The MLS Preseason concluded this past weekend with a handful of MLS teams taking their final tune-ups before the regular season begins on Saturday.
Many teams were in action throughout the country. The Mobile Mini Sun Cup concluded in Tucson, Arizona with the New England Revolution topping the Houston Dynamo in penalties. Atlanta United and the Charleston Battery played to a scoreless draw in South Carolina. Also, D.C. United put up four goals on a trip to Vegas.
Here’s a rundown of the last weekend of preseason action.
SATURDAY
portland timbers 3-2 sporting kansas city
SKC scored the first two goals of the match before some Timbers reserves stormed through the end of the second half with a trio of talleys to win the match.
Roger Espinoza opened the scoring in the 27th minute when he collected a through pass in the penalty area. He finished the close range shot without much trouble.
The lead doubled in the second half through Diego Rubio. He collected a ball from Cristian Lobato and beat goalkeeper Jake Gleeson one-on-one in the 52nd minute.
It was all Timbers after that, however. Samuel Armenteros cut into the lead barely a minute after Rubio’s goal when he took advantage of an errant back pass. He scored his second in the 58th by smashing home an assist from Vytas.
The winner came from Cristhian Paredes in the 77th. The Paraguayan latches onto a rebound near the penalty spot and smacked it home.
The Timbers open the regular season on March 4 at the StubHub Center against the LA Galaxy while SKC takes on New York City the same day.
La galaxy 1-2 vancouver whitecaps
Kei Kamara and Alphonso Davies gave the Whitecaps a lead as they held off the Galaxy to end their preseason.
Kamara got his chance in the 20th minute from the penalty spot. Joao Pedro took down Cristian Techera in the penalty are to set up Kamara’s spot kick. The Caps doubled their advantage early in the second half with a close range finish from the young Davies.
LA did pull back into the match in the 66th minute when Giovani Dos Santos scored from the spot that came from Marcel de Jong handling the ball in the box.
The Galaxy will host Portland next Sunday to get the season started and Vancouver travels to Montreal the same day.
other scores
Orlando City 2-3 Chicago Fire
Phoenix Rising 2-1 New York Red Bulls
Columbus Crew 2-0 Minnesota United
Montreal Impact 2-2 New York City FC
Charleston Battery 0-0 Atlanta United
Tampa Bay Rowdies 2-1 Philadelphia Union
New England Revolution 1-1 Houston Dynamo (4-3 in penalties)
Las Vegas Lights 2-4 D.C. United
SUNDAY
los angeles fc 1-0 sacramento republic
LAFC ended their preseason run with a trip to Northern California to face USL side Sacramento Republic. The only goal of the game in the 60th minute when Joao Moutinho snuck a shot inside the far post after an assist from Carlos Vela.
LAFC had plenty of other chances throughout the match, though. Marco Urena put a shot barely wide midway through the first half, they had four consecutive blocked shots in the 53rd minute before the Republic were able to clear the ball. and plenty others.
LAFC plays their first ever season match on Sunday, when they take on the Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field.
One more preseason match actually remains, the Chicago Fire will host the Tulsa Roughnecks of the USL on March 3. The Fire are idle for the first week of the season and will use the open date to tune up for their regular season opener on March 10 against Sporting Kansas City.