The Chicago Fire made it three wins in four MLS preseason games, beating Eastern Conference foe Toronto FC 1-0 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., on Tuesday morning. In another Eastern Conference clash, D.C. United topped defending the MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew, 2-1, while the New York Red Bulls are still in search of their first win after playing the Puerto Rico Islanders of the United Soccer Leagues First Division to a scoreless draw on Monday afternoon.
On the west coast, the expansion Seattle Sounders defeated Chinese club Shandong Luneng, 2-0, one day after handing the Los Angeles Galaxy a 3-1 loss at The Home Depot Center.
Chicago Fire 1, Toronto FC 0: Mike Banner struck for the game's lone goal in the 41st minute, placing a free kick into the top left corner of the goal, to lift the Chicago Fire to the victory against Toronto FC Tuesday morning at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
TFC had the first quality scoring chance of the match, but Chad Barrett fired his shot over the crossbar in the seventh minute. Johann Smith then carved out a good scoring opportunity in the 20th minute, but after escaping a challenge from defender Roland Paul Bebey Kingue and racing into the box, his shot rolled wide of the far post.
Danny Dichio entered the game on the hour mark and nearly made an immediate impact with a clever back heel to Sam Cronin. But his shot was saved by Fire goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra.
D.C. United 2, Columbus Crew 1: Luciano Emilio and Chris Pontius struck for D.C. United, which defeated the Columbus Crew in Bradenton, Fla., Tuesday morning. Emilio, the former MLS MVP, got things going for D.C. in the 22nd minute when he headed in a Mike Zayer cross past Crew goalkeeper Andy Gruenbaum.
Jason Garey equalized for Columbus, capitalizing on a gaffe by goalkeeper Milos Kocic in the 58th minute. Believing the official had ruled the Crew offside, Kocic placed the ball down and prepared for a goal kick, but Garey swooped in and knocked the ball into the open net to tie the score at 1-1.
Pontius, though, put United ahead for good when dribbled past a few Crew players and scored into the lower corner of the goal from nearly 18 yards out in the 76th minute.
Seattle Sounders 2, Shandong Luneng 0: Sanna Nyassi struck for a second-half brace to lift the Seattle Sounders to a 2-0 victory against Chinese side Shandong Luneng at Ventura College on Tuesday afternoon.
Stephen King set up the first Sounders goal when the lone holdover from the first half sent a ball over the top of the defense to Nyassi, who scored his second goal in as many games to give Seattle a 1-0 lead in the 56th minute.
Five minutes later, Nyassi nearly added his second, picking a ball off in the offensive third and blistering a shot from the right side about 15 yards out, but it went wide left. Roger Levesque was played in one-on-one after a nice combination with Sebastien Le Toux, but his shot was caromed off the right post in the 74th minute.
One minute later, though, Nyassi struck again. This time he drew the Shandong Luneng goalkeeper out, pushed the ball around him and slotted the ball into the open net for the insurance goal.
Seattle Sounders 3, Los Angeles Galaxy 1: Nyassi set up Levesque's game-winning goal in the 80th minute and scored an insurance marker in the first minute of stoppage time to lift the Sounders to a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Galaxy Monday at The Home Depot Center. It was the expansion side's first game against an MLS opponent.
Kyle Patterson's long ball from the right found Eddie Lewis inside the box and the U.S. international was able to place a low shot just outside the dive of Kasey Keller to give the Galaxy a 1-0 lead in just the third minute.
But the Sounders equalized 14 minutes later when Colombian Fredy Montero scored on a penalty kick after Steve Zakuani, the No. 1 overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft, used his speed to get behind the defense before being pulled down in the box by A.J. DeLaGarza.
In the 80th minute, Nyassi broke free down the right flank and sent a cross into the box which Levesque was able to finish, giving his side a 2-1 lead. Ten minutes later, Nyassi provided the final touch after Ryan Pore's cross from the left found the young Gambian midfielder alone in the box to tap home for the final 3-1 scoreline.
New York Red Bulls 0, Puerto Rico Islanders 0: The New York Red Bulls played to a preseason draw for a second consecutive game and remain winless in three matches after a 0-0 draw with the Puerto Rico Islanders of the USL-1 Monday afternoon at IMG Academy in Bradenon, Fla.
Four minutes in, forward Macoumba Kandji darted past his defender on the left wing before playing a dangerous cross that was booted away. Fifteen minutes later, Kandji again found space on the left side and passed it to a wide open Lionel Saint-Preux, but the trialist put the ball over the bar.
Puerto Rico's best chance of the match came in the 14th minute. Sandy Gbandi was able to create space on the right side of the 18-yard box and his deflected shot was punched away by goalkeeper Danny Cepero. Former D.C. United forward Nicholas Addlery got to the rebound, but Carlos Mendes cleared the ball away.
New York had two chances to take the lead in the 71st minute. Defender Ryan Mirsky was able to knock the ball to forward John Wolyniec, whose goal-bound header was cleared off the line. Moments later, Juan Manuel Perez Bernal was slipped through on goal but his shot was saved.
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