MLS Major League Soccer

MLS Newsstand - March 13, 2017

Published on March 13, 2017 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


1. Diego Valeri's devotion to Portland extends well beyond the pitch

By Jamie Goldberg The Oregonian - March 13, 2017

Whenever there is an opportunity, Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri and his family - his wife, Florencia, and eight-year-old daughter, Connie - will make the short trek up from their home in the Pearl District to Providence Park to watch their beloved Portland Thorns.

Valeri relishes the chance to witness some of the world's best women's soccer players compete in the Rose City and loves seeing his daughter's face light up as she cheers on her hometown team.

Following the Thorns is just one example of how Valeri and his family have embraced Portland over the last four years. Since arriving from Argentina in 2013, the family has grown to call Portland home and increasingly become immersed in the everyday life of their adopted community.

"As a family, we want to be involved in this community," Valeri said. "Our daughter is growing up here. She's a Portland girl. This is her home, and it's our home too."

Very few players have won the hearts of Timbers fans as quickly as Valeri. Since joining the Timbers in 2013, "El Maestro" has gone on to become one of Portland's most influential players and one of the most dangerous playmakers in MLS. The 30-year-old has made 110 starts in four seasons with the Timbers, recording 37 goals and 42 assists during that time, and has twice been named to the MLS Best XI.

But Valeri's decision to leave Argentina and come to Portland was never exclusively about soccer.

He made the decision to leave his cherished hometown of Lanus, a suburb just south of Buenos Aires, after being robbed at gunpoint in the fall of 2012. He came to America in search of a safe harbor, and, in Portland, he found a peaceful city where he could enjoy his soccer and he and Florencia could raise their daughter with a high quality of life.

Four years later, Valeri and his family have become fixtures in the Portland community. Valeri has made it clear that he plans to finish his career as a Timber and remain in Portland after he retires. He further solidified his commitment to the city last year, signing a contract extension that runs through the end of 2019.

"That's what we're planning, to remain in Portland," Valeri said. "My wife loves that idea, so I love it too."

As the Valeri family has become more devoted to Portland as their long-term home, they've increasingly developed favorite pastimes outside of Valeri's Timbers games - whether it's taking in Thorns games, going out for family dinners at Piazza Italia, or spending their free time at Rose City Futsal, where Connie plays for a youth team and Valeri has jumped into some offseason games with Thundercats FC, an adult team made up of Timbers and Thorns supporters.

A calling to service also comes naturally to the Valeri family and they've started to make a significant commitment to give back, both through the Timbers Stand Together program and volunteering for other community service initiatives whenever they have the chance.

Over the last year, Valeri has started to share his involvement in the community on Twitter, whether it's to get the word out about projects that he is passionate about - often causes that will serve the betterment of children or promote literacy - or simply to wish his followers a "Happy National Girls & Women in Sports Day."

"I believe that this is about more than a club," Valeri said. "It's a city and I want to be involved with the people who help it to be a better city."

This is about more than a club ... It's a city and I want to be involved with the people who help it to be a better city. During the winter holidays, the Valeri family reached out to the Children's Book Bank in hopes of attending a book cleaning. It ended up turning into a big event with 50 people showing up to clean books alongside Valeri, Florencia and Connie, according to Children's Book Bank Partnership Manager Todd Diskin. Soon after, Valeri and Florenica once again worked with the Children's Book Bank to help Connie run her own book drive, which ended up bringing in 384 books in part through the support of donations from members of the Timbers Army.

Their work with the Children's Book Bank came just a few months after the family volunteered to help renovate a family visitation room at the Hillsboro DHS Child Welfare Office through a project with the 107ist, the charitable arm of the Timbers Army and Rose City Riveters. Valeri, Florencia and Connie all showed up to paint the walls of the room and assemble furniture. The family then pitched in with a raffle to raise money to give "You are Loved" scarves to foster care children.

"They are just a very down to earth and gracious couple that genuinely care about people and want to make a difference," said Timbers fan Keith Palau, who led the foster care project. "If there are ways they can kind of bless other people in their community, they want to do that."

Introducing Connie to these community service initiatives has been particularly important for Valeri and Florencia, who, as part of their faith and upbringing, want to instill in their daughter the values of giving back to a community that has given so much to them.

"It's actually very important because this is the way we want her to grow up," Florencia said. "She learns from the example of seeing people helping each other and working together to improve the community where they - and we - live."

Valeri, Florencia and Connie still return to Argentina every offseason to visit their family and immerse themselves in a country and culture that will always be near and dear to their hearts. In the beginning, it felt like the family was returning home in those offseason visits. But, increasingly, that isn't the case.

In everyday moments walking through the Pearl District with his family, Valeri feels perfectly at home. For the most part, he blends in as just another citizen, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'm one of them," Valeri said. "I will retire at some point and I will be just one more citizen here in Portland."

2. MLS commissioner Don Garber excited for Erick Torres' success

By Corey Roepken Houston Chronicle - March 13, 2017

MLS commissioner Don Garber was 800 miles away from BBVA Compass Stadium in Atlanta on March 4 when vice president Dan Courtemanche turned to him and said, 'Cubo just scored.'

Three years ago that phrase was old hat to MLS fans, but after what amounted to two lost seasons for Erick Torres the news that he finally netted his first goal as a Dynamo player made waves across the league.

It was so big that when it happened, two of the league's bigwigs had to take a moment to share it together.

Torres starred for Chivas USA in 2013 and 2014, scoring 22 goals in 44 appearances before the club folded. Then a rising Mexican international, Torres signed an MLS contract and went to Houston after the Dynamo outbid every other MLS club.

They paid a reported $7 million transfer fee, making Torres the biggest acquisition in club history.

"It was a great and important signing for us," Garber said Saturday. "In cities like Houston, where there's a strong Latino market that's got deep understanding and experience with the game, it's important to have top-name Mexican players make MLS a league of choice."

Garber was in the stands Saturday when Torres scored for the second consecutive game - this one a 3-1 Dynamo win over Columbus Crew SC.

That goal gave Torres 24 for his career, increasing his grasp on the lead for MLS goals scored by a Mexican-born player. The No. 2 player on that list is LA Galaxy's Giovani Dos Santos, who has been a regular with the Mexican National Team.

Garber said it enhances the league's brand when Mexican players excel in MLS and that one of the league's top accomplishments is when Dos Santos wears the captain's arm band for Mexico.

While Dos Santos is a fixture with the Galaxy, the league could have lost Torres last year when the Dynamo loaned him to Cruz Azul FC. The Mexican club declined its purchase option, sending him back to Houston.

