August 11, 2012
MLS ROUNDUP
Sporting moves into first

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 2, REAL SALT LAKE 1
VANCOUVER, BC – The Vancouver Whitecaps earned a crucial 2-1 home win over Western Conference rivals Real Salt Lake at BC Place Saturday afternoon.

Second-half goals by Camilo Sanvezzo and Dane Richards avenged Whitecaps FC’s away defeat to Salt Lake just over two weeks ago. Nat Borchers’ late strike denied goalkeeper Brad Knighton a clean sheet in his first MLS start for Vancouver.

Saturday’s victory closed the gap between Vancouver (10-7-7) and second-place Salt Lake (13-9-3) to five points in the west, with the ‘Caps having a match in hand on their Utah foes.

Camilo registered his fourth goal of the season when the pounced on a loose ball in the RSL box. Whitecaps FC then doubled their lead in the 64 minute when Richards curlied his finish around Chris Wingert and past Nick Rimando for his second Whitecaps FC goal of his career and third of the season.

Salt Lake found a way past Knighton in second-half stoppage time. Paulo’s fine cross from the left found Borchers, whose header was well placed into the far corner of the ‘Caps net.

FC DALLAS 3, COLORADO RAPIDS 2
FRISCO, TX--- The Colorado Rapids got the early drop on FC Dallas with a 12th minute marker by Jamie Castrillon. But it didn’t seem to bruise home team’s ego too much since they responded with two markers of its own—in the first half as they went on to a 3-2 win at FC Dallas Stadium Saturday night.

Jaime Castrillon gave the Rapids the usually intimidating early lead in the game with a simple tap-in a in the 12th minute. The Rapids went down to 10 men in the 71st as Castrillón was shown a red card.

Castillo found the equalizer in the 41st minute. The bigger shock came three minutes later when the warm-tempered Jair Benitez took a free kick just outside and right of the penalty box arc and inside the near post for the go-ahead strike.

Another shock came for the Rapids just four minutes into the second half when Ferreira was quick to take advantage with a quick right-footed slammer just past Pickens for the game-winner.

Jeff Larentowicz helped bring Dallas back down to earth six minutes later on goal from about 22 yards, left of the arc. The victory improved Dallas’ record to 6-11-8, while Colorado falls to 8-15-1.
Full story from Dallas Soccer News


SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2, DC UNITED 1
KANSAS CITY, Kan.---Graham Zusi had a goal and an assist to lead Sporting Kansas City to a 2-1 win over DC United in front of the second-largest crowd of the season, 20,439 at Livestrong Sporting Park on Saturday

The win moves Sporting Kansas City into first place in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the New York Red Bulls with a 13-7-4, 43 pts record. DC falls to 11-8-3, 36 pts.

The home side scored early with a close-range header from Teal Bunbury in the 13th minute. Zusi provided the assist, his MLS-leading 10th of the year, and then scored game-winning goal in the 63rd minute.

Sporting Kansas City’s breakthrough began with a Matt Besler throw-in from the left sideline in the game’s 12th minute. Aurelien Collin won the ensuing header over McDonald and forced a fingertip save from Bill Hamid to push it over the crossbar.

Zusi directed the resulting corner kick to Teal Bunbury, who placed his glancing header from eight yards out inside the far post for his fifth goal of the season and third in the past five MLS matches.

D.C. United fought back and equalized in the 23rd minute when Andy Najar, Espinoza’s teammate on the Honduran National Team, sent in a floating cross to rookie Nick DeLeon at the far left post. DeLeon took one touch and sent the ball past Nielsen with a sliding finish from inside the six-yard box for his fourth goal of the year.

Zusi put his team ahead for good in the 63rd minute as he settled cross from Kai Kamara and fired his shot beneath the outrushing goalkeeper for his third goal of the year.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 2, SEATTLE SOUNDERS 1
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Fredy Montero and Steven Lenhart traded stoppage time goals as the San Jose Earthquakes defeated the Seattle Sounders FC 2-1 on Saturday night at Buck Shaw Stadium.
After over an hour of scoreless play, San Jose( 14-5-5, 47 points) went up in the 70th minute when Simon Dawkins scored after a long Earthquakes throw-in was cleared right to his feet. Dawkins spun and whipped the ball into the near post from 10-yards out.
Just minutes after entering the match, Fredy Montero pulled Seattle(10-6-7, 37 points) level in the first minute of stoppage time when Brad Evans' long throw-in bounced in a scrum in front of goal. Montero charged the loose ball and headed in the equalizer from six-yards out.
It was the seventh goal of the season for Montero, who has now scored three goals in his last four games.

Two minutes later, Lenhart headed in the game-winner on a corner kick from Shea Salinas for San Jose's fifth win or tie in second-half stoppage time. It was the second consecutive stoppage time goal from Lenhart after equalizing with Chicago on July 28.

The loss snapped Seattle's league-best six-game unbeaten streak and is the team's first road loss since June 24.

Sounders new designated player Christian Tiffert made his first MLS start and created a number of scoring chances. In the 16th minute, the German midfielder curled a free kick from 25-yards out that barely missed wide of the post for a goal kick.

note: The Columbus Crew’s game against Toronto FC scheduled for Saturday was postponed so the Crew could attend the funeral of Kirk Urso