MLS roundup: Cyle Larin scores twice as Orlando City beats NYCFC
NEW YORK (AP) — Cyle Larin scored twice to help Orlando City coach Jason Kreis notch a win against his former team, beating New York City 2-1 on Sunday to move atop the Eastern Conference standings.
Orlando City has won three straight and has a two-point lead over Columbus and the New York Red Bulls in the conference. The loss for NYCFC ended its 11-game unbeaten streak at home.
Larin scored from Scott Sutter's cross in the 31st minute and extended the lead to 2-0 with a headed goal 20 minutes later.
Cyle Larin is too strong.
Larin's second goal of the day gives Orlando City a 2-0 lead. #MLS #NYCvORL https://t.co/VYH8PeSMKP— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 23, 2017
David Villa fired a long-range shot around goalkeeper Joe Bendik in the 74th to reduce the margin for NYCFC.
Kreis returned to Yankee Stadium for the first time since being dismissed in 2015 as NYCFC's inaugural coach.
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Clint Dempsey had a goal and an assist and the Seattle Sounders beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-0 on Sunday.
Defending MLS Cup champion Seattle (2-2-3) snapped a six-game road winless streak. The Galaxy (2-5-0) has lost two straight.
Dempsey gave the Sounders a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute after heading home Nicolas Lodeiro's cross.
Deuce! @clint_dempsey will knock these in all day. 1-0. #LAvSEA https://t.co/vqWpYVWpy8— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 23, 2017
Galaxy defender Ashley Cole tried to clear a cross from the Sounders' Joevin Jones, but Cole deflected the ball back into his own goal in the 35th minute. Jordan Morris made it 3-0 in the 44th, with Dempsey assisting.
Romain Alessandrini, who had scored a goal in three straight games for the Galaxy, missed four shots. His left-footed shot in the seventh minute was blocked, and Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei stopped his shot in the center of the goal in the 65th minute. Alessandrini also received a yellow card for unsporting behavior in the 41st.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Miguel Ibarra scored in the 72nd minute and the Minnesota United beat the Colorado Rapids 1-0 on Sunday.
United midfielder Ibson fired a shot from distance that hit the far post. Johan Venegas headed the rebound forward to Ibarra, who scored his first MLS goal with a diving header.
Just your standard diving header goal from a diving header assist.@Migue10Ibarra opens his MLS account! #MINvCOL https://t.co/HZoJ2Yk7QP— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 23, 2017
The expansion United (2-4-2), who rallied to tie Houston 2-2 on April 15, has won two straight at home.
Both teams missed early scoring opportunities in the first half. Ibson flicked a header from the edge of the 18-yard box, but a charging Christian Ramirez didn't get a foot on the ball and the shot missed to the right in the tenth minute. Kevin Doyle's left-footed shot from outside the box for Colorado sailed over the crossbar in the 17th.
Goalkeeper Zac MacMath made three saves for the Rapids (1-4-1). MacMath started in place of Tim Howard, who is serving a three-game suspension for profane language toward a fan during a game against Sporting Kansas City on April 9 and an altercation with a fan following the match, which Colorado lost 3-1.
