The first weekend of March also marked the first weekend of the 2019 MLS season. Last season provided a plethora of headlines between Ibra, Rooney and Atlanta United, just to name a few. One week doesn’t define a team’s season. At least when it’s week one. However, the beginning of the league allows us to see a glimpse of what teams have to bring to the table. In these first impressions, I’m going to take a look at three teams I was impressed with, as well as three squads that had a lackluster start to the season.
Good
Seattle Sounders
After finishing second in the Western Conference last season, Seattle picked up right where they left off. Brian Schmetzer’s team gave FC Cincinnati a tough introduction into the MLS. The Sounders responded well after a cautious first 15 minutes. Even though they conceded early at home, Seattle fell victim to a wonderstruck volley from Leonardo Bartone.
The most positive sign at CenturyLink Park this weekend was Jordan Morris returning. After a lengthy spell on the sidelines, the US international marked his homecoming with two goals. Morris’s play contributed to a dominant Seattle display. The Sounders managed the game comfortably once they claimed the lead and never looked back.
D.C. United
It’s tough not to include the team who beat last year’s champions. On top of that, Ben Olsen’s team pitched a shutout against Atlanta. Paul Arriola had a field day on the right wing for DC over the weekend. His persistent and intelligent running earned him a goal.
DC’s attack shared the spotlight with the defensive performance. Olsen kept his side organized defensively and sniffed out any real goal scoring threat. Atlanta’s high powered offense were held to just two shots on target throughout the 94 minutes. In fact, the scoreline was generous all things considered. Wayne Rooney missed a sitter after stellar play from Arriola in the 62nd minute. A full season with Rooney might push DC back to the prominent team they were in the early days of MLS.
Toronto FC
Toronto produced an almost textbook away win to start off their rebound season. The 2017 champions followed up their title-winning season by finishing 9th in the Eastern Conference, missing out on the playoffs. After letting go of star forward Sebastian Giovinco in the offseason, Toronto looked to be back in control. Jonathan Osario and Nick DeLeon were integral in the 3-1 win in Philadelphia.
However — to the dismay of progressive USMNT fans — Michael Bradley pulled the strings. The 31-year-old midfielder scored twice in his first multi-goal MLS game. The strong performance from Toronto’s midfield overwhelmed Philly, forcing key mistakes down the line. Toronto showed character defensively, holding off the Union’s comeback attempt. All around Toronto displayed an ability to grind out a win.
Not So Good
FC Cincinnati
It may not be nice to pick on the new kids in school, but we can’t refute the results. In its inaugural MLS season, FC Cincinnati suffered a heavy 4-1 loss in Seattle. Seattle has consistently been one of the hardest venues to play in across the MLS. Despite the good start, Cinci never really grabbed a hold of the game.
The midfield seemed disconnected with the back line, leaving avenues of space for Morris and co. to exploit. With the wind of momentum firmly in the sails of the Sounders, there was little Cincinnati could do to turn it around. Though it is a poor start, it is Cinci’s first season. Seattle played characteristically well at home and successfully sent the message that this isn’t the USL.
Columbus Crew
The Crew were the talk of the US Soccer landscape over the offseason with the #SavetheCrew movement. The team ultimately stayed in Columbus as opposed to moving to Austin, Texas. But the fans didn’t get much in return week one. Not only were the Crew at home, but the Red Bulls were severely undermanned. Chris Armas is preparing his side for CONCACAF Champions League play, so he rested several starters.
Columbus showed its defensive vulnerabilities very early on. Andreas Ivan put the New York Red Bulls in the lead only five minutes in. The equalizer came on a fortunate deflection on a corner, and the attack remained stagnant for the rest of the game. Aside from forcing two late saves out of Luis Robles, the Crew didn’t look anymore deserving to win.
Philadelphia Union
Losing 3-1 at home is never a great way to start a season. Getting scored on by a player who previously had one goal in three MLS seasons makes things a little bit worse. The goals from Bradley bore resemblance to each other, exposing a huge defensive flaw. The Union were flat in transition, with no one following the second layer of runs into the box. This allowed Bradley to walk into the box twice and place the ball where he wanted.
The midfield seemed to lack creativity as well. Relying on long balls early on, Philly suffered from the lack of a traditional number 9. It took nearly 70 minutes for the creativity of Marco Fabián to take effect. But it was obviously too late. The game really didn’t present the best the MLS has to offer from either side. Far from it in fact. But starting off as the worse of two bad teams doesn’t bode well for the future.
