Don’t blink. You’re watching the fastest goal in #MLSCup history at 27 seconds, courtesy of @DiegoDv8. https://t.co/m3wsmpQ1RZ
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 6, 2015
The Columbus Crew proved they can score fast goals with Justin Meram’s effort just nine seconds into their Eastern Conference Championship against the New York Red Bulls, but in the MLS Cup final they picked a terrible time to prove that they can concede them too. Read more
All set for a 2,400 mile journey to Columbus. ???? #OnwardRoseCity #RCTID pic.twitter.com/V1wJo14Mjw
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) December 3, 2015
The Portland Timbers will face the Columbus Crew in the MLS Cup final and since Columbus will host the match, they’ve made some pointed additions to the prohibited items list for Mapfre Stadium.
Didier Drogba has been showing his MLS opposition who’s boss with 12 goals in 13 matches since joining the league, but in Sunday’s playoff game against Columbus, he showed goalkeeper Steve Clark what happens when you stop him from scoring. You get your leg pulled.
Clark had the ball at his feet at the edge of the box when Drogba saw an opportunity to try and make a tackle and strip him of it, but Clark got the pass off just in time and Drogba took him down, then pulled his leg as he tried to get back up. Because…reasons.
Drogba was shown a yellow card and Montreal went on to win the first leg of the tie 2-1. Our friends at Howler Magazine, meanwhile, got busy with photoshop…
The Portland Timbers and Sporting Kansas City concluded their playoff game with an MLS record 22-shot penalty shootout that ended with Portland’s keeper scoring and Kansas City’s keeper missing. But that was just the finale.
Before that, each side had four misses, but none were more incredible than Saad Abdul-Salaam’s, which hit both posts and stayed out.
The MLS Cup playoffs have begun and Juan Agudelo has taken the opportunity to remind you that he still exists (and he’s still just 22 years old). Agudelo opened the scoring in New England’s match against DC United with a picturesque overhead kick in the 15th minute.
It feels like forever ago that he was touted as the next big thing for the U.S. national team, but, again, he’s still just 22.
What a time to be alive!! pic.twitter.com/JrJEyTUXY3
— Toronto FC (@torontofc) October 15, 2015
Nothing can stop Sebastian Giovinco’s reign of terror in MLS, not even the fact that he began his Wednesday in Rome and spent the afternoon on a flight to Toronto. He didn’t start Toronto FC’s match against the New York Red Bulls (because he played the last 30 minutes in Italy’s 2-1 win over Norway a day earlier), but he did come off the bench in the 71st minute and seven minutes later, he weaved through the visiting team like a grandmother teaching a basket making class on speed.
Giovinco’s goal sealed Toronto’s first ever MLS playoff berth and it made him the league leader in both goals (22) and assists (12). And now we know for sure that he is impervious to both jet lag and MLS defending.
Didier Drogba has gotten off to a tremendous start in MLS, scoring eight goals in his first eight matches, but scoring prowess isn’t all he’s brought to the league. During Wednesday’s match against the New York Red Bulls, Drogba demonstrated what he’s learned from former manager Jose Mourinho on the art of getting under an opponent’s skin.
Welcome Frank Lampard. #NYCvTOR https://t.co/X9RdM8I2BC
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 17, 2015
Wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of the injured David Villa, Frank Lampard finally scored his first MLS goal to put NYCFC up 1-0 against Toronto FC.
It’s been a long road to this point for Lampard, who was first unveiled in New York back in July 2014. He immediately joined sister club Manchester City on a short-term deal for the 2014/15 Premier League campaign that was extended into the start of NYCFC’s inaugural MLS season.
He scored eight times for Man City and finally made his NYCFC debut in August. He missed a few more games due to injury and now, in his fifth appearance for the club, he’s scored a goal. Let the joyous anti-climax wash over you.
LA Galaxy v New York City FC was billed as the marquee match of the MLS season with both clubs loaded up with expensive, big-name talent. Though Robbie Keane, Giovani Dos Santos, David Villa, and Andrea Pirlo would all be on the pitch, the “British invasion” was the focus of the pre-match build-up as Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard would face each other for the first time in MLS (and roughly the nine millionth time overall in their careers).
The LA Galaxy will host New York City FC this Sunday, so to prepare for the match, they decided to make fun of their fellow aging European talent collectors.
NYCFC gave the Galaxy plenty to work with by allowing their big three — David Villa, Andrea Pirlo, and Poku Frank Lampard — to be photographed wearing white tank tops and looking greasy by New York Magazine for some reason. So the Galaxy recreated this shoot with Dan Gargan, Alan Gordon, and Nacho Maganto.