Charlotte FC delivered the first victory in the club’s existence on Saturday night, with defending Supporters’ Shield winners New England Revolution being cut to shreds by the expansion side at Bank of America Stadium.
Miguel Angel Ramirez watched as Karol Swiderski scored his first two MLS goals and Ben Bender added his first in a 3-1 home win over the Revolution. Charlotte FC looked like a different team on Saturday night, taking an early lead and not taking its foot off of the gas. Despite conceding a penalty kick from Carles Gil in the second half, Charlotte FC played with plenty of confidence on home soil.
With the win, Charlotte FC sits just one point behind the Revs in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Philadelphia Union crossed another achievement off their list in the early going of the 2022 MLS season, claiming a first-ever victory at Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Alejandro Bedoya and Daniel Gazdag each scored goals in the first half to propel Jim Curtin’s side to a 2-0 win over New York City FC on Saturday. It was a third-consecutive win for the Union and a second-consecutive clean sheet for goalkeeper Andre Blake.
Jesus Ferreira stole the show for FC Dallas on Saturday, scoring a hat trick and also registering one assist in a 4-1 romp over the Portland Timbers. Ferreira’s goals all came in the first half, giving the Western Conference hosts plenty to be proud of after a dominant 90-minute showing.
Paul Arriola also scored his first goal for the club to seal the three points.
Toronto FC fought back to hand Bob Bradley his first victory as head coach of the club, as the Eastern Conference club defeated D.C. United 2-1 at BMO Field. Russell Canouse’s opener came in the 10th minute for Hernan Losada’s side, but TFC grinded its way back and walked away with all three points.
Alejandro Pozuelo’s first goal of the year tied things up in the first half before Jonathan Osorio played the hero with a second-half winner. TFC moved two points back of D.C. United with the victory.
FC Cincinnati made it back-to-back wins for the first time under Pat Noonan as the hosts defeated Inter Miami 3-1 at TQL Stadium. Brandon Vazquez registered a brace for the second week in a row while Ronald Matarrita also found the back of the net for FC Cincy. The woes continue for Phil Neville’s Inter Miami, with the club sitting second from bottom in the East.
The Chicago Fire claimed a second-straight win under Ezra Hendrickson, using a brace from offseason acquisition Kacper Przybylko to earn a 3-1 triumph over Sporting Kansas City. Przybylko scored in each half, while Xherdan Shaqiri also opened his MLS goalscoring account as the Fire remained unbeaten in 2022.
Atlanta United had to dig deep to walk away with one point at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, fighting back to draw CF Montreal 3-3. Despite falling down 3-1 going into halftime, the Five Stripes used late goals from Thiago Almada and Brooks Lennon to avoid an embarrassing home defeat.
On Sunday, LAFC was the only MLS side to earn a full three points after defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 at home. The Columbus Crew used a late Darlington Nagbe equalizer to tie the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey.
Here is a closer look at Saturday’s MLS results:
Sunday
Red Bulls 1, Crew 1
(Tom Barlow 84′) – (Darlington Nagbe 90’+5′)
Man of the Match: Aside from scoring at the last minute of stoppage time, Darlington Nagbe was the cog that kept his road team together by completing 49 of 53 passes and winning seven of ten duels.
Moment of the Match: Nagbe made the game tying goal at the end of the match by poking it through Brazilian keeper Carlos Miguel in the box. He then celebrated with the signature Bradley Wright-Phillips jumping heel click celebration in front of the Red Bull faithful.
Match to Forget: Patryk Klimala’s honeymoon in MLS was a short one. After a hot start in the first couple of weeks, the Polish striker was subbed after 52 minutes. The young DP was having a rough day in isolation dealing with Jonathan Mensah and Milos Degenek.
Austin FC 1, Sounders 1
(Diego Fagundez 70′) – (Will Bruin 43′)
Man of the Match: Cristian Roldan continued his fine form with an assist as the Sounders left Q2 Stadium with one point. Roldan completed one dribble, made one tackle, and won three of his four duels. His strong work rate was once again on display, as the Sounders avoided a road loss in Texas.
Moment of the Match: The Seattle Sounders were hanging on to their lead in the second half, but Diego Fagundez changed that with one kick. Fagundez’s low drive in the 70th minute flipped momentum back in Austin FC’s favor and helped the hosts earn one point against the Western Conference contenders.
Match to Forget: Albert Rusnak started for the Sounders in midfield, but was quiet in the 1-1 draw. Rusnak registered one shot on goal and won one individual duel before being replaced before the 70th minute mark. The former RSL man is still seeking his first goal and assist for the club.
LAFC 3, Vancouver Whitecaps 1
(Ryan Hollingshead 27′, 70′ Carlos Vela, 38′) – (Tristan Blackmon 12′)
Man of the Match: Acquired in a trade from FC Dallas in the offseason as defensive cover at left-back, Hollingshead flexed his offensive prowess and scored his first career brace in the victory for LAFC. The California native brought the scoreline even in the 27th minute with a header off of a corner and then sealed the victory for the Black and Gold with a right-footed shot from outside of the box for a 3-1 lead.