Torres said before the season he always hoped to return to the Dynamo and with two goals in his first two games is making the most of his second chance. Whether he is 800 miles away or watching in person, Garber has noticed.

"I hope our league can deliver value for Erick," Garber said. "I hope he scores a lot of goals. I hope he can become a big star who can make a good living here. I hope he can be a hero for some young player in Mexico who has a lot of options in Liga MX to maybe decide he wants to play in Houston, or in San Jose, or in Chicago, or in LA, or in Denver, you know, large Hispanic markets."

3. Toronto FC's Armando Cooper brings much good, some bad, to Reds

By Kurt Larson Toronto Sun - March 12, 2017

Armando Cooper has been good for Toronto FC.

But with the good comes the much smaller portion of bad with the Panamanian international, who was culpable on the Philadelphia Union's game-tying goal in a 2-2 finish Saturday night.

Cooper needlessly collapsed to the ground - looking for a foul he didn't get - on a play in the 72nd minute that led to C.J. Sapong's equalizer.

While TFC coach Greg Vanney alluded to a series of defensive errors on the play, he mentioned it began near the half-line, where Cooper coughed up possession far too easy.

"It should've never happened ... I'm disappointed because we fought to get ourselves back on top and we've got to be more mature than we were in that moment to get the results," Vanney said.

Like most sports, this game is about being smart in certain situations, in certain areas of the pitch. It's about limiting self harm in terms of giving things away.

In its three-back system - which is vulnerable to counter-attacks - the Reds can't afford to turn over possession in bad areas.

DOWN GOES JOZY

No, I don't think the Union should have been whistled for a penalty in first-half stoppage-time. But that doesn't mean a foul didn't occur.

Altidore's a smart striker that took advantage of the system. For a month, MLS referees have warned of their intention to look for pulling inside the penalty area.

So Altidore - probably aware of the league's initiative - collapsed when he felt the Union's Derrick Jones grab him.

"You could call a penalty kick on literally every ball that's put in the box," Philly coach Jim Curtin said post-game. "Someone is grabbing, someone is holding.

"With it being an initiative now, you know they're going to randomly be just calling them. And you know there will be overreacting in the early stages, similar to last year with the red cards."

Altidore's U.S. teammate, Alejandro Bedoya, didn't pass up the opportunity to take a shot.

"Knowing (Altidore), he tends to go down easily in the box," Bedoya said. "So we'll just leave it at that."

Don't expect Altidore to get many calls next week in Vancouver.

VAZQUEZ STARTS

This wasn't like Spain - or Mexico. Heck, Victor Vazquez told the Sun that the frigid conditions at Talen Energy Stadium on the weekend were colder than anything he experienced in Belgium.

Yes, Toronto FC's Spanish playmaker at times struggled to connect in the first-half, but he also was playing into a vicious wind that hampered his skill set. It also was just his second appearance in MLS.

"I was pleased with Victor," Vanney said. "For him, it's about catching the tempo of things. The speed of these games is much different than it was in Mexico. He hasn't played in a competitive, high-speed match for a few months now. Some of his long balls in the first half were just knocked down by the wind and might have had a better chance on a different day.

"But his range of passing is good. I thought he grew into the game. I think he's going to be a good player for us."

Vazquez added that the conditions made it impossible for TFC's to do "what it wanted to do" over the weekend.

Let's wait and judge Vazquez after he features for a few months - and in conditions that aren't reminiscent of a polar expedition.

I THINK, I THUNK

Sebastian Giovinco has been held goalless and injured in back-to-back games played in subzero temperatures. I'd argue the Atomic Ant doesn't like cold weather, but he did register a hat-trick amid chilly playoff conditions in New York last November. Needless to say, the perennial MVP candidate - assuming he returns from a leg contusion - is likely looking forward to next week's match in Vancouver, where the elements won't be a factor ... Is it just me, or did Tsubasa Endoh look uncomfortable playing in place of Steven Beitashour? Playing against a gusty first-half wind in Philadelphia, the Reds might have been better suited playing a four-back system given the blustery conditions made it difficult ... The club still expects to sign draft pick Oyvind Alseth, who could eventually be Beitashour's cover ... Not to pile on Giovinco, but is it time for Altidore or Vazquez to start lashing restarts in and around the box? The Atomic Ant has struggled since this time last year to produce a dangerous dead ball ... A reminder that TFC's gamble on Canadian Tosaint Ricketts paid off. The Edmonton native continues to make a difference when he comes off the bench. Perhaps the Canadian national team should start looking at playing a two-forward system, with Ricketts playing off Cyle Larin's back shoulder ... Two Toronto FC players told the Sun that Saturday's match felt colder to them than last year's MLS Cup.

MEANWHILE, IN MONTREAL

Worried about the Reds dropping early season points? Look what happened Saturday at the Big O, where the Montreal Impact surrendered a two-goal lead to the Sounders - including a stoppage-time equalizer. Word out of Montreal this season is the Impact are trying to become more than a counter-attacking team, but with a midfield trio of Marco Donadel, Patrice Bernier and Hernan Bernardello, it might not be possible.

The Impact were outplayed last week in San Jose before porous defending led to Saturday's 2-2 draw with the defending MLS champs.

The Vancouver Whitecaps (0-1-1) are in a similar spot after squandering a two-goal lead in San Jose Saturday night. In context, Toronto FC's 0-0-2 road record doesn't look so bad, does it?

LAST WORD

The time to play Vancouver is now. Ahead of TFC's Week 3 clash at BC Place on Saturday afternoon, the Whitecaps will play a midweek CONCACAF Champions League match in Monterrey, Mexico. Vancouver then will face the Reds without starting goalkeeper David Ousted, who was sent off in San Jose over the weekend.

Toronto FC's winless - but unbeaten - start will look pretty good if it enters the international break on five points.

4. MLS Counterattack: Rough start to season for Giovinco

By John Molinaro Sportsnet.ca - March 13, 2017

We're two weeks into the MLS season and all three Canadian teams have yet to pick up a win, and they have combined to take just four out of a possible 18 points. Time to panic, right? Nah, it's still early.

What happened?

Toronto 2, Philadelphia 2 Seattle 2, Montreal 2 Vancouver 2, San Jose 3

What did we learn this weekend?

Tough start continues for Giovinco Sebastian Giovinco has had a rough time of it early on in the campaign. In last week's season opener away to Real Salt Lake, the Italian saw his penalty attempt saved by Nick Rimando - his first penalty miss since 2015. Then on Saturday, Giovinco fell to the field in a heap after being challenged by Philadelphia defender Oguchi Onyewu in the 43rd minute. The Atomic Ant came out of the game with a leg contusion, and is now scoreless through the first two matches of the season.

