MLS 2019 - Week 18

Just nine games at the weekend this time, with six on Saturday after weather changed the schedule. First up...

FC Cincinnati hosts the Houston Dynamo. Joe Willis and Spencer Richey draw the starts in goal. Alberth Elis and Juan Cabezas of Houston had yellow cards for fouls in the 19th and 25th minutes, respectively. Cincinnati began in the 29th minute with a Kekuta Manneh goal, via Emmanuel Ledesma and Allan Cruz. Frankie Amaya of the Orange and Blue took a yellow card for a 32nd minute foul. Cincinnati added on with a Rashawn Dally goal in the 38th minute, courtesy of Mathieu Deplagne. The Orange and Blue extended the lead as Victor Ulloa scored in the 61st minute, thanks to Ledesma. Aljaz Struna of the Dynamo took a yellow card for a 74th minute foul. Houston got on the board in the 79th minute with a Romell Quioto penalty kick goal. The Dynamo pulled closer as Cincinnati's Nick Hagglund committed an own goal in the 81st minute. This only made it 3-2, the final, with Ledesma being the man of the match.

Across Ohio, the Columbus Crew SC welcomes the Seattle Sounders FC. Stefan Frei and Joe Bendik are the veterans in goal. Columbus opened in the 13th minute with a Pedro Santos penalty kick goal. The Crew saw yellow cards for a David Guzman foul in the 29th minute and persistent infringement by Santos in the 42nd minute. Seattle got on the board with a 56th minute Nicolas Lodeiro penalty kick goal. In the 70th minute, the Sounders' Danny Leyva received a yellow card for persistent infringement. Columbus saw a yellow card given to Artur in the 79th minute for persistent infringement. In the 85th minute, Harrison Afful of the Crew and Lodeiro of Seattle took yellow cards after an argument. In stoppage time, Columbus' Luis Argudo picked up a yellow card for a foul. Three minutes later, Lodeiro scored again to put the Sounders ahead, which stood for a 2-1 win. Lodeiro was man of the match on the strength of his brace.

Up in Canada, the Montreal Impact bring in Minnesota United FC. Vito Mannone and Evan Bush are in the six-yard boxes. Montreal led off in the 1st minute with an Anthony Jackson-Hamel goal, via Zakaria Diallo. Minnesota tied it on a 9th minute goal by Mason Toye, coming off of Kevin Molino. The Impact retook the lead with a 13th minute goal by Rudy Camacho, courtesy of Saphir Taider. In first half stoppage time, Montreal's Bush had a yellow card for a foul, and the Loons tied it on an Ethan Finlay penalty kick goal. Minnesota pulled ahead with another Toye goal in the 47th minute, assisted by Molino. This held up for a 3-2 win, with Toye selected as the man of the match.

Back stateside, Sporting Kansas City hosts the Chicago Fire. Kenneth Kronholm and Tim Melia guard the nets. Kansas City started in the 14th minute with a Yohan Croizet goal, via Felipe Gutierrez. Chicago saw a yellow card for a Fabian Herbers foul in the 44th minute. Sporting's Gutierrez took a yellow card for his 67th minute foul. The Fire received yellow cards for fouls by Dax McCarty in the 69th minute and Diego Campos in the 83rd minute. Botond Barath of Kansas City earned a yellow card for his 88th minute foul. Chicago's Bastian Schweinsteiger was booked for a 90th minute foul. Sporting picked up the 1-0 with with Croizet as the man of the match.

On the west coast, the San Jose Earthquakes welcome Real Salt Lake. Nick Rimando and Daniel Vega protect the nets. Salt Lake saw yellow cards for fouls by Sebastian Saucedo in the 86th minute and Corey Baird in the 89th minute. San Jose dented the scoreboard in stoppage time on a Danny Hoesen goal, via Paul Marie and Cristian Espinoza. This stood for a 1-0 win, with the man of the match being Vega for his five-save clean sheet.

Saturday ends with Los Angeles FC bringing in the Vancouver Whitecaps. Maxime Crepeau and Pablo Sisniega are the lesser-known keepers. Vancouver struck first in the 5th minute with a Yordy Reyna goal, set up by Jon Erice. Erik Godoy of the Whitecaps took a yellow card for a 7th minute foul. Los Angeles got on the board when Vancouver's Andy Rose committed an own goal in the 35th minute. The Black and Gold took the lead with a 41st minute Adama Diomande goal, assisted by Carlos Vela. Los Angeles added on in the 46th minute with a Mark-Anthony Kaye goal, courtesy of Tristan Blackmon. The Whitecaps' Reyna saw a yellow card for a 48th minute foul. The Black and Gold extended the lead on a 54th minute Vela goal, coming off of Eduard Atuesta. Los Angeles padded the lead as Vela scored again in the 70th minute. The Black and Gold kept going with a 72nd minute Diego Rossi goal. Atuesta of Los Angeles had a yellow card for an 80th minute foul. Vancouver went down to ten men in the 85th minute as Fredy Montero received a straight red card for a foul. The final was 6-1, with Vela awarded man of the match honors.

On Sunday, Atlanta United FC hosts the New York Red Bulls. Luis Robles and Brad Guzan are the gloved men. Atlanta cracked the scoresheet in the 10th minute on a Justin Meram goal, via Gonzalo Martinez. New York tied it with a Daniel Royer goal in the 37th minute, helped along by Marc Rzatkowski and Alex Muyl. In first half stoppage time, the Five Stripes' Franco Escobar had a yellow card for dissent and the Red Bulls' Amro Tarek was booked for a foul. Kyle Duncan of New York had a yellow card for a 51st minute foul. The Red Bulls gained the lead in the 60th minute with a Brian White goal, courtesy of Muyl and Royer. Atlanta retied it on a Josef Martinez penalty kick goal. The Five Stripes took the lead as Josef Martinez scored in second half stoppage time, with the help of Escobar. Atlanta's Josef Martinez received a yellow card for delay of game after celebrating. New York equalized a minute later on a Bradley Wright-Phillips goal, made possible by Cristian Casseres Jr. The final was 3-3, with the man of the match being Josef Martinez.

A rescheduled game in Philadelphia is next, as the Union welcome Orlando City SC. Brian Rowe and Andre Blake are between the sticks. Philadelphia was first to score in the 4th minute with a Marco Fabian goal, via Fabrice-Jean Picault. Orlando City tied it in the 67th minute with a Dom Dwyer goal, assisted by Nani. The Lions took the lead with a Santiago Patino goal in the 81st minute. The Union tied it on a Kacper Przybylko goal in the 90th minute, set up by Matt Real and Anthony Fontana. Philadelphia's Real took a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. The final stayed at 2-2, with Przybylko selected as man of the match.

Finally, New York City FC bring in the Portland Timbers. Steve Clark and Brad Stuver are set to start in goal. Portland got going in the 14th minute with a Sebastian Blanco goal. The Timbers had a run of yellow cards to end the first half, with Claude Dielna in the 40th minute getting booked for a foul, followed by Blanco for dissent and Marco Farfan for a foul in the 44th minute, and Dairon Asprilla and Zarek Valentin's fouls in stoppage time. New York City saw yellow cards for fouls by Ben Sweat in the 81st minute and Ebenezer Ofori in the 88th minute. The final was 1-0, with Clark's five-save clean sheet earning him man of the match honors.

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