MLS roundup: Toronto FC, Impact, Whitecaps all play to different finishes
Sebastian Giovinco scored goal, added two assist
Tsubasa Endoh and Sebastian Giovinco scored in the opening 25 minutes while Jozy Altidore added one late as Toronto FC beat the Columbus Crew 3-0 on Sunday night in Major League Soccer action.
Endoh, rather fortuitously, got Toronto (9-7-6) on the board in the eighth minute when a shot from Giovinco deflected off his back which provided a spin that threw off Columbus (3-9-10) goalkeeper Steve Clark.
Giovinco was initially awarded with the goal but it was later credited to Endoh.
"Soccer has to be fun and I'm enjoying myself," said Giovinco.
"This is becoming apparent and at this point, I feel we've returned to the levels where we were last season where we need to be."
An unmistakable Giovinco goal happened in the 24th minute when he passed to Canadian midfielder Jay Chapman, who had created a little bit of room by nicely shrugging off his defender. Giovinco continued his run, got the ball back from Chapman and the diminutive Italian hit the ball first time with the outside of his right-foot which curled past Clark's outstretched right hand.
Altidore, who came off the bench in the second half, had his 87th minute shot deflected by Columbus defender Michael Parkhurst for his first goal of the season.
The victory gives Toronto the Trillium Cup, an in-season competition between the two teams that acknowledges their geographical proximity, after TFC and Columbus had drawn their previous two meetings this season.
Late goal gives Impact 1-1 draw
Hernan Bernardello scored in the 86th minute to give the Montreal Impact a 1-1 tie with D.C. United on Sunday night.
Bernardello, who signed with Montreal (7-5-9) on July 24, came on for Kyle Bekker in the 71st. His goal, off a feed from Matteo Mancosu, was his first in MLS play. He played 28 combined matches for Montreal in 2013 and 2014.
"This wasn't our greatest game against a team that was giving everything to get back into the playoff picture, but we were able to come back late on," said Impact coach Mauro Biello.
"I have to praise my players for how they pushed until the end and believed that they could equalize. We will take this point and move forward."
Patrick Mullins bounced a header, off the entry by Taylor Kemp, off the ground into the top-right corner in the 19th minute. It was the first goal of the season for Mullins, who was acquired from New York City FC on July 20.
"In the first half, we were going up and down, it was fast-paced," said Montreal midfielder Harry Shipp. "We could have done a better job at getting into the half and resting with the ball. But we found a way to get a point in the end, which is important."
United (5-8-8), which outshot the Impact 16-8, is winless in its last five games.
Montreal has just one loss in its last nine matches (3-1-5).
The Impact's Didier Drogba received a red card in the 81st minute.
Whitecaps fall to FC Dallas 2-0
Kellyn Acosta and Maximiliano Urruti scored to help FC Dallas beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 on Sunday night.
Acosta buried a right-footer in the bottom-right corner off a feed from Michael Barrios in the 56th minute. Three minutes later, Urruti slipped behind the defence and beat goalkeeper David Ousted from the corner of the 6-yard box, set up by Atiba Harris' feed from midfield. It was Urruti's sixth goal of the season.
"I think the game plan in the first half worked because they weren't able to score. We wanted to be in the game at halftime and we were," said Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson.
"They were the better team, deserved to win the game today and there's a reason they've gone 18, 19 games unbeaten at home."
Dallas' Chris Seitz had one save and has seven shutouts this season, tied with Luis Robles of the New York Red Bulls for most in MLS.
Vancouver (8-9-6) is winless in its last three matches.
FC Dallas (13-6-5), which outshot the Whitecaps 16-6, is unbeaten in its last three games and has just one loss in its last seven. It leads MLS with 44 points.