Moment of the Match: It won’t go down as an assist for Kwadwo Opoku, but in the 38th minute he skipped past two Whitecaps defenders along the end-line and slid an inch-perfect pass to Carlos Vela who had his initial shot saved before putting the rebound into the back of the net to give LAFC a 2-1 advantage for the time being.
Match to forget: Without Brian White, Cristian Dajome struggled to help the Whitecaps attack put any pressure on the LAFC defense. In his 74 minutes on the field, he was the clear weak link in the front three with just one shot in the match and he struggled to connect passes going forward.
Saturday
NYCFC 0, Union 2
(Alejandro Bedoya 12′, Daniel Gazdag 33′)
Man of the Match: Daniel Gazdag continued his strong run of form, scoring his third goal in his last three appearances. Gazdag arrived at the back post to slam home the Union’s second goal of the match and overall put in a lot of two-way work in the shutout win.
Moment of the Match: Gazdag’s first-half goal truly put NYCFC in a tough position, giving the Union a two-goal lead they would not relinquish. It was another positive attacking moment from the Union, who didn’t need much possession on the afternoon to make their oppportunities count.
Match to Forget: Andres Jasson impressed for NYCFC coming into Saturday’s Eastern Conference showdown, but was ineffective in the loss. Jasson was late in picking up Gazdag on the second goal and ultimately failed to bring much on the offensive side of the field. He picked up a yellow card and was replaced at halftime.
FC Cincinnati 3, Inter Miami 1
(Ronald Matarrita 19′, Brandon Vazquez 24′, 82′)-(Gonzalo Higuain 30′)
Man of the Match: Cincinnati striker Brandon Vazquez was lively in his two-goal, one-assist game and is now the team’s all-time scoring leader.
Moment of the Match: Cincinnati is obviously not historically trustworthy with a lead, and Vazquez’s second strike slammed the door shut in the effort to clinch Cincinnati’s second-ever win at TQL Stadium,
Match to Forget: Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender had a woeful one-on-one battle with Vazquez, was bested at point-blank on two occasions, and was even tagged with an error on the first concession.
Toronto FC 2, D.C. United 1
(Alejandro Pozuelo 24′, Jonathan Osorio 53′) – (Russell Canouse 10′)
Man of the Match: Jonathan Osorio’s second goal of the season couldn’t have come at a better time as the Canadian midfielder played the hero at BMO Field. Osorio’s right-footed finish inside of the box beat Bill Hamid to the bottom corner and swung momentum back into Toronto FC’s favor for good.
Moment of the Match: After going down 2-1, D.C. United picked up the pressure on the offensive side of the field. The best moment to try and tie things up came in the 70th minute, but TFC goalkeeper Alex Bono made a pair of saves late to preserve the win. Bono denied Griffin Yow before also repelling Edison Flores’ effort not long after.
Match to Forget: Bill Hamid kept D.C. United in the match, but ultimately will feel disappointed about the winning goal for TFC. Hamid was late getting to the back post and failed to keep Osorio’s volley from nestling into the bottom corner.
Atlanta United 3, CF Montreal 3
(Josef Martinez 6′, Thiago Almada 85′, Brooks Lennon 90+2′) – (Djordje Mihailovic 28′, Ismael Kone 37′, Romell Quioto 42′)
Man of the Match: Brooks Lennon grabbed the initiative late in the match, scoring the tying goal and contributing three key passes. Lennon lined up on the left wing this time, and scored the winning goal on a free kick in the second minute of stoppage time.
Moment of the Match: Thiago Almada’s first Atlanta United goal was a beauty, and it brought his team back into the match. Almada scored with a curling shot from about 25 yards that hit the top right corner of the net in the 85th minute.
Match to Forget: CF Montreal goalkeeper Sebastian Breza had a howler in the final minutes, tipping Brooks Lennon’s free kick into his own net for the equalizing goal.
Fire 3, Sporting KC 1
(Kacper Przybylko 30′, 82′, Xherdan Shaqiri 50′) – (Roger Espinoza 56′)
Man of the Match: New Fire No. 9 Kacper Przybylko showed what he is capable of, with a goal in either half of this match. Przybylko opened scoring with a left-footed finish in the first-half before icing the win with a right-footed strike off of a Brian Gutierrez pass.
Moment of the Match: Chicago Fire star Xherdan Shaqiri found his first goal with the club when he scored a penalty kick in the 50th minute. It extended the Fire’s advantage and gave the former Liverpool man some needed confidence going forward.
Match to Forget: Kortne Ford saw his first minutes in a Sporting Kansas City shirt, starting at right back, but had a tough match. He couldn’t win a one-on-one to prevent Przybylko’s first goal before fouling Gaston Gimenez in the 48th minute, allowing Shaqiri to score from the spot.
