ATLANTA (AP) — Ezequiel Barco and Emerson Hyndman scored and Atlanta beat FC Cincinnati 2-1 on Saturday night in United's first game since losing Josef Martinez to a knee injury.
With Martinez watching from a luxury box and expected to miss much of the season, United improved to 2-0 before another huge crowd in its home opener, passing the first test without one of Major League Soccer's most dynamic scorers.
Adam Jahn started in Martinez's familiar striker spot, but it was Barco and Pity Martinez largely picking up the slack for the 2018 MVP.
In the 21st minute, Pity Martinez set up Barco for the first home goal of the year. Settling a towering pass down the right sideline, Martinez zigzagged toward the Cincinnati goal with Kendall Waston trying desperately to mark him.
Just short of the end line, Martinez delivered a pass that got past Waston, another defender and keeper Spencer Richey before Barco buried it from right in front of the net.
Atlanta extended its lead in the 55th. While United was controlling play just outside the area, Hyndman slipped inside, took a no-look pass from Barco and ripped a shot to the short side that eluded a diving Richey.
Cincinnati finally broke through in the 65th on Yuya Kubo's veering shot from about 22 yards out.
CREW 1, SOUNDERS 1, TIE
SEATTLE (AP) — Gyasi Zardes scored in the first half to give Columbus the lead, but Seattle's Raul Ruidiaz scored on a second penalty-kick attempt midway through the second half.
The match was overshadowed by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and the Seattle area serving as the epicenter of the virus in the United States. Clearly concern about the virus impacted the attendance at CenturyLink Field as the announced crowd for 33,080 was the smallest for a regular season MLS match in Seattle since the club's inaugural season of 2009.
Both teams are 1-0-1.
WHITECAPS 1, GALAXY 0
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Tosaint Ricketts scored in the 74th minute to give Vancouver the victory over Los Angeles, spoiling Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez's home debut.
Whitecaps defender Ali Adnan got a nice run up the right side of the box and made a perfect centering pass to Ricketts, who put it past goalkeeper David Bingham.
Chicharito was Major League Soccer's biggest offseason signing. The Mexican star has only two shots in his first two games, with none on goal.
Vancouver improved to 1-1-0 , and Los Angeles fell to 0-1-1.
TORONTO FC 1, NEW YORK CITY FC 0
TORONTO (AP) — Nigerian rookie Ifunanyachi Achara scored in the 81st minute in his MLS debut to lift Toronto FC past New York City FC.
Alejandro Pozuelo swept the ball wide to Richie Laryea, whose cross deflected off defender Ronald Mataritta to the far corner of the goal for Achara to head it in.
Coach Greg Vanney reached 100th victories for Toronto FC in all competitions.
Toronto (1-0-1) had a goal by Achara and potential penalty waved off by video review in the first half.
NYCFC dropped to 0-2-0.
D.C. UNITED 2, INTER MIAMI 1
WASHINGTON (AP) — Frederic Brillant and Yamil Asad scored and D.C. United beat expansion Inter Miami.
Rodolfo Pizarro scored for Inter Miami (0-2-0) in the second minute.
Asad tied it for United (1-1-0) on a penalty shot in the 59th minute, and Brillant scored in the 61st.
IMPACT 2, FC DALLAS 2, TIE
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Ricardo Pepi scored in stoppage-time goal to help FC Dallas tie Montreal.
Zdenek Ondrasek pulled Dallas (1-0-1) within one in the 83rd minute.
Maximiliano Urruti scored twice for Montreal (1-0-1).
RAPIDS 2, ORLANDO CITY 1
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) — Younes Namli and Drew Moor in Colorado's victory over Orlando City.
Clint Irwin made five saves for Colorado (2-0-0).
Chris Mueller scored for Orlando City (0-1-1).
RED BULLS 1, REAL SALT LAKE 1, TIE
SANDY, Utah (AP) — Damir Kreilach scored in stoppage time to pull Real Salt Lake even with New York.
Kreilach scored on a header for Real Salt Lake (0-0-2).
Cristian Casseres Jr. scored for New York (1-0-1) in the 13th minute.
MINNESOTA UNITED 5, EARTHQUAKES 2
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Ike Opara scored twice to help Minnesota United beat San Jose.
Jan Gregus, Robin Lod and Luis Amarilla also scored for Minnesota (2-0-0).
Magnus Eriksson and Vako Qazaishvili scored for San Jose (0-1-1).
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 4, DYNAMO 0
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Tim Melia had one diving save in Sporting Kansas City's victory over Houston.
Alan Pulido, Roger Espinoza, Gadi Kinda and Khiry Shelton scored for Sporting KC (2-0-0).
Houston dropped to 0-1-1.
FIRE 1, REVOLUTION 1, TIE
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Jonathan Bornstein headed home a cross from Djordje Mihailovic in the 70th minute to help Chicago tie New England.
Adam Buksa scored for New England (0-1-1). Chicago is 0-1-1.
