MLS Round-Up
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
C.J. Sapong picked up where he left off his rookie MLS season as Major League Soccer’s regular season got underway this weekend, with the former Reading United standout and 2011 MLS Rookie of the Year bagging the game-winning goal for Sporting Kansas City against D.C. United in their 1-0 victory on Saturday night. Sapong’s performance was just one of a number of standout performances by USL alumni during the weekend.
Brought on as a second-half substitute, Sapong flicked home a header from fellow PDL alum Graham Zusi’s out-swinging corner to give his side victory. It was the second consecutive First Kick that saw Sapong find the back of the net after he scored in his MLS debut last year against Chivas USA.
Former USL First Division Most Valuable Player Sebastian Le Toux made an immediate impact with his new club, and made history in doing so in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ 2-0 victory against the Montreal Impact at B.C. Place. Le Toux’s fourth-minute goal was the earliest a goal had ever been scored chronologically on First Kick weekend, coming in one of the two opening kickoffs of the season, as he took advantage of a neat flick by Eric Hassli to beat a defender to the ball and finish low from the left side of the penalty area.
The Whitecaps’ victory also provided a landmark for new Whitecaps coach Martin Rennie, giving him victory in his debut. Rennie, who began his coaching career in North America with the PDL’s Cascade Surge before moving up the professional ranks, will hope for more of the same from what appears to be a strong unit he has helped the club assemble.
Also in the Pacific Northwest, the Portland Timbers’ Kalif Alhassan scored his first goal in Major League Soccer and added an assist to help his side defeat the Philadelphia Union on Monday night. Alhassan, who moved up with the Timbers when they joined MLS from USL last season, played a starring role and was named the MLS Player of the Week, a first in the Timbers’ MLS history.
Elsewhere, former Bakersfield Brigade player Quincy Akwimara scored arguably the goal of the weekend to seal the Colorado Rapids’ 2-0 victory against the Columbus Crew. The 24-year-old blasted home from 25 yards in the 89th minute for his second goal since joining the Rapids in 2010.
Overall, six former PDL players made their MLS debuts this weekend, with former Washington Crossfire standout Kelyn Rowe starting for the New England Revolution and Reading United’s Kirk Urso starting for the Columbus Crew. Former Jersey Express standout Ryan Meara, who was the 2010 PDL Goalkeeper of the Year, had a solid performance in his debut for the New York Red Bulls.
No. 1 MLS SuperDraft selection Andrew Wenger, who played for both Reading United and the Carolina Dynamo, also made a substitute appearance for Montreal, while a trio of Chicago Fire Premier alums saw action; Tommy Meyer started for the Los Angeles Galaxy, while Ethan Finlay made a substitute appearance for the Columbus Crew, as did Tyler Polak for the New England Revolution.