Toronto FC blanks defending champion Columbus Crew for 1st win of season
Whitecaps fall to Minnesota United; Montreal edges Miami after lightning delay
Captain Michael Bradley scored a goal and helped set up the other as Toronto defeated defending MLS champion Columbus SC 2-0 Wednesday for its first league victory of the young season.
Bradley scored in the 13th minute and Jozy Altidore added an insurance goal in the 87th after Omar Gonzalez headed on a Bradley free kick to the burly striker, who nodded it home.
The score could easily have been more lopsided, with Toronto (1-2-1) hitting the crossbar twice. TFC also had a penalty appeal for handball turned down in the 82nd minute.
In earning his first victory at Toronto's helm, coach Chris Armas got a vastly improved performance from his team. TFC looked far more poised and less error-prone than in its previous league outings.
Toronto came into the game having won just once (1-4-2) in all competitions in 2021.
WATCH | Toronto FC blanks Columbus Crew:
It was a first loss of the season for Columbus (1-1-2), which was missing a slew of injured players. The Crew arrived unbeaten in eight straight matches (6-0-2) counting last season's playoffs.
Columbus's last loss in MLS play was a 2-1 defeat at Orlando on Nov. 4, 2020.
Bradley, enjoying more freedom to come forward under Armas, had a fine game with a rare goal and some deft playmaking.
Venezuelan international winger/forward Yeferson Soteldo, who saw 34 minutes off the bench in his debut on the weekend, made his first start for Toronto and looked dangerous in the first half. He was substituted in the 64th minute after a quiet start to the second half, with newly signed Jamaican international Kemar Lawrence coming on to make his TFC debut.
The five-foot-two 121-pound Soteldo, who took turns on the left and right wing as well as behind striker Ayo Akinola, delivered a probing free kick early on, and showed a good passing touch. Skillful on the ball, he promises to be a handful for MLS defenders.
Bradley scored early, on his second shot attempt after a goalmouth scramble that saw the ball hit at least 10 bodies following a Soteldo corner.
It was Bradley's 13th career goal in MLS and his first since Sept 7, 2019. It also marked just the second goal conceded by Columbus in four MLs games this season.
Armas made one change from the starting 11 beaten 2-0 Saturday at the New York Red Bulls with Soteldo replacing teenager Jayden Nelson. Altidore came on in the 62nd minute and hit the crossbar in the 75th after neatly making room for the shot.
Forward Dom Dwyer, formally added to the TFC roster Tuesday, did not dress.
Whitecaps fall to Minnesota United
Minnesota United have earned their first win of the season, edging the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 on Wednesday.
The Loons (1-0-4) broke the scoreless deadlock in the 72nd minute when Ramon Abila sent a header into the bottom right corner of the net.
The 'Caps (2-2-1) put more shots on target than United, but couldn't get a ball past 'keeper Tyler Miller, who had five saves to collect his first clean sheet of the season.
WATCH | Minnesota tops Vancouver:
Maxime Crepeau had three saves for Vancouver.
Minnesota came into the game on a four-game losing skid to start the season while the 'Caps were coming off a 2-0 victory over Canadian rivals CF Montreal on Saturday.
It's been a disappointing start to the campaign for a United side that made it to the MLS Western Conference final last year.
Vancouver had a great chance to draw even in the 87th minute off a free kick. The ball landed on the foot of Jake Nerwinski, wide open inside of the box but his shot went wide of the United net.
Johnsen's brace leads Montreal past Miami
Bjørn Johnsen scored two first-half goals and Montreal beat Inter Miami 2-0 on Wednesday night in a game delayed by lightning for more than two hours.
Johnsen raced past the defence in the 14th minute for Djordje Mihailovic's through ball and slotted it inside the near post. Eleven minutes later, following a Miami giveaway, Johnsen redirected Romell Quioto's pass off the post and in.
WATCH | Montreal topples Miami:
The match was stopped in the 47th minute after lightening strikes were reported in the area. Play resumed 2 hours, 17 minutes later.
Montreal midfielder Emanuel Maciel hit the crossbar in the 77th minute and fellow second-half substitute Erik Hurtado had a one-on-one opportunity denied by goalkeeper John McCarthy in the 83rd.
Montreal improved to 2-1-2, and Miami dropped to 1-2-2.
