David Ferreira went down with a potentially season-ending injury in the 52nd minute of FC Dallas' match with the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 23, things weren't looking so hot. The Toros had started the season with losses in three of their first four matches, were trailing the Whitecaps 1-0 and had just lost the league's reigning MVP. Impressively enough, the Toros came back to win that game.
MLS Week 9 Review: Who Needs David Ferreira?
Since losing the league’s reigning MVP, FC Dallas has turned around their season and is now riding a five-game unbeaten streak.
Even more impressively, they haven’t lost since. With their 2-0 Week 9 victory over the Philadelphia Union -- which entered the game having not allowed more than a goal in any match -- the Toros have now claimed 13 points in their past.
Mostly, they’ve done it by rediscovering the kind of defense that fueled their 19-match unbeaten streak a year ago. After allowing nine goals during the first 475 minutes of the season, they’ve allowed just one goal in the 425 minutes since then. In case you’re wondering, that’s a difference of about 1.5 goals per 90 minutes.
It would seem that at least part of that turnaround should be credited with the decision to scrap the Brek Shea-as-a-center back experiment and the installation of Ugo Ihemelu and George John as the starting tandem. In the seven games they've both started, FCD has outscored their opponents 12-4 and registered all four of their shutouts.
That stability also seems to have helped goalkeeper Kevin Hartman regain the form that he showed last year, when he put together one of the best seasons in MLS history. After allowing eight goals and saving just 56 percent of the shots he faced through his first five matches, he's allowed just two goals and posted stopped 86 percents of shots faced over his past five matches.
That the defense has improved is not necessarily a hug surprise, as Ferreira wasn’t exactly a defensive dynamo. What is a bit more surprising is that the offense hasn’t really missed a beat in his absence, as FCD have scored seven goals since Ferreira’s injury after scoring six before it.
Fabian Castillo seems to have replaced Ferreira capably, as he's moved to forward in the last four matches, which seems to better suit his skill set. Castillo had looked dangerous as a left midfielder, showcasing impressive speed, vision and on-ball skills, but had not scored or registered an assist. Since moving to forward, he has scored two goals. His breakout game may have come against the Union, as he assisted on the first goal and scored the other. That game also featured Schellas Hyndman's preferred 4-4-2 formation. It seems ludicrous to suggest, but the Toros seem to have actually improved since losing their best player.
Any Given Sunday...
MLS front offices take note: Going on the road for a midweek friendly is probably not the best idea. At least that's what people are blaming for the New York Red Bulls' 3-2 loss to Chivas USA, which showcased just how little difference there is between the league's best and worst teams. The Red Bulls defense looked particularly slow, allowing Justin Braun to score as many goals against them as they had allowed during their previous eight games combined.
Maybe that's not giving Braun his due, though. Once considered a potential United States national team player, the big forward had lost his starting spot and had gone 13 matches without registering a point. Given a chance only because of Marcos Mondaini's four-game suspension for breaking Javier Morales' ankle, Braun had probably his best game as a pro. The hat trick was the first of his career and showcased a variety of skills. His first goal came on a shot from outside the penalty area, his second on a nice touch near the goal, while the third was essentially a tap-in. The three goals equaled his scoring output in his past 22 combined.
The Stars Align
Don't look now, but the Los Angeles Galaxy and their three Designated Players are looking like a force to be reckoned with. All three of their DPs scored, accounting for all four goals in their 4-1 win over Sporting Kansas City. Landon Donovan scored twice, giving him three goals in the week and goals in each of his past five matches, a span that has seen him take the Golden Boot lead with seven goals. He's also moved into fourth on the all-time MLS goals scored list with 110.
The goal of the match, though, belonged to teammate David Beckham. His free kick from the top corner of the penalty area and about 25 yards out, curled just inside the near post.
Cascadia Cup runneth over ... with rain
The much anticipated first meeting of the MLS era between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers lived up to the hype in the stands, as supporters from each side were boisterous, but well-behaved and raised the bar with their Tifo displays. On the field, it was less compelling, as the rain severely hampered the play and the sides settled for a 1-1 tie. The Timbers once again scored on a set-piece, with Mamadou Danso scoring the 65th minute equalizer off a free kick delivery from Jack Jewsbury. It was the Timbers eighth goal off a set piece this season and Jewsbury's fourth assist, all on set pieces.
The tie was significant to the Timbers beyond keeping the Sounders from getting a head start in the three-team Cascadia Cup competition. It was also just their second road result of the season and showed they were capable of being competitive away from Jeld-Wen Field.
The real stars of the night, though, were in the stands. Timbers Army packed their 500-seat section and brought some impressive signage and Tifo up I-5. They were, admittedly, outdone by the hometown Emerald City Supporters, who unfurled a series of nine banners that blanketed the south end zone in about a half-acre worth of material.
The nine sheets paid homage to current and former players and coaches and highlighted the fact that ever iteration of the Sounders has a winning record against their Timers equivalent. Its final piece was the mug of Timbers' Public Enemy No. 1 Roger Levesque, which was accompanied by the words "48 seconds." Among Levesque's most infamous transgressions against the Timbers was scoring 48 seconds into their 2009 U.S. Open Cup encounter. Fittingly, Levesque picked up his first career MLS assist on the Sounders' lone goal on Saturday.
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