Weekly Recap - Week 1

The 2015 MLS Regular Season is underway. This week featured one stoppage time game winner, one stoppage time equalizer, goals from U.S. National Teamers Jozy Altidore, Mix Diskerud and Clint Dempsey, Kaká's first MLS goal, and another goal from reigning MVP Robbie Keane. Despite the positives, overall play was fairly sloppy and disjointed with 17 of 20 teams scoring 1 goal or less in their first outing. Things will get better though as teams get used to playing together. At least I hope that's the case.

RESULTS

FRIDAY

LA Galaxy 2 Chicago Fire 0

SATURDAY

DC United 1 Montreal Impact 0
Philadelphia Union 0 Colorado Rapids 0
Toronto FC 3 Vancouver Whitecaps 1
FC Dallas 1 San Jose Earthquakes 0
Houston Dynamo 1 Columbus Crew 0
Real Salt Lake 0 Portland Timbers 0

SUNDAY

New York City FC 1 Orlando City 1
Sporting Kansas City 1 New York Red Bulls 1
Seattle Sounders 3 New England Revolution 0

Notable Goals Scored by:

Jose Villarreal (LA Galaxy) - The 21 year old Villarreal scored the first goal of the 2015 MLS regular season after logging just 19 minutes for the Galaxy last season.

Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) - The 2014 MLS MVP picked up right where he left off last year notching the 54th goal of his MLS career in just 85 games.

Octavio Rivero (Vancouver) - Rivero turned in a solid MLS debut scoring the Caps' lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Toronto. The 23 year old Uruguayan was signed to a Designated Player contract in December.

Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) - Jozy scored his first MLS goals since 2008 as he bagged the equalizer and a late PK. With the brace, he has already exceeded his output for Sunderland this season before his move to Canada.

Robbie Findley (Toronto FC) - After being limited to just 1 goal in 8 starts for Real Salt Lake last season, the 2010 World Cup veteran netted a game winner in his first start for Toronto FC.

Giles Barnes (Houston) - Barnes led the Dynamo with 11 goals in 2014 and his second half tally against Columbus gave him an early lead over fellow Englishmen Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, and more importantly brought home three points for the Dynamo.

Blas Pérez (FC Dallas) - Pérez has scored at least 9 goals in each of the three previous seasons and is attempting to score double-digit goals for the third year in a row. His first goal of 2015 was a stoppage time header that denied San Jose a point on the road.

Mix Diskerud (New York City FC) - Diskerud scored the first goal in NYCFC franchise history and the first of his MLS career, only to be denied a win by Kaká's late game heroics.

Kaká (Orlando City SC) - Kaká bagged a stoppage time equalizer to send 60,000+ fans home without feeling the sting of defeat in Orlando's 1-1 draw with City. The Brazilian's last gasp free kick deflected off an NYCFC defender and past a helpless Josh Saunders for the first goal in OCSC franchise history.

Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders) - Making his 100th career MLS start, Deuce delivered a first half penalty and a goal from the run of play in the second half and he factored in on all three Seattle goals in a blowout win over New England.

Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders) - Oba scored 17 goals to lead the Sounders to the Supporter's Shield in 2014 and he wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in 2015 with a goal and an assist.

Shutouts by:


Brian Rowe (LA Galaxy) - Making just his 8th MLS start in four seasons, Rowe needed to make just one save en route to his 4th career shutout.

Bill Hamid (DC United) - Hamid, the reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, picked up right where he left off last year making three saves and earning his 31st career shutout. 

Raïs M'Bolhi  (Philadelphia) - Algeria's #1 keeper earned his second MLS shutout in five career starts  as he went untested against the Rapids. M'Bolhi's other shutout came against Houston last September.

Clint Irwin (Colorado) - Irwin made 4 saves as he kicked off his 3rd season as Colorado's starting net minder with the 18th shutout of his young career. 

Chris Seitz (FC Dallas) - Seitz, a nine-year veteran, recorded just his sixth career shutout and led FC Dallas to an Opening Night win over San Jose. 

Tyler Deric (Houston) - Deric turned in a monster performance making 6 saves to stun the Columbus Crew in a 1-0 win. The shutout was Deric's 5th in 14 career starts.

Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) - The U.S. National Team's current #2 Keeper extended his record with the 116th shutout of his distinguished career. Rimando needed to make 5 saves to keep the Timbers at bay.

Adam Larsen Kwarasey (Portland) - Ghana's keeper during their World Cup loss to the U.S., Kwarasey made a pair of saves in his MLS debut.

Stefan Frei (Seattle) - Frei won 20 games his first year in Seattle and started his second season with the Sounders in style with a shutout of the Lee Nguyen-less Revs.