Philadelphia 1 – Salt Lake 1
Philadelphia kept their home undefeated streak intact after taking the lead from a 24th minute Keon Daniel goal. Real Salt Lake needed a 53rd minute equalizer from Fabian Espindola to split the points. The draw not only kept the Union’s streak going, but also brought them level on points with 1st-place New York. Though the Rd Bulls lead on goal differential, they’ve also played 14 games to Philadelphia’s 13.
“We wanted to come out and strong and, in the end, I think we got a little bit stretched out at times,” RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. “When the ball is turned over they were able to get at us and that’s what a lot of our trouble came from. It got behind us one time and obviously that’s where their goal got in. I think we adjusted at halftime and came out with a better attitude and better effort and we were able to get a goal.”
DC 2 – San Jose 4
DC and San Jose traded goals early at RFK Stadium on Saturday night. Andy Najar celebrated his bobblehead giveaway by opening the scoring in the 13th minute. Steven Lenhart had the Earthquakes level within two minutes and in the lead by the 22nd. Blake Brettschneider equalized for DC in the 34th minute, with that score holding through halftime. The second-half belonged to San Jose, with Simon Dawkins scoring in the 49th minute and Lenhart finishing off his hat-trick in the 60th.
“It was very disappointing,” DC United coach Ben Olsen said. “We looked like young kids. This is going to happen, we have always said that we are going to have games when young kids make mistakes. That I can live with. But the lack of commitment at times was unacceptable. I think we started reading our own press a little bit, everybody thought we were on a roll, so now we don’t have to do what got us a little success… and it’s a little success. We are in the middle of the table if you take this whole league.”
Houston 2 – Chivas USA 1
Chivas USA scored twice on Saturday night at Roberston Stadium, unfortunately one of those goals was Houston’s winner. Marcos Mondaini put Chivas USA up seven minutes in, with Houston’s Geoff Cameron equalizing in the 28th. While defending a corner in the 55th, Chivas USA put the ball into the back of their own net for the unlikely winner.
“When we decided to play, we were quite good, and we were able to play through them, which was a difficult thing to do here with this team and the kind of pressure they put on,” Chivas USA coach Robin Fraser said. “I thought that at times when we played confidently, we were able to possess our way pretty well up the field.”
LA 2 – Toronto 2
Late drama at the Home Depot Center, in a game where LA was missing Landon Donovan, Donovan Ricketts, and Juninho. . After taking the lead in the 2nd minute when Chris Birchall scored, an Alan Gordon equalizer had the game tied at 1-1 heading into stoppage time. Just seconds after, Juan Pablo Angel had the Galaxy back in front. Toronto didn’t give, pushing the game into the Galaxy’s attacking third. Once again, it was Gordon with the equalizer.
“Obviously, when you score a goal that late, we thought we won, but obviously they get a freekick and knock it up there, we don’t defend well, and Gordo scores probably one of the best goals he’s ever scored,” Galaxy midfielder David Beckham said. “It happens, but we have to be a bit smarter than that. And maybe stand over the ball, maybe mark a bit better in the last minute of the game.”
Portland 0 – Colorado 1
Colorado was finally able to turn a point into three, and they did it in the hostile confines of Jeld-Wen Field. A stoppage time goal from Drew Moor was the difference, with Colorado 4th in the Western Conference tied on points with 3rd-place Seattle. Portland is 8th, tied on points with 7th-place Chivas USA.
Seattle 2 – Vancouver 2
Eric Hassli put Vancouver up from the penalty spot in the 29th minute at Qwest Field, and it took until the 81st for Seattle to answer. Mauro Rosales equalized and Seattle was suddenly ahead when Osvaldo Alonso scored in the 84th minute. Challenge accepted by Vancouver, with Hassli scoring again a minute later to split the points. Hassli’s goal isn’t the kind normally seen in soccer, scoring from outside the area on a shot Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller seemed as surprised as everyone else to see in the back of his net.