Montreal can play more than one way The criticism of the Impact last season was that they were too one-dimensional, that they relied too much on the counter, and that they could only beat you one way. Against Seattle on Saturday, though, we saw a fair bit of tactical variety from Montreal. Before their late-game collapse, the Impact put in a balanced performance, using their speed on the transition, a high pressing style to force turnovers, and the sheer creativity of midfield ace Ignacio Piatti to outplay the reigning MLS Cup champions.

Hurtado showing more maturity It was overshadowed by David Ousted's red card and the loss in San Jose, but Erik Hurtado put in a great performance on Saturday, building on his solid outing from the season opener. Hurtado astutely capitalized on a mistake by San Jose's Florian Jungwirth to sore the opener in the second minute, and then he set up Nicolas Mezquida's strike to give the Whitecaps a two-goal cushion. The speedy youngster has shown maturity and genuine growth in his game early on this season.

Upcoming schedule

Montreal vs. New York City (Saturday, 2:00 pm ET) Toronto vs. Vancouver (Saturday, 4:00 pm ET)

Stories to follow this week

Whitecaps' balancing act It's a busy week for the 'Caps, who travel to Mexico to face Liga MX champion Tigres UANL in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals on Tuesday, and then host Toronto FC at BC Place on Saturday afternoon. With Ousted suspended for the all-Canadian affair, Paolo Tornaghi will likely start in goal vs. TFC. But what other line-up changes might coach Carl Robinson make? Will he rotate his squad over the two games or put out a full-strength side for both matches? It'll be interesting to see how the Welshman handles this week from both a tactical and player selection perspective.

Which Impact will we see? In last week's season opener, away to San Jose, we saw a Montreal side that has become renowned for sitting deep and hitting out on the counterattack. But at home against Seattle on Saturday, the Impact opened up a fair bit, playing aggressively in trying to take the game to the Sounders. For 80 minutes, it worked. Will the Impact stick with that game plan that brought them relative success at home? Or will they revert to their old ways vs. NYCFC at Yankee Stadium this weekend?

Giovinco's status for Vancouver Giovinco missed the second half of the game against Philadelphia with a leg contusion that left him a great deal of pain. Depending on how he responds in training this week, the Italian could be available to play against the Whitecaps on Saturday. But it's a long plane ride to Vancouver, which won't do his sore leg any good. With MLS off next week for the international break, it might make sense to leave Giovinco at home, giving him extra time to heal and recuperate - no need to rush him back to action this early in the season if he's not fully fit.

5. Collapse aside, Montreal Impact showed improved play versus Sounders

By John Molinaro SportsNet.ca - March 12, 2017

MONTREAL - You could see the contempt in Mauro Biello's eyes, hear the seething rage in his voice.

"It's as if my team was just waiting for the final whistle, and that's what pissed me off. In the end, you have to play with urgency all the time," Biello fumed.

Up 2-0 against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday in its home opener, Montreal looked set to earn a valuable three points. But then Impact defender Laurent Ciman was called for a foul on Oniel Fisher inside the 18-yard area, giving the Sounders a life line. Nicolas Lodeiro converted from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute, and Will Bruin netted the tying goal deep into injury time after Montreal couldn't clear its lines during a goalmouth scramble.

It could and should have been so much different for the Impact. Somehow they let a win slip through their fingers, allowing the Sounders to steal a point that, on the balance of play, rather flattered them.

After the game both Biello and goalkeeper Evan Bush - who berated his teammates on the pitch when Bruin's shot found the back of the net - could barely hide their anger when speaking to the media.

"I thought in the 77th minute, we were comfortable," Bush said. "Looking back to last year, it was the same thing, we were up 3-0 on Toronto [in the playoffs], we got comfortable. We want to hear the olés from the crowd. But it's not the time. You have to finish the game, keep the clean sheet."

Biello and Bush had every right to be pissed off. The game is 90 minutes, and you have to stay focused for all of them. You can run circles around your opponent all you want, but you don't get style points, and in the end you tend to get what you deserve. On this night, the Impact deserved a draw after throwing away a two-goal lead so late in the proceedings.

That said, there were plenty of positives from the Impact on this night, and they can use this game - well, most of it, anyway - as a reference point going forward.

Before the collapse, Montreal put in a balanced performance that bore no resemblance to their tame effort in a 1-0 loss away to the San Jose Earthquakes in their season opener last week. For 80 minutes, Montreal dominated Seattle, using their speed on the transition, a high pressing style to force turnovers, and the sheer creativity of midfield ace Ignacio Piatti to outplay the reigning MLS Cup champions.

"I don't want to be too negative because we did a lot of good things," captain Patrice Bernier said. "Compared to last week, it's night and day. We had possession. We recovered the ball. We created a lot of chances. We were intense."

Known for their counter-attacking style and sitting deep, the Impact were dangerous in transition against Seattle, especially down the flanks. The Impact also managed to control the game with solid possession play, forcing the Sounders to chase for long stretches.

The criticism of the Impact last season was that they were too one-dimensional, that they relied too much on the counter, and that they could only beat you one way. Against Seattle, though, we saw a fair bit of tactical variety from Montreal, which wasn't lost on Biello.

"We have to learn to better manage the games," Biello stated "We have to fight to the end and avoid lapses in concentration. [But] there were positives: there were moments when we played out of the back, found solutions, unbalanced [Seattle] and created two goals."

Ciman offered an public apology to his teammates, stating that the Impact would have won if not for his indiscretion that led to the Sounders' comeback.

But like his coach, the Belgian highlighted the Impact's strengths on the night.

"We can be happy with our attack. We saw some good things. We played out of the back and put together some nice sequences. We have to look at what we didn't do well and work hard to go further next time," Ciman offered.

Another good sign for the Impact was the collective play of Piatti and Matteo Mancosu. The dynamic pair showed the same devastating chemistry they displayed in the second half of last season and in the playoffs, effectively linking up throughout the game. It was Piatti's sublime through ball that unlocked Seattle's defence, allowing the Italian forward to run onto it, break in on goal, and open the scoring in the 17th minute.

Mancosu acted as decoy down the left flank for Piatti in the 51st minute as the Argentine raced down the middle of the pitch, gave two defenders the slip and fired a shot from outside the box past goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

It was a perfectly executed counter attack, launched from midfield by Bernier.

"We played a team that's good on the ball," Bernier said. "I can't say it plays into our hands, but they move a lot of pieces forward and you saw on the second goal, we recovered and Nacho does his thing," Bernier said.

