 By IVES GALARCEP
Michael Bradley makes his return to Major League Soccer while the rest of the league gets its first glimpse at the new-look Toronto FC in today’s MLS Week 2 action.
TFC travels to Seattle to take on a Sounders side coming off an opening-week victory. Clint Dempsey will look to get things rolling after coming off the bench last week.
At Red Bull Arena, the New York Red Bulls bring Thierry Henry and Jamison Olave off the bench as the reigning Supporters Shield winners take the field with a full-strength side for the first time when they meet the Colorado Rapids today (4pm).
SBI will be providing live commentary on all of today’s action so please feel free to follow all the MLS action here. As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today’s live commentary is after the jump):
Does anyone know? Did Dempsey play in the Ukraine friendly?
Yes he did. He looked TERRIBLE. Although everyone looked bad.
Thanks usaall, have you known Dempsey to ever commit a banning foul like that before?
yes.
interestingly, his wikipedia page lists some incidents, including breaking bones in a couple of players’ faces.
Oh wow Cooper were your FC Dallas teammates all 20 feet high? What a horrible cross.
What kind of cross is that??
Great run and then you do that???
It was terrible. He was bad for Dallas last season. I don’t think much of Cooper.
Terrible cross. Could have led to a goal. Oh well…
I think it’s rather beautiful to see Sigi use Cooper like that.
I think Sea will have a hard time getting the equalizer, even with Tor parking the bus. Sea doesn’t have anyone besides dempsey to get on the end of a cross. And Clint “aint as good as he once was”.
Poor sounders, they need a real coach. Sounders play.on their own and sigi has zero tactics and Papa is supose to be CENTER MID, HE IS NUMBER 10. By the way, alonso should play defense because he has zero offense skills.
As for the back up refs, they r way better. They can read the game and let SOME tough calls pass by and let the game run 🙂
I predict a TFC vs galaxy or timbers MLS cup
Bradley is hustling like crazy in this game.
Dempsey gets some confidence after the goal; too bad he might be missing a few upcoming matches for disciplinary reasons.
Ya, we need camera angles that show the fronts of both players to see what happened. The first one looks like he did something. The second one looked like a flop. Both Camera angles were not good though.
https://d16jfyletng9p5.cloudfront.net/media/1guRIRUwvIW4GS6g8OA/giphy.gif
Ya, that’s the only one I have seen. Like I said it looks like he made contact there.
Meanwhile, Rapids get a point in NY for Mastroeni’s debut. Remains to be seen how Powers and Klute will come out of it, though.
Did the Red Bulls win the SS last year playing with that shambolic a defense?
Sure Toronto just leave Dempsey tons of space. Good 2 touch goal though.
Goal, Dempsey. And maybe that will be all he needs to turn things around. Let’s hope so, anyway.
Ssssshhhhhhhhh! Somebody got a goal.
Nice control and finish by Dempsey. Can i assume that you are going with, “he might be a classless/dirty player but he’s our classless/dirty player!”??
No not a fan of his, but I like to stir the pot sometimes 😉
I did like the way he played in the EPL. Seems to lost “the fire in his belly” that made him successful, in my opinion.
Piece of filth scored. More controversy.
Great job MLS.
Ralph….let it go. You will be better for it.
A player that should have been elected for violent conduct just scored. I won’t let that go.
OK….that’s right take the high moral ground.
That works well in soccer.
Nice move by the Sounders there to get one back, Dempsey finally does something positive.
So it took Defoe less then a half to score more goals in MLS then Dempsey has in the past 6 months…ouch
Some very fortunate calls favoring Colorado at red bull arena
Sadly, Dempsey should’ve retired instead if coming over to steal money from the league.
Jesus Christ Dempsey cheap shots ANOTHER player after the play.
Pathetic joke of MLS that this punk is anywhere near the field right now.
Nice job faking an injury by Rey, gets up the moment he sees other guy isn’t going to get a yellow
Although clearly Dempsey left a bit in there
Ya, Dempsey did swing his arm… but Rey acted like his shin was hurt… If Dempsey hit it wasn’t in the leg….
I hope Deuce gets this out of his system now, or he will be a constant target, in the MLS… but more so for the usmnt when there is no room for error.
Deuce with a chip on his shoulder=good.
Deuce like this=not good.
