MLS 2019 - Week 20

A full weekend of action awaits, with rivalries abound. We begin with a lone Friday game with...

El Trafico, as the Los Angeles Galaxy host Los Angeles FC. Tyler Miller and David Bingham are the keepers. LAFC began in the 4th minute with a Carlos Vela penalty kick goal. LAG tied it on an 8th minute Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal, assisted by Julian Araujo. The Galaxy saw yellow cards for fouls by Diego Polenta and Jonathan dos Santos in the 21st and 35th minutes, respectively. The Black and Gold had a yellow card for a 39th minute Eduard Atuesta foul. Mark-Anthony Kaye of LAFC took a yellow card for a 51st minute foul. LAG took the lead on an Ibrahimovic goal in the 56th minute, made possible by Polenta. Araujo of the Galaxy received a yellow card for time wasting in the 61st minute. LAG added on with Ibrahimovic completing his hat trick on a 70th minute goal, set up by Favio Alvarez. In the 74th minute, Alvarez of the Galaxy had a yellow card for a foul, as did the Black and Gold's Eddie Segura. In the 84th minute, LAG's Rolf Feltscher had a yellow card for his foul. LAFC got one back in stoppage time on a Vela goal, coming off of Atuesta. This only made it 3-2, the final, with Ibrahimovic selected as man of the match.

On Saturday, the Columbus Crew SC welcome the Montreal Impact. Evan Bush faces a lesser foe in Eloy Room in goal. Columbus led off in the 6th minute with a Josh Williams goal, passed from Wil Trapp. Artur of the Crew had a yellow card for a 17th minute foul. Montreal tied it in first half stoppage time as Zakaria Diallo scored, thanks to Saphir Taider. Columbus retook the lead on a David Accam goal, via Pedro Santos and Hector Jimenez in the 46th minute. Williams of the Crew picked up a yellow card for a 53rd minute foul. The Impact went down to ten men in the 55th minute when Bacary Sagna took a straight red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. Montreal's Omar Browne earned a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. The game ended 2-1, with the man of the match being Accam.

Over in Philadelphia, the Union bring in the Chicago Fire. Kenneth Kronholm and Andre Blake draw the starts in goal. Brandt Bronico of Chicago had a yellow card for a 7th minute foul. Philadelphia opened in the 11th minute with a Marco Fabian goal, passed from Kai Wagner and Haris Medunjanin. Wagner of the Union took a yellow card for a 19th minute foul. Philadelphia added on in the 65th minute with an Anthony Fontana goal. Fabrice-Jean Picault of the Union received a yellow card for time wasting in the 84th minute. The final was 2-0, with Fabian picked as man of the match.

Into Canada, as Toronto FC hosts the Houston Dynamo. Tyler Deric and Quentin Westberg play in goal. Houston started in the 4th minute with a Tommy McNamara goal, via Memo Rodriguez. The Dynamo added on in the 23rd minute with a Tomas Martinez goal, assisted by Mauro Manotas and Adam Lundkvist. Houston extended the lead in the 57th minute as Manotas scored, thanks to McNamara. Toronto got on the board in the 75th minute with a Jozy Altidore goal. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the man of the match honors going to Manotas.

Back stateside, Sporting Kansas City welcomes FC Dallas. Jesse Gonzalez and Tim Melia protect the nets. Yohan Croizet took a yellow card for a 29th minute foul by Kansas City. Dallas' Reggie Cannon earned a yellow card for a 35th minute foul. The Toros struck first in the 37th minute on a Dominique Badji goal, passed from Michael Barrios. Sporting's Felipe Gutierrez had a yellow card for his 43rd minute foul. Dallas added on in the 57th minute with a Jesus Ferreira goal. The Toros' Bryan Acosta received a yellow card for a 68th minute foul. The final was 2-0, with the man of the match title given to Badji.