"It's good to know we can do the things we're known for, but we still have to manage the game."

6. Just like 2016? RSL's attack stumbling out of the gate

By Christopher Kamrani Salt Lake Tribune - March 12, 2017

Jeff Cassar's thousand-yard stare went straight into the camera during his postgame interview Saturday afternoon in suburban Chicago, the bitter Midwest cold at Toyota Park still evident on the face of Real Salt Lake's coach. Asked what needs tinkering after RSL suffered a 2-0 loss to the Chicago Fire, Cassar chuckled.

"I would like the main group to get a run," he said postgame. "Right now, we're already mixing and matching and that's not what you want to do necessarily at this point in the year."

RSL (0-1-1) entered Saturday's first road match of 2017 down its top three center backs and its newly extended Designated Player in Joao Plata (hip contusion). It left Bridgeview, Ill., even more battered, seeing starter Jordan Allen limp off in the 26th minute with a right quadriceps strain. And we're only two weeks into the season.

The injuries are troublesome this early in the schedule, but the main culprit in RSL's drastic decline in 2016 looks to have stuck around in the early going. The attack hasn't generated a goal in 180 minutes this season. For the first time in franchise history, RSL has been shut out in its first two matches.

Dating to the end of last year, RSL has two goals in its past eight regular-season matches. Including the 3-1 first-round playoff loss at L.A., RSL is 0-6-4 in its past 10 outings overall. The last time RSL walked off a field the victors was Aug. 26, 2016, after a 2-1 win over Colorado.

Naturally, more questions arise. Is this start a blip, a coincidence or an ongoing part of an ugly trend?

After managing 17 shots in its scoreless season-opening draw at home against Toronto FC last weekend, RSL had 12 against the Fire on Saturday. Chicago goalkeeper Jorge Bava was forced to make one save. The same issues that hampered last season's high-powered attacking front look to have carried over, even with new faces in the mix.

"We have to put away an opportunity to unlock the game," Cassar said.

RSL has faced a sea of padlocks it hasn't been able to crack.

Forward Yura Movsisyan hasn't capitalized on his chances, but has been the obvious focal point of the opposition's game plan, often with a center back or two pinned to his hip. Plata's hip injury is considered a 7- to 10-day issue, but the 25-year-old Ecuadorian could return for this weekend's home match against the L.A. Galaxy. The severity of Allen's quad strain remains unknown.

New attacking midfielder Albert Rusnák has impressed in flashes, but RSL hasn't been able to get him on the ball in the ideal spots enough in the first two matches to see the 22-year-old Slovakian's true potential impact.

"Of course we missed him, he's an important player,' Rusnák said of Plata. "You know he can score a goal from anywhere or bring something special like that to win, so yeah, it was a miss. But with him or without him, if we give those goals up its always going to be difficult to come back."

In preseason, Movsisyan warned that the attack wouldn't come out of the gates firing. He dismissed the flow - and all the goals - of preseason. Nothing compares to the start of a new year, and the 29-year-old Armenian striker said RSL must click. How long that'd take is up in the air. Movsisyan said it could be a month or two. Maybe even six.

"But once it clicks," he said, "with the talent we have, we're going to do a lot of damage in this league."

That's what every RSL fan is waiting for. Every RSL player and coach, too.

7. Berhalter tells Crew to 'throw away' loss

By Andrew Erickson Columbus Dispatch - March 12, 2017

fter a 1-1 tie against the Chicago Fire on March 4, Crew SC coach and sporting director Gregg Berhalter lamented his team's missed chances on offense and called the performance "disappointing," but was able to draw a couple of positive takeaways.

The Crew maintained its defensive shape for the most part. Rookie goalkeeper Zack Steffen showed poise in his debut and, above all, the team was able to salvage a point amid a rough second half.

After a 3-1 defeat to the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, in which the Crew trailed from the second minute, Berhalter said he and his staff wouldn't attempt to glean positives from the one-sided affair.

"To be honest, we're going to analyze it, but what I'm telling the guys is to throw this one away," Berhalter said. "This is a game that we've got to get past and we want to put away. We'll analyze it as coaches and see where we need to get better."

Berhalter didn't attribute the loss to poor defensive shape. A dangerous pass from Steffen set up the first goal, and absentmindedness by several players on a Dynamo corner kick set up the second. Houston then punished the Crew with its counterattack to build a 3-0 advantage on an Erick "Cubo" Torres goal.

Berhalter noted missed chances midway through the first half that changed the complexion of the game. Midfielder and captain Wil Trapp said the Crew had to change its game plan "a little bit" after Romell Quioto's second-minute goal. Still, he said, the Crew had its opportunities to get back into the game.

"We have no one else to blame but ourselves in the fact that the chances were there to make up the difference of the two goals in the first half, and we just didn't do so," he said.

It's early in the season and a long time before playoff races take shape, but that doesn't make it any less difficult to move on from a bad defeat.

"Listen, it's never easy," Berhalter said. "We have a standard for ourselves that we didn't meet tonight."

Whether Saturday's clunker merits week 3 lineup changes is a question Berhalter will grapple with in the coming days.

"We're in professional sports, so every game when you step on the field, you're going to be judged," Berhalter said. "You have to be accountable for how you perform, so of course we're looking at that."

Meram confirms Iraq decision

A day after the Iraqi Football Association announced Crew midfielder Justin Meram will not participate in World Cup qualifiers against Australia and Saudi Arabia, Meram confirmed in a Facebook post Sunday what he called a "very difficult decision."

IFA indicated Saturday that "recent decisions by the American government with regards to its relationship with the Islamic State" created security concerns that led to Meram's decision.

Iraq is scheduled to play Australia on March 23 in Tehran - FIFA sanctions prevent Iraq from playing national team matches in Iraq - and Saudi Arabia on March 28 in Jeddah.

In his Facebook post, Meram cited "reasons outside of my control" for his decision not to play.

"I wish I wasn't in this situation. I'd love nothing more than to be there alongside my teammates in the upcoming games, but for reasons outside of my control, I will not be participating in the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers," Meram wrote. "I have spoken with our manager, Radhi Shenaishil, and I appreciate his, and the IFA's, understanding of my difficult situation."

8. Ian Harkes makes D.C. United debut in 4-0 loss on road to NYCFC

By Steven Goff Washington Post - March 13, 2017

NEW YORK - D.C. United's match against New York City FC was not 10 minutes old when Bill Hamid found himself sitting deep in his net after a futile effort, kicking at a ball that had already crossed the threshold.

As the Yankee Stadium crowd roared its home-opening approval, Hamid slammed the cold turf with his gloved hands - the first of several dismaying moments for the wayward MLS club Sunday.