I know some of you have come to hate him… I just want him to do whatever it takes to be ready for Brazil. If giving the armband to Timmy or MB helps…
Alonso vs Bradley = awesome matchup
yes! and it was fun
Is it just me, or is Marco Pappa horrible?!
A turnover machine
Hes having a really bad game and wasn’t very good last week, needs to turn it around and fast.
Its not just you. He and Rey just like to run around a bit then lose the ball for no reason.
I’m not sure Dempsey did anything to Rey that time. Rey was holding his leg…. he definitely wasn’t hit there… It looks like Dempsey threw his arm out but…. not near his leg.
Michael Bradley should be USMNT captain.
That was clear before Dempsey was ever named captain.
agree with you both
Completely agree, but I think it is a little complicated in the locker room. My guess is that it would be perceived as disrespectful to JJ, and potentially stress unity, especially with the German -American players. I think Deuce was a compromise pick…also JK wanted to get him more engaged. As some fans have pointed out, if it was due to locker room harmony why not just make Timmy the captain. I think we’re heading for serious problems with Deuce locked in as captain heading to the WC…
Hopefully the pre-WC tournament will be a good venue to shift gears in terms of captaincy.
If not MB, then at least Tim Howard (even though field players make better captains IMO).
Man, I think that would be risky that close to the WC, but count me in…anything to get the armband off Deuce. I agree about the captain being a field player. I’d prefer a Dmid or CB.
Why was Evans taken out?
Injury, don’t think it’s serious
Injured knee on a tackle. He played on it for ~15 minutes, so hopefully its not serious
looked like he got kicked in the back of the calf. didn’t look like a sprain. i think should be ok
Just tuned in to the Sea/Tor game. Stats say 15 fouls by Toronto to 6 by Sea. I hope we don’t get more teams with the Kansas City approach to hack away the opposition. They can play, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t enjoy hearing the whistle every 30 seconds. What is ugly?
Have to say, the gulf in class and form between Dempsey and Bradley is beyond apparent. It’s practically screaming at you from the screen.
Lost the remaining respect I had for Dempsey with that action.
Lack of class and (at least at this time) lack of ability. Dempsey is just lost right now.
Well, Oba ran right past Jr. on Duece’s goal.
Caldwell the indecisive hurt TFC on that one seemed to me
That too.
Dempsey’s such an a$$ clown. His antics make him impossible to root for. This guy has no place in the USMNT starting 11, let alone team captain.
In case anyone missed it–here’s Clint Dempsey’s ‘leadership.’
http://gif.mocksession.com/2014/03/clint-dempsey-nutshot/
If he isn’t banned for at least 3 games, I’m writing so many letters.
Gone Fishin’
Clint Dempsey is a punk and so close to completely losing me.
Shouldn’t wear the arm band. Shouldn’t be on the team period.
I’m liking what I see from Pineda so far. Pappa now with 2 or 3 back passes to nobody. (well, one of them was to Defoe)
Dempsey has gotten more and more cheap and dirty since he lost his speed and talent. It’s kinda sad really
Any way we can send down to Mexico, like we did with Rafa Marquez?
Good work TFC. Keep it up.
Dempsey with a dirty cheap shot. When did he become such a scum bag, cry baby, dislikable player?
And Dempsey should’ve been red carded there. Highly doubt he’ll get suspended either.
Have fun with your 3 match ban Dempsey, you piece of sh**.
Disgraceful garbage.
Wow…agreed.
Losing all respect for Dempsey while watching this game. Someone offered him a hand earlier to help him off the ground after he was fouled, and he ignored the hand and said “f u b…”
Then he takes a cheap shot at someone’s family jewels?
Absolute garbage.
Dempsey with a love tap.
F this comment.
If a Mexico player punched a USA player in the nuts on purpose off the ball you’d be screaming for a lifetime ban.
I don’t think he meant it like…. you think he meant it…
Apparently my sarcasm was lost here.
Toronto holds onto the ball for too long. Keep getting closed down easily.
I have to admit that his Sounders – TFC game isn’t that bad.
Although Defoe is proving why this league is still too many steps behind the top leagues.
All in all, I am impress. I’ll keep watching.
Defoe isn’t exactly tearing the game up. He has two goals, both of which were classy, but it’s not like he’s beating people left and right. His goals were well taken, but the second was a huge gift from Seattle.