Westward to Colorado, as the Rapids bring in New York City FC. Sean Johnson and Tim Howard are between the sticks. Colorado was first to score in the 6th minute with a Sebastian Anderson goal, helped along by Jonathan Lewis. The Rapids went down to ten men in the 33rd minute when Anderson received a straight red card for a foul. Colorado's keeper Howard had a yellow card for time wasting in the 36th minute. New York City tied it in the 40th minute with a Heber goal, via Maximiliano Moralez. In first half stoppage time, Howard was forced from the game, with Clint Irwin replacing him in the Rapids' net. The Pigeons took the lead in the 83rd minute with an Alexandru Mitrita goal. New York City saw yellow cards in stoppage time for a Ronald Matarrita foul and time wasting by the keeper Johnson. The final was 2-1, with Mitrita's winner making him man of the match.

Staying in the region, Real Salt Lake hosts Minnesota United FC. Vito Mannone and Nick Rimando guard the woodwork. Salt Lake's Brooks Lennon had a yellow card for a 21st minute foul. Jan Gregus of Minnesota took a yellow card in the 26th minute for a foul. The Loons got going in the 57th minute with a Darwin Quintero goal, passed from Mason Toye and Gregus. Real tied it on a Marcelo Silva goal in the 70th minute, set up by Jefferson Savarino. The final held at a 1-1 draw, with Silva's equalizer making him man of the match.

Saturday's finale sees the Vancouver Whitecaps FC welcome the San Jose Earthquakes. Daniel Vega and Maxime Crepeau draw the starts in goal. Vancouver drew first blood in the 7th minute with a Doneil Henry goal. San Jose tied it in the 16th minute on a Valeri Qazaishvili goal, passed from Chris Wondolowski. Judson of the Earthquakes had a yellow card for a 32nd minute foul. San Jose took the lead in the 34th minute on a Wondolowski goal. The Earthquakes saw a yellow card for a Nick Lima foul in the 71st minute. San Jose added on in the 79th minute with a Magnus Eriksson goal, guided in by Cristian Espinoza. The Whitecaps received yellow cards for fouls by Yordy Reyna in the 84th minute and Theo Bair in stoppage time. Paul Marie of the Earthquakes took a yellow card for a stoppage time foul. The final was 3-1, with Wondolowski named man of the match.

On Sunday, Atlanta United FC brings in DC United. Bill Hamid and Brad Guzan are the gloved men. Leandro Gonzalez Pirez of Atlanta took a yellow card for an 81st minute foul. The Five Stripes dented the scoreboard in the 89th minute on a Gonzalo Martinez goal, assisted by Darlington Nagbe and Julian Gressel. Atlanta added on in stoppage time with a Josef Martinez goal, via Gonzalo Martinez. The final was 2-0, and Gonzalo Martinez was the man of the match.

Up in Ohio, FC Cincinnati hosts the New England Revolution. Matt Turner and Spencer Richey are the keepers. New England cracked the scoresheet in the 9th minute with a Carles Gil goal, via Gustavo Bou. Allan Cruz of Cincinnati received a yellow card for a 54th minute foul. The Revolution added on with an Antonio Mlinar Delamea goal in the 55th minute, set up by Gil and Cristian Penilla. The final was 2-0, and Turner was the man of the match for his seven-save clean sheet.

Back to the south, Orlando City SC welcomes the New York Red Bulls. Luis Robles and Brian Rowe receive the starts in goal. Daniel Royer of New York had a yellow card for a 23rd minute foul. Chris Mueller of Orlando City took a yellow card for his 28th minute foul. The Red Bulls kicked off the scoring in the 32nd minute with a Brian White goal, helped along by Alejandro Romero Gamarra. New York's keeper Robles earned a yellow card for time wasting in the 83rd minute. The final remained at 1-0, with White selected as man of the match.

Finally, a Cascadia rivalry is renewed when the Seattle Sounders FC brings in the Portland Timbers. Steve Clark and Stefan Frei patrol the penalty areas. Portland got on the board first in the 20th minute with a Brian Fernandez goal. Seattle tied it in the 50th minute with a Raul Ruidiaz goal. The Timbers reclaimed the lead in the 51st minute on another Fernandez goal, set up by Sebastian Blanco and Diego Valeri. Kelvin Leerdam of the Sounders took a yellow card for a 66th minute foul. Portland saw yellow cards for Fernandez's 82nd minute foul, time wasting by Jorge Moreira in the 84th minute, and a Diego Chara foul in stoppage time. The final stood at 2-1, with Fernandez earning man of the match honors.

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