After conceding three goals before intermission and failing to retaliate, United returned to Penn Station saddled with cumbersome baggage from a 4-0 defeat before 24,259 shivering witnesses.

"Do I think they are 4-0 better than us? No," Coach Ben Olsen said. "They were today. The scoreline does not lie."

[Two years later, a Tico finds a home for D.C. Untied]

It was a profound step backward for a defensive unit that conceded few chances in a scoreless opener against Sporting Kansas City last weekend.

David Villa, the 2016 league MVP, scored twice, Rodney Wallace and Jack Harrison plundered the flanks and newcomer Maxi Moralez orchestrated at free will.

"It just seemed like certain things were a bit too easy for them," midfielder Lloyd Sam said. "We're going to learn from this, for sure. We're going to have to."

United's problems extended beyond its resistance. With playmaker Luciano Acosta still sidelined with an ankle injury, Olsen's crew labored to keep possession and, as a consequence, was on its heels most of the match. NYCFC claimed 61.2 percent of the ball.

"We all know he is a real difference-maker," Olsen said of the wee Argentine. "We don't have him. So that means other guys have to take some responsibility."

Instead, NYCFC seized the initiative and quickly claimed the lead. United did not find a rhythm until the second half, and by then the margin was too tall.

United rookie Ian Harkes, the 2016 college player of the year at Wake Forest, made his pro debut - 21 years after his father, John, captained the team in its inaugural season.

Harkes found himself in central midfield facing NYCFC's Andrea Pirlo, 37, an Italian icon who signed his first contract the year Harkes was born (1995) and appeared in his first major tournament for Italy when Harkes was 9.

"It's a tough one, but I was happy to step on the field for the first time," said Harkes, a Gonzaga (D.C.) grad from Fairfax who logged 90 minutes. "There's a lot of growing to do and a lot of learning, so I'm excited for that throughout the season."

Olsen said Harkes did fine and that "games like this are the best teacher."

Another player with Washington ties broke the ice on the freezing day: Wallace, a former Bullis School and University of Maryland star whom United drafted in the first round in 2010.

Wallace served two years for United and won an MLS Cup title with Portland before playing in Portugal and Brazil last year. He returned to the league this winter.

On an eighth-minute breakout, the left wing crossed to right-winger Harrison for a bending 17-yarder that rattled the crossbar. Waiting on the back side, Wallace tagged an angled side-volley before the scrambling Hamid could re-set himself.

After an offside call voided an apparent goal by Sam, the hosts struck again in the 28th minute.

Moralez sprayed the ball wide to Wallace. Villa made a near-post run and drifted into D.C. captain Steve Birnbaum's blind spot. Wallace crossed. The back-pedaling Villa nodded an expert header back across the goal and beyond Hamid's reach.

"The first half," Birnbaum said, "really let us down."

It got worse. Villa intercepted Jared Jeffrey's pass in midfield. Before anyone could challenge him, the Spaniard was away on a solo run. He threaded a through ball between the center backs to Moralez in stride at the top of the penalty area for a composed finish to the low left corner.

"Turnovers against a team that is this good in transition, or one or two situations where you are late or on the wrong side of a player, forget about it," Olsen said. "You're going to eat it."

United showed promise in the second half, but the finishing touch or final pass was off.

Villa punctuated the victory in the 75th minute by working on Birnbaum and beating Hamid to the near side with an acute-angled shot, his sixth goal in six career matches against United.

"It's an away loss in the MLS," Olsen said. "It's happened before. It gives us a chance to evaluate ourselves a little bit and pick ourselves up."

United notes: Olsen said the club will assess Acosta this week before determining whether he could play against the Columbus Crew (0-1-1) on Saturday at RFK Stadium.

9. NYCFC newcomers Wallace, Moralez shine in romp over D.C. United

By Ives Galarcep Goal.com - March 12, 2017

NEW YORK CITY - New York City FC fans saw a very different looking team take the field at Yankee Stadium on Sunday than the last time the club played at home. Five players who weren't on the team last season were in the starting lineup to take on D.C. United, and all five turned in impressive performances in the 4-0 thrashing.

"It was important for us to improve our team, and this is why we (brought) those players," NYCFC coach Patrick Vieira said. "We knew about their talent, and when the team performs like we did today it's more easy for them to express their talent."

WATCH: David Villa scores a double

David Villa grabbed the headlines with his two-goal effort, but Rodney Wallace and Maximiliano Moralez were instrumental in sparking the impressive first half that put the match out of reach before halftime. Wallace and Moralez each scored one goal and teed up another in their first home match for NYCFC, showing the characteristics that could help give the club the most dangerous attack in the league.

"I've said from the beginning that they're going to help us a lot, and they've showed that in the preseason and in the games we've played," Villa said of NYCFC's new faces. "They're playing at a good level like the rest of the team. We have a better roster this year."

Villa's assessment of the 2017 squad shows just how good an offseason the team had because NYCFC had a lot of work to do after 2016. The retirements of Frank Lampard and Andoni Iraola left two significant holes in the squad, and the team's desire to improve the goalkeeper position and defense added even more to the shopping list. Though it is still early, the team's new crop of talent looks to have not only replaced what was lost but upgraded the overall group.

Take Wallace, for example. An MLS Cup winner with Portland in 2015, he showed speed and work rate on the left wing Sunday, traits that should offer a perfect complement to Jack Harrison on the opposite flank. He put away a rebounded Harrison shot for the game's opening goal in the eighth minute, then set up Villa's first strike with an excellent pass in the 28th minute.

They were the first goals of 2017 for NYCFC, which dropped a 1-0 result at Orlando City last weekend to open the year.

"The game plan was to come out from the start and force them to make mistakes, and I thought we did that," Wallace told Goal. "We needed to be more ruthless against Orlando and you saw the difference today, both in the attack and defensively."

"We looked really strong defensively, we looked really strong because Rodney, David and Jack worked really hard," Vieira said. "And when the front three works that hard it makes it easier for the back four to defend."

Wallace's display Sunday was made more impressive by the fact he is still working his way back to full fitness after signing with NYCFC late in preseason. The Costa Rica international didn't show much rust Sunday, with his tenacity and two-way work helping stifle United, the team he made his professional debut with in 2009.

"I had a short preseason and I believe that I'm still getting to my top shape," Wallace said. "I'm taking it obviously week by week and game by game, but today was personally a good game for me. I think I have a long way to go, but right now I'm just focusing on getting better and getting fitter."