People need to relax a bit
I am quite relaxed actually. Just woke up. 😉
Please don’t get so defensive about my comments.
This is Defoe’s FIRST MLS game and he has scored two goals in 30 minutes. Seems pretty good to me.
We get it, your precious Sounders can’t put a foot wrong.
Is this the same Ralph who blamed Yedlin for the first goal? Yep, your opinion is real valid and object.
“a huge gift from the sounders” – this is saying the sounders can’t put a foot wrong?
Don’t you have 4th period history homework to be doing right now?
Aw your poor baby feelings all hurt?!? Maybe your little starlet and his purty hair should learn defense.
Gentleman, can we stop fighting please?
Let’s keep in civil now…
Besides, as a Timber supporter, the Sounders suck!! 😉 JK
Michael played well too, his mark all over that game. and Defoe played well late to help maintain the lead, running hard and making plays. good sign from the league’s new DP and for TFC
Defoe with two already.
He is going to crush every MLS record.
With that logic, he’ll be right behind Bruin in the record books.
Also, this performance rings of Robert Earnshaw last season. We saw how well that ended up for TFC.
defoe is streding them apart. demspey needs to be dropped
Dude, relax. Dempsey is playing fine. That wasn’t his backpass
Defore is going to win the scoring title by at least ten goals. Also, Dempsey fail.
People must be watching a different feed. That was Papa, not Dempsey, w/the errant pass
My bad then if I was wrong. But, Dempsey has be subpar . I hate when people dive on the ball and grab it. It grinds my gears.
Announcers said it was Dempsey first then corrected themselves.
Kudos for projecting based on his strongest minutes, but I think you got the math wrong. At three goals per half I have him finishing at 204 goals for the season — well more than that 10 beyond what anyone’s ever scored before.
(projecting three based on his two so far this half, that is)
Defoe could still play almost anywhere is Europe still. This is the kind of talent the MLS needs if they want to compete with some of the European leagues. It is still a long way from being a top five league, and even a top ten league, but if the MLS keeps paying for this big names and developing better player it won’t be too long before top ten. Although, this kick ball really needs to stop. There are plenty of other option besides blasting a ball down the field when under a little bit of pressure.
Defoe is going to own MLS defenses.
Took 16 minutes to embarrass Yedlin.
You’re kidding right? Yedlin position is now center back? This is not to mentioned that he then saved an obvious opportunity moments later.
If you don’t like the guy, just say so. You’re embarrassing yourself with statements like this.
+10
Even the commentators pointed out Yedlin didn’t read the play at all and didn’t cut off the lane for Defoe.
damn tfc
They need an upgrade over Jackson.
Clint is seriously one of the worst complainers and whiners I’ve ever seen. When did this start?!
This is the first time I’ve really watched Dempsey play in MLS. He is looking like a caricature of himself. Unless, he actually produces significant goals and assists, this career move to MLS will continue to be disastrous.
There’s your production, 1 goal 1 assist on the season.
And a giveaway to his old teammate for Defoe’s second goal. Sounds like a push to me.
That was Pappa.
That wasn’t Dempsey, it was Pappa w/ the assist to Defoe
You’re right – NBC replay called it Dempsey, but it wasn’t.
John Strong’s preferred color commentator was probably locked out of the match by MLS.
Toronto spent all that money on THAT? I can toe-poke the ball up the field for way less money.
It’s going to be a long season if Bradley is playing on THIS team.
Bradley looking solid considering it’s his first competitive game in awhile. Biggest difference maker for him, is defensively he reads the game about half second quicker than everyone else so breaking up plays. The challenge for him will be to remain diciplined and not revert to young Bradley. But, intercepting passes and starting counter attacks for Defoe to finish off, could be Toronto’s big advantage.
Nice cheap shot there by Armando on Brown.
And MLS/PRO is undermining the quality of today’s officials by excluding the ones with the most experience. Because this should also be of concern, especially a year the player’s union will attempt to negotiate with the league.
Trying to watch the Sounders game on NBCSN and its showing some weird hockey thing, whats going on?
For anyone in the Seattle area its being shown on Fox for some random reason, nationally it is NBCSN
Season opener and Red Bull Arena is half empty! And NYFC is on the way!!!
Philadelphia looks good