L.A. Galaxy 0, Orlando City 1
(Facundo Torres 9′)
Man of the Match: Facundo Torres scored the lone goal of the match at Dignity Health Sports Park, giving him one goal and one assist through four MLS appearances. The 21-year-old Uruguayan headed home in the ninth minute, showing off his ability in the box for Oscar Pareja’s offense.
Moment of the Match: Efrain Alvarez came closest to tying things up for the Galaxy in the second half, but Pedro Gallese stood firm to keep the Lions in front for good.
Match to Forget: Javier Hernandez offered little in the final third for the Galaxy, registering just one shot on goal in his 90-minute performance. Hernandez had the fewest touches in the match (29), a worrying sign for Greg Vanney and his coaching staff.
Charlotte FC 3, Revolution 1
(Karol Swiderski 6′, 57′, Ben Bender 64′) – (Carles Gil 54′)
Man of the Match: Karol Swiderski was acquired by Charlotte FC to lead the line and the Polish forward did that in style on Saturday. Swiderski registered his first-career MLS brace in the victory, delivering a pair of left-footed finishes to propel the expansion club to its first three points in MLS.
Moment of the Match: Not long after watching New England tie things up, Charlotte FC snatched momentum back for good. Swiderski’s goal propelled Miguel Angel Ramirez’s side back in front at 2-1 before Ben Bender’s top-shelf finish truly sucked the air out of the Revolution players.
Match to Forget: DeJuan Jones was put under pressure by Alan Franco throughout the match and had trouble dealing with the Ecuadorian midfielder. Franco registered one assist and was a constant thorn in Jones’ side.
Minnesota United 1, Earthquakes 0
(Luis Amarilla 32′)
Man of the Match: Bikaye Dibassy was sensational at left back for Minnesota United, beating a nuisance on both sides of the field. Dibassy won 8/11 duels in the match and completed four dribbles, delivering one of the best showings in a Loons uniform.
Moment of the Match: Luis Amarilla delivered the only goal in the match, continuing a positive start to the new season. Amarilla’s left-footed finish was all the Loons needed to claim three points, and truly was the lone spark overall at Allianz Field.
Match to Forget: Eric Remedi’s failure to track back in his own box cost the Earthquakes a chance at one point. Remedi was out of position for Robin Lod’s cross into the box and watched as Amarilla slid home the finish for the eventual game-winner.
FC Dallas 4, Timbers 1
Man of the Match: Jesus Ferreira registered a hat trick and also assisted on FC Dallas’ fourth and final goal of the match. Ferreira scored two of his goals with his right foot, while also adding a third on a header in the first-half.
Moment of the Match: Ferreira’s third and final goal of his performance truly put FC Dallas into cruise control for the remainder of the match. Portland had a tough time dealing with Ferreira and will want to forget this week’s performance as soon as possible.
Match to Forget: Zac McGraw and Bill Tuiloma will want to get Jesus Ferreira out of their heads after being run ragged by the USMNT forward. Both players failed to stay with the striker on several occasions and were made to pay for their mistakes.
Dynamo 1, Rapids 1
(Tyler Pasher 90′) – (Mark-Anthony Kaye 42′)
Man of the Match: Adalberto Carrasquilla locked things down in midfield for the Dynamo, delivering a strong performance in the draw. Carrasquilla won four of six duels, completed 82% of his passes, and overall did well to limit Colorado midfielder Jack Price in his distribution.
Moment of the Match: Tyler Pasher came off of the bench and helped the Dynamo steal one point at home against the Rapids. Pasher was played onto goal after a William Yarbrough error and passed the ball into the back of the net from just outside of the box.
Match to Forget: William Yarbrough didn’t have much to do in Saturday’s match, but let his team down in the dying stages. Yarbrough’s poor goal kick upfield was easily won by the Dynamo and eventually scored for the tying goal at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Real Salt Lake 2, Nashville SC 1
(Bobby Wood 2′, Tate Schmitt 54′) – (Walker Zimmerman 25′)
Man of the Match: Tate Schmitt is continuing to blossom for RSL this season and the 24-year-old delivered the winning goal for the second-straight week. Schmitt’s left-footed finish propelled RSL in front and proved to be the winner to keep Pablo Mastroeni’s side unbeaten in 2022.
Moment of the Match: Walker Zimmerman scored once in the match for Nashville SC and almost scored a second equalizer on the night. His curling shot at the top of the box in the second half looked destined for the bottom corner, but Zac MacMath dove to his left to deny the USMNT centerback.
Match to Forget: Dax McCarty came onto the field to try and help Nashville SC salvage one point on the road, but ultimately lost his cool in the dying moments of the loss. McCarty’s kick out on Bode Davis saw him ejected 22 minutes after being subbed on. McCarty’s frustration will also cost him a spot on the field next week through suspension.