Moralez also enjoyed a very good home debut, showing the attacking skills that made NYCFC sign him as the team's latest designated player. The diminutive Argentine worked well in midfield, and used his vision and quickness to put himself into dangerous positions. Moralez also showed a good understanding with his teammates - an impressive connection in just his second match with the team.

"We have a very strong team, and we were better today, at home, in front of our fans," Moralez told Goal. "It was difficult against Orlando because we couldn't find that goal, but today we finished our chances and it made all the difference."

Vieira had reason to be happy with all five of the newcomers who started Sunday. The attack's four-goal output drew the biggest cheers, but Sean Johnson's contributions in goal showed the fans at Yankee Stadium why they acquired him from Atlanta United this winter. Johnson's distribution was effective, and he made some tough saves to preserve the shutout, adding support to the belief his arrival has provided a considerable upgrade to NYCFC's goalkeeper position.

"Sean is really calm, really composed, he made a really important save at the right time," Vieira said. "Today, every single decision that he made was a good one, and that helped the team of course."

Finland international Alexander Ring was rock solid in central midfield, tying for the team high in tackles. Expected to battle Yangel Herrera for the defensive midfield vacated by the retirement of Iraola, Ring has started the first two matches of the season and offered the qualities that had Vieira raving about him in preseason.

Peru international Alexander Callens did his part in central defense, showing off his excellent passing out of the back along with a steady defensive presence. Callens led NYCFC in passing percentage for the second straight match, and topped the team in total passes Sunday.

The positive start by the team's newcomers has created a serious competition for playing time on an NYCFC side that suddenly boasts one of the stronger benches in MLS. Consider the fact that Thomas McNamara, a standout in 2016, has yet to start this season, and Khiry Shelton didn't even make the match-day roster Sunday.

"This is a good team, with many good players, including some who didn't play today," Moralez said. "That is going to be important for us during the year, and if we keep playing like we played today, it will raise the level for the entire group."

Nobody who watched NYCFC would argue that Moralez and the rest of the team's new arrivals have done just that, and it should help boost the team's chances of being a legitimate title contender this season.

10. 'Ruthless' NYCFC go wild in home opener

By Kyle Schnitzer New York Post - March 13, 2017

David Villa has a thing for freezing home openers.

While frozen fans chanted, "It's f-king cold, it's f-king cold," Villa and New York City FC were anything but as their highly touted attack arrived and scorched D.C. United, 4-0, at a frigid Yankee Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

"We know we were going to score goals, it was just a question of time," said NYCFC head coach Patrick Vieira, whose team made the most of its five shots on target.

Villa, the reigning MLS MVP, continued his tradition of scoring in every home opener since the team's inception in 2015. In front of 24,259 fans, the captain scored a brace on the windy, 29-degree afternoon.

While the match continued Villa's tradition, NYCFC's newly acquired winger Rodney Wallace seems to have jelled with his new teammates.

"Patrick [Vieira] said last week we needed to be more ruthless," said Wallace, who opened the day's scoring in the 8th minute. "I think we showed that today. We attacked well and defended well. ... We were ruthless in the attack and solid in the back."

Wallace looked dangerous but reckless in last week's 1-0 loss to Orlando City SC. But when Jack Harrison's curling effort hit the crossbar, the 28-year-old's simple strike easily found the back of the net.

Wallace and NYCFC's attack flourished thanks to a frozen D.C. United, especially on defense. The only thing D.C. United did well was foul, accumulating an alarming five yellow cards.

Much like last week in Orlando City, NYCFC found ways to dominate possession. They controlled 61 percent of possession, which created over 200 more passes than D.C. United. That helped the home side manipulate the opposition and find ways to attack, where they finished - multiple times.

"Today we were better in front of the target," Villa said. "We were better when we had chances to score goals. We played the same way as we did in Orlando."

Villa, who scored 23 goals last season, never had an easier one than he did in the 28th minute. A floating cross from Wallace found Villa unmarked for an easy header to give the home side an early two-goal cushion.

But the 35-year-old, who is negotiating to extend his stay in New York, showed everyone he still has a lot of life in his legs. After lazy protection from D.C. United's Ian Harkes, NYCFC capitalized when Maxi Moralez, who scored his first NYCFC goal earlier Sunday, found the streaking Villa, who put a screamer past goalkeeper Bill Hamid.

While Hamid didn't have much help all day, new NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson couldn't have asked for a better home debut. Johnson, who was acquired from Atlanta United, didn't have much to do in net. But his kick save in the 46th minute showed much more than Josh Saunders ever did in two seasons.

That's something Vieira respected.

"He made a really important save in the second half," said Vieira, who added he was disappointed with how NYCFC began the second half. "He didn't give them a chance to get back in the game. That's what I expect from him."

As for Villa, who now has five home-opener goals for NYCFC, he couldn't care less about his home-opener scoring habits.

"I try to help the team always score goals," Villa said. "The most important [thing] was winning three points for the team. That's most important for the team."

11. Minnesota soccer fans celebrate first Loons home game amid snowflakes, cold

By Erin Adler Minneapolis Star Tribune - March 13, 2017

Abraham Opoti pounded a black drum, belting out "Oh, when the Loons go marching in" with several hundred other Minnesota United supporters Sunday afternoon as they prepared to swarm TCF Bank Stadium in a cloud of light blue and black.

Nearby, fellow soccer fan Connor Davis half shouted, half sang along while wearing baby-blue Zubaz he dyed himself and a cowboy hat painted to match.

The two were among 35,000 soccer fans who braved 20-degree temperatures and swirling snowflakes to watch Minnesota United FC play its inaugural home game against Atlanta United FC, marking the debut of a Minnesota Major League Soccer (MLS) team.

"It's a huge day," said Davis, who is part of Dark Cloud, a group of Minnesota United fans. "We're going to celebrate the snow here, where other people might be scared of it."

Minnesota ended up losing the game 6-1. But before the game, two rowdy fan clubs of the kind that are a central part of global soccer culture gathered at bars on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota campus to drink and carouse. Others celebrated at a pregame party at Surly Brewery with live music and the introduction of United Crushers, a new beer.

"It's something we've been wanting for a really long time in Minnesota," said Crystal Schmidt, communications co-chair of the fan club True North Elite. "I know people who have been waiting since they were born in the '90s - [they] came out of the womb following soccer."

Fans gathered at nearby bars before the game. True North fans, including Ethan Neal, left, rallied near the McNamara Alumni Center before walking across the street to TCF Bank Stadium.

Schmidt said she joined True North Elite not just to watch soccer among fellow fans. The group, which has 150 to 200 members, also instills a strong sense of community, she said.

