Twelve days.
That's how close the start of the 2016 MLS regular season (March 6) has gotten, and teams across the league are in the final stage of their preseason preparations. A whopping nine games will unfold across MLS on Wednesday, from south Florida to Cascadia.
- Toronto 1, Montreal 1 | REPLAY
- NYCFC 1, FC Cincinnati 2
- Red Bulls 0, Philadelphia 0
- New England 2 Houston 1
- Swope Park Rangers 2, Columbus 2
- Minnesota 0, Chicago 4
- FC Dallas Red and Blue Classic (intrasquad scrimmage) 2-0 Red Win
- Colorado 1, Kansas City 4
- Portland 0, Vancouver 2
'Caps top Timbers
Vancouver Whitecaps took a 2-0 win against the Portland Timbers at the Simple Invitational at Providence Park, courtesy of goals from forwards Octavio Rivero and Blas Perez. And oh yes, Perez brought his familiar goal celebration up north with him to his new team.
RELATED: Vancouver Whitecaps, Portland Timbers
Sporting KC get penalty bonanza vs. Rapids
Sporting Kansas City had the unusual distinction of scoring three penalty kicks against the Colorado Rapids, as Paulo Nagamura converted two and Dom Dwyer the third as KC won 4-1. Seth Sinovic scored the final goal for the winners, and Zach Pfeffer notched a consolation goal for the Rapids.
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Fire fly past Minnesota
The Chicago Fire were the latest team to notch a big victory over Minnesota United FC at the Simple Invitational in Portland, this time beating their fellow midwesterners 4-0. Homegrown rookie Joey Calistri scored a brace, and Kingsley Bryce and trialist Arturo Alvarez grabbed a goal each.
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Crew SC draw with SPR
Columbus Crew SC drew Sporting Kansas City's new USL team Swope Park Rangers 2-2 in Tucson. Federico Higuain and newcomer Ola Kamara scored for the MLS side.
Here's some postgame reaction from Columbus:
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Revs defeat Dynamo
The New England Revolution outlasted the Houston Dynamo in Tucson, winning 2-1 on Wednesday. Teal Bunbury opened the scoring, before Erick "Cubo" Torres tied the game up, but Steve Neumann grabbed the winner for the Revs.
RELATED: New England Revolution, Houston Dynamo
Red Bulls, Union play to stalemate
The New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union played to the day's only scoreless draw on the preseason side Wednesday. There may not have been goals, but judging from this photo, it looks like tempers flared at least once.
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McNamara's goal for NYCFC
New York City FC dropped a preseason contest to new USL side FC Cincinnati, but Thomas McNamara's goal for NYCFC was a nice highlight of team play in the game.
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TFC, Impact meet, Altidore questionable
Fans in Florida got an early taste of one of the most scintillating derbies in MLS as Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact butted heads in a 1-1 exhibition draw in Tampa. Dom Oduro opened the scoring off a feed from Harry Shipp in the first half, while TFC Academy product Jordan Hamilton leveled in the second.
The big news for TFC on Wednesday, though, was an update on the hamstring injury suffered by Jozy Altidore towards the end of the team’s training session on Tuesday. Toronto head coach Greg Vanney on Wednesday confirmed that Altidore was questionable for TFC’s season opener on March 6, while the Toronto Sun’s Kurt Larson reported that Altidore could miss “as much of the first two weeks of the season.”
In the other early game in Florida, New York City FC fell 2-1 to USL outfit FC Cincinnati, with all of the game’s goals coming in a wild three-minute spell at the very end of the 90 minutes. Third-year midfielder Tommy McNamara bagged the lone goal for NYCFC.
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401 Derby down in Florida
Sure, it's "just preseason," and TFC stars Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore are not expected to play. But meetings between Toronto and Montreal are always a big deal, even when they take place on a training ground far from the Canada highway that gives this particular rivalry its name.
"Regardless of the fact that it’s the preseason, it’s Red against Blue," TFC newcomer Drew Moor told his club's website. "This rivalry probably runs deeper than anything I’ve played in so far."
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Cityzens vs. Cincy
New York City FC will be looking to stay perfect in preseason on Wednesday, when they take on expansion USL side FC Cincinnati in a friendly in Bradenton, Florida. Cincinnati features a number of former MLS players, including ex-Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union midfielder Corben Bone, who did this against FC Reykjavik on Saturday night:
