By DAN ITEL
Federico Higuain got the Columbus Crew started with a 10th-minute goal Wednesday against Toronto FC and they didn’t let up in a 3-1 victory in the opening game of the Disney Pro Soccer Classic in Orlando, Fla.
Higuain sent a curling free kick past Toronto’s newly acquired Brazilian international goalkeeper Julio Cesar, who was seeing his first action in a Reds jersey, to send the Michael Parkhurst-captained Columbus squad to their second preseason victory in as many games.
Josh Williams doubled the lead two minutes later on a blast from the edge of the area, and Adam Bedell rounded out the Crew scoring with a 61st-minute goal.
Toronto, playing in their second preseason match, featured three of their four major offseason acquisitions in U.S. international Michael Bradley, Brazilian striker Gilberto and Julio Cesar. Their lone tally came on a Crew own goal in the 14th minute.
Here are some other results from Wednesday’s action:
PETERSON GOAL GIVES SPORTING 1-0 VICTORY OVER RED BULLS
A Jacob Peterson goal broke a scoreless stalemate and gave Sporting Kansas City a 1-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls in Wednesday’s preseason showdown between MLS’ two Cup winners from last season.
Peterson struck in the 65th minute after he got to a loose ball in the box to put it away in the teams’ opener of the Disney Pro Soccer Classic.
Sporting, which are now unbeaten in four preseason matches (3-0-1), went with a mixture of fixtures from last year’s MLS Cup championship squad, with Peterson coming on as a second-half substitute. New York (1-2-0 in preseason), last season’s Supporters’ Shield winner, also fielded a lineup of expected starters and reserves.
CHIVAS DRAW FC TUCSON IN DESERT DIAMOND CUP
Carlos Alvarez, the second-overall pick from the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, salvaged a 1-1 draw for Chivas USA with a goal against PDL side FC Tucson on Wednesday in the opener of the Desert Diamond Cup preseason tournament in Tucson, Ariz.
With Chivas trailing 1-0, Alvarez, a second-half substitute, scored on a shot from outside the penalty area in the 59th minute.
Martino Rapella put FC Tucson up 1-0 with a 54th-minute goal following a scoreless first half.