She described True North Elite as younger and more aggressive than Dark Cloud, which has been around longer. But the two organizations get along, Schmidt said, and met up before the game to march toward the stadium together, chanting and waving flags along the way.

As spectators lined up to enter the stadium, parents Angela and Oscar Alvarado had a fan take a selfie of them with their 4-year-old son, Mateo, whose eyes were barely visible between his hat and scarf. Watching soccer is something the family does together, Angela Alvarado said.

"He wanted to go," Angela Alvarado said of Mateo, who had hand-warmers in his mittens. "It's going to be his first time cheering for his Minnesota team."

Several fans said they were happy that a sport with such a global following finally made it to Minnesota at the highest levels.

"It means a lot," said Abdirahman Sahal, a college student who attended with three friends. "We get to see professional players play the game we all love."

Not everyone who showed up was enthusiastic about the cold weather. Trent Tosseth, a season-ticket holder, stayed through the game's first goal, scored by the Atlanta United after just a few minutes. He and a friend then left to find pizzas and beer, he said.

"The best is yet to come, I think, as far as the sport goes," Tosseth said. "It will be a lot more enjoyable when it's 65 degrees instead of 20 degrees."

12. Atlanta United clinical in finishing against Minnesota United

By Doug Roberson Atlanta Journal-Constitution - March 12, 2017

Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino described his team's 6-1 win over co-expansion side Minnesota United on Sunday as nothing special, but a look at Josef Martinez, sitting shivering in his locker after scoring the first hat-trick in franchise history, showed otherwise.

Playing in a starting temperature of 19 degrees and with snow falling throughout, Atlanta United dominated the game other than a 15-minute spell at the end of the first half, when the Five Stripes already had a 3-1 lead.

Martinez, Miguel Almiron (two goals), Yamil Asad and Hector Villalba exploited the huge gaps in the Loon's defense throughout the game to become the first MLS expansion side to score six goals in a game in its inaugural season. Atlanta United focused on finishing during its practices last week.

"I feel good with the work that the players did today," Martino said. "Except for the last 15 minutes of the first half, we really didn't give them a chance to get back into the game."

As wasteful as the team was in last week's 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls - necessitating the work done in training last week - it was that clinical against Minnesota United on Sunday in front of more than 35,000 cold supporters.

Martinez had a man-of-the-match performance with goals in the third, 27th and 75th minute. He said he didn't feel cold until after the game when he remained on the field to do a post-match interview. He said all three goals were similar. For each, he ran onto a pass in space that split Minnesota's United's defenders.

"It's always nice to score, even more so when it's three, but the most important thing is that the team got the win tonight and it feels really good to get the first in in team history," Martinez said.

Martino said the team would concentrate on recovering today and then begin preparing for Saturday's home game against Chicago.

The Fire earned its first three points with a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake on Saturday. For Atlanta United to win, it needs to continue to attack on offense and sort out a defense that had a poor spell at the end of the first half during which Minnesota United earned its goal on a penalty kick, and hit the crossbar with another shot.

It was a similar poor stretch as when Red Bulls scored their two goals in the inaugural game.

The good news for Atlanta United is it weathered that poor stretch in Minneapolis and then controlled the game throughout the second half. The team changed its tactics at halftime, switching from trying to control possession with short passes to longer passes down the field. The change was made because the snow made short passes very difficult.

"We were able to find the goals early," Almiron said. "After, we were able to control the game better than we did last week. That helped us to be more relaxed."

13. Conditions for Minnesota-Atlanta 'everything we imagined' - Don Garber

By Austin Lindbergh ESPNFC.com - March 12, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota -- Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber embraced the cold, snowy conditions in which Minnesota United and Atlanta United played on Sunday, saying it was "everything" the league imagined.

Minnesota hosted Atlanta in its temporary home of TCF Bank Stadium, and wound up on the receiving end of a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of its expansion "cousins."

And if the lopsided scoreline was somewhat predictable after the Loons' 5-1 loss at the Portland Timbers last week, the weather was even more so. The temperature at kickoff hovered in the low 20s, while snow flurries fell throughout the 90 minutes.

"This is everything we imagined when we awarded the team here in Minnesota," Garber told reporters on Sunday. "I had a sense we'd have a few cold, snowy days, and we had one in our inaugural match here.

"We heard there were 35,000 tickets sold, and we were actually prepared that not everyone would show up, but they did. People are hearty here in Minnesota."

But while the commissioner was enthusiastic about the spectacle of Minnesota's first game at home being played in a winter wonderland, he took the opportunity to reiterate his league's commitment to a summer schedule.

As previous FIFA president Sepp Blatter had frequently pushed for MLS to switch to a calendar that would line up with Europe's -- August through May -- Garber was asked if football's governing body's new head Gianni Infantino has had similar fantasies about the U.S. and Canadian league operating in lockstep with Europe's biggest leagues.

"I don't think Sepp Blatter's been to too many games in Minnesota," the commissioner replied. "All of that talk of playing on the international calendar makes absolutely no sense when you think about what we've been dealing with this weekend.

"You've got to expect that you're going to have cold weather in early March, start thinking about February and January, and it's an impossibility."

Minnesota plays its next two matches on the road, returning home on April 1 to host Real Salt Lake.

14. Portland Timbers beat LA Galaxy 1-0, posting first MLS win on the road since 2015

By Jamie Goldberg The Oregonian - March 13, 2017

The Portland Timbers can finally put the road woes of 2016 behind them.

After failing to win a single game away from home in 2016, the Timbers (2-0-0, 6 points) picked up a victory on the road in their first away game of the 2017 season, beating the LA Galaxy (0-2-0, 0 points) 1-0 in front of 20,982 fans at StubHub Center Sunday.

This is the first time that the Timbers have won back-to-back games to open an MLS season and the first time they've won their first road game of the year across all eras since 2005.

"This is a true team," Timbers coach Caleb Porter said. "It takes a team to win games on the road... We weren't able to do that in 17 games last year, so I'm really pleased that we're able to do that in the first game."

Both the Timbers and the Galaxy entered the game with somewhat depleted lineups.

The Timbers were missing half of their starting back line as both captain Liam Ridgewell (foot sprain) and left back Vytas (calf sprain) were forced to miss the game due to injury. The Galaxy were also dealing with absences due to a handful of injuries and suspensions to Jermaine Jones and Dave Romney.

Left back Marco Farfan and center back Roy Miller, who just arrived in Portland earlier this week, made their Timbers debuts. Farfan became the youngest player to see minutes in Timbers MLS history.

"It's a dream come true," Farfan said. "Playing 90 minutes and getting a clean sheet with the guys out there, it's just fantastic."

