadia Cup match, and a match-up of the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup winners).
How good were some of these goals? We left out one from Friday which may well win Goal of the Month anyway (though we must say that Randall Leal seems likely to have a hold on that).
Chicago Fire 2-2 New England Revolution
Since we’re about to see a lot of individual brilliance, let’s start with a team goal that would have Pep Guardiola raising a glass.
It isn’t surprising to see Chicago’s Robert Beric involved with a goal and an assist as Raphael Wicky’s Fire took a 2-0 lead on Bruce Arena’s Revs after just 11 minutes, but the lead up to his opening goal has just about everyone touching the ball.
This just fills the heart with joy.
New York Red Bulls 1-2 Sporting KC
Yes, Peter Vermes’ men got the last laugh, but allow us to include RBNY’s lone goal for a few reasons:
- Caden Clark is 17 years old for another month and a week.
- He has four goals in nine MLS matches after posting three goals and five assists in 12 USL Championship games.
- He may be heading to RB Leipzig after the season
- It’s a really good goal in a tight spot.
Nashville SC 2-2 FC Cincinnati
Let’s start in Tennessee, as Costa Rican star Randall Leal returns from giving the U.S. Olympic qualifying team a bunch of fits to deliver an audacious whirling ball into the upper reaches of the goal.
And with a crowd in Nashville, we also get the return of “Wait this could be…. yeah it’s going to be… dear God, he’s done it” glee from fans.
DC United 2-1 NYCFC
Ronny Deila’s gonna need some time to get his new pieces up to speed at NYCFC, but Hernan Losada’s got things a bit more settled as he begins life with the Black-and-Red.
Brendan Hines-Ike and Russell Canouse scored the goals for DC United after Valentin Castellanos put NYCFC ahead, and both of the hosts’ goals deserved to be part of a winning performance.
Hines-Ike went to Creighton and South Florida in college soccer before playing for Orebro and KV Kortrijk abroad. Whatever he needed to do to produce stuff like this, on loan from the latter, well, it was worth it.
Elsewhere
Houston Dynamo 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes
Seattle Sounders 4-0 Minnesota United
Orlando City 0-0 Atlanta United
LAFC 2-0 Austin FC
FC Dallas 0-0 Colorado Rapids
CF Montreal 4-2 Toronto FC
DC United 2-1 New York City FC
Chicago Fire 2-2 New England Revolution
Inter Miami v LA Galaxy — 3pm ET Sunday
Columbus Crew v Philadelphia Union — 5:30pm ET Sunday
Vancouver Whitecaps v Portland Timbers — 10pm ET Sunday