Despite the lineup changes, the Timbers didn't look at all short-handed in the first half.

Portland made the most of a counterattack in the eighth minute to get on the board early. Sebastian Blanco sent a long ball to Diego Chara, who then headed the ball off to Diego Valeri. Valeri took a dribble into the box before passing the ball back to Chara in front of goal for an easy tap-in to give Portland the 1-0 lead.

"I feel great," Chara said. "The goal was a great team play."

The game took a turn in the 34th minute when Galaxy defender Jelle Van Damme was sent off with a second yellow card for trying to trip David Guzman. While Van Damme did not appear to make contact with Guzman on the play, referee Baldomero Toledo said after the game that he issued the yellow card because Van Damme tried to trip Guzman and stop a "promising attack."

Guzman, who hit the ground hard after trying to avoid the trip, left the game a few minutes later with an apparent left shoulder injury.

"We'll see how bad it is," Porter said. "He's a tough guy. I'm assuming he'll rebound okay, but we'll see. I don't know right now."

Even though the Galaxy were playing down a man after Van Damme was sent off, The Timbers couldn't put the game away and LA actually managed to take control of the match in the second half, holding 58.6 percent of possession, taking nine shots and earning seven corner kicks in the final 45 minutes.

"I think we need to do better with possession of the ball," Chara said.

Still, Portland's defense held on to earn the clean sheet and the win. Timbers goalkeeper Jake Gleeson came up big in stoppage time to deny a close-range header from Jose Villarreal.

The Galaxy have been one of the toughest home teams in MLS in recent years and had not posted losses in consecutive home games since 2012 until Portland's victory Sunday. The win was the Timbers first MLS victory on the road since the club beat the Columbus Crew to win the MLS Cup in 2015.

"That's huge," Porter said. "The psychology is big. We're on a six point trot... But we got to stay hungry."

15. Galaxy still winless after 1-0 loss to Timbers

By Kevin Baxter Los Angeles Times - March 12, 2017

When Curt Onalfo took over as coach of the Galaxy in December, he promised to take the team in a new direction. Two games into the season he has delivered on that promise, just not in the way he had hoped.

With Sunday's 1-0 loss to the Portland Timbers at StubHub Center, the Galaxy have started a season with two losses for the first time since 2001, when they played at the Rose Bowl. And they've opened 0-2 at home for the first time in franchise history.

If that wasn't enough, the team also lost captain Jelle Van Damme to two first-half yellow cards, forcing it to play the final 56 minutes shorthanded, and lost Gio dos Santos at halftime because of a hamstring injury.

Van Damme will likely be suspended for next week's game. Dos Santos' status is uncertain, which is not good news for a team that began Sunday without five key players. Forward Gyasi Zardes and defenders Robbie Rogers and Ashley Cole were sidelined by injury, and midfielder Jermaine Jones and defender Dave Romney were serving one-game suspensions.

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"You're always going to deal with adversity through the course of a season," Onalfo said after searching the black cloud for a silver lining. "You don't want to draw it up where it's this early. [But] I actually look at it differently: We'll be better for this.

"We got some players some minutes. That helps create depth for our team. I'm a forward-looking person, I don't look back. My job is to continue to make the group better and that's my focus."

The game's goal came in the eighth minute off a Portland counterattack that started with a Galaxy corner. The Timbers' Sebastian Blanco collected the long clearance and sent it forward to Diego Chara, who sped off with Diego Valeri on a two-on-one break that Chara finished easily.

"It was a bad goal to concede early in the game," Onalfo said.

It quickly got worse for the Galaxy, with Van Damme drawing yellow cards on players he was marking. On the first, referee Baldomero Toledo said Van Damme was cautioned for dissent and on the second he was booked for stopping "a promising attack."

Van Damme's expulsion forced Onalfo to bring on defender Bradley Diallo for his MLS debut, adding him to a young lineup that featured four starters with only four games of MLS experience combined. And they didn't fare well, managing only two shots on goal, both in the final 23 minutes, leaving the Galaxy scoreless from open play two games into the season.

Asked what the team needs to fix, midfielder Sebastian Lletget was direct.

"A lot," he said in Spanish. "We have to score goals, more than anything. And defend well. It's very simple. We have to get better."

It's far too early to push the panic button, especially since the last time the Galaxy went winless in their first two games - in 2014, when they opened with a loss and a draw - they went on to win the MLS Cup.

"We grew a lot today," Lletget said. "Moving forward, I still feel like we'll be OK."

So does Onalfo, who continued to find positives on a day that was mostly negative.

"The effort and they way they worked, they were warriors," he said of the players. "I'm very pleased and proud of the effort the guys put in. And that's what I'm going to focus on.

16. 7 takeaways from the Timbers 1-0 win over the LA Galaxy

By Ryan Rosenblatt FOXSports.com - March 13, 2017

The Timbers went down to LA and walked away with all three points thanks to an early goal -- but the match wasn't without its share of fireworks throughout.

Here are seven takeaways from the 1-0 Portland win:

The Timbers won a road game! The Timbers had their best-ever home mark last season, but they missed the playoffs because they didn't win a single match on the road. Not one.

Getting that first road win is huge for the Timbers and it just so happens to come in LA, where they last won a regular season away game way back in September 2015.

The lone goal was a perfect counterattack The Galaxy had a corner kick, but 17 seconds later the ball was in the back of their own net. That's because the Timbers hit them with the perfect counterattack. It was as quick and clinical as could be, with Sebastian Blanco hitting a long ball that Diego Chara brilliantly headed into the path of Diego Valeri. Then Valeri hit a square ball for a tap in and that was that.

Watch it.

The red card to Jelle van Damme was horrible The Galaxy played more than half the match down a man because of some terrible refereeing by Baldomero Toledo. First, he bought a dive and whistled van Damme for a foul. Whether he carded the Galaxy captain for the foul or dissent is unclear, but the defender was carded. Minutes later, Toledo again bought a dive and showed van Damme a second yellow card.

van Damme didn't make contact with the Timbers players on either tackle, but he was sent off all the same.

Bad news for Giovani dos Santos (and maybe Mexico) It wasn't long after kickoff that dos Santos was grabbing and trying to stretch his hamstring. By halftime, he had been substituted off. It's still unclear how severe the injury is, but the Galaxy lean very heavily on dos Santos and the timing couldn't be worse for Mexico, who were almost certainly going to use him for World Cup qualifying in two weeks.

Hopefully it was all precautionary and dos Santos is fine, but hamstrings can be tricky.

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Major League Soccer Stories from March 13, 2017


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