Feilhaber the difference as Toronto fall to Sporting KC.On Saturday evening Toronto FC returned to a...

Feilhaber the difference as Toronto fall to Sporting KC.

On Saturday evening Toronto FC returned to a full compliment of Designated Players as number two and number four in the MLS assists column faced off.

Unsurprisingly both Sebastian Giovinco and Benny Feilhaber had an influence on proceedings but it was the American that would take the three points and plaudits home with him. Opening the scoring with a calmly taken penalty kick, he would help restore that lead with a devilish free-kick that found the head of Krisztián Németh.

Tasked with beating Major League Soccer’s leader in goals + assists, Feilhaber now sits second in that list and has been central to Sporting KC’s success this season. Able to operate in a traditional number 10 role or somewhat deeper, Feilhaber is encouraged to play his game and take risks by Peter Vermes.

While on the one hand that sees Feilhaber record the lowest pass completion rate of Sporting KC’s 10 outfield players, it also means the club have a DP calibre midfielder dictating the game. Arguably matching the level of U.S. International Michael Bradley on Saturday at times he even surpassed the Toronto man in terms of influence, confidence oozing from every touch.

That will once again raise the discussion over why he and Bradley are not together in the U.S. Men’s National Team.

“It’s a simple answer, there are other ones ahead of him,” Jurgen Klinsmann said last month. Feilhaber himself admitted in an interview he does not expect a national team call-up anytime soon. However if he continues to perform at this level he will be impossible to ignore, even more so if he takes Sporting KC to their second MLS Cup title during his time there.

D.C. United prove versatile and ultra efficient in Montreal.
You may remember at the end of last week’s round-up I suggested D.C. United could benefit from recording a 1-0 victory in their next few outings.

Credit to Ben Olsen they did just that. A narrow win over the Montreal Impact, the slightness of their advantage was typified by the fact they took just one shot all evening. The first MLS team to take one shot and win the game, it is a polarising situation when compared to the game last week against Real Salt Lake (although credit to Ben Baer for finding an MLS win with even more attacking frugality).

@MLSist @thomasfloyd10 KC won a game in 1997 without a shot on goal. But they ended up winning in the shootout though.

https://twitter.com/BenBaer89/status/630203896053518336

Potentially showing the versatility of approach, their win was in part due to some wayward finishing from the home side.

No doubt frustrated Montreal fans will be pleased they have just acquired a brand new star forward in Didier Drogba, someone they hope will make sure these frustrating days at the office are a thing of the past.

Kei Kamara continues his quiet MVP campaign.
The current season of Major League Soccer has been all about the star names making their way to Major League Soccer after time in European football.

Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Sebastien Giovinco have all taken to the stage and turned in starring performances. Somewhere at the back, drawing less of the column inches is Kei Kamara. The former Middlesbrough man has spoken quite candidly about the fact he may not be the flashy name the cameras are drawn to.

“You’re either a US national team player or you’re a DP to be on there. I’m neither one of those,” Kamara said after initially being snubbed for the MLS All-Star game against Tottenham last month. “I just want to keep playing for the club and keep scoring goals because that’s what I do.”

A snub that serves as an indication of how undervalued he is in MLS, Kamara continued doing what he does best on Saturday with a brace against the Colorado Rapids. That takes him to 17 for the regular season - none of which have been from the penalty spot. Nearing 20 for the campaign, he is also edging closer to the single season scoring record of 27 held by three players (Roy Lassiter, Chris Wondolowski and Bradley Wright-Phillips).

Hopefully it will also bring Kamara some of the plaudits and credit he richly deserves. This season has centred around the designated player and their potential impact on a team’s performance. Giovinco has elevated Toronto FC into play-off contenders, while Kamara has made the Columbus Crew SC potential winners of MLS Cup with his fantastic displays in front of goal.

With his brace elevating him above the diminutive Italian in the goals column, it is likely the former Juventus man will collect the MVP award. However it should not be ignored how close Kamara is running him this season.

Dos Santos debut reaffirms LA’s MLS Cup credentials.
There were a lot of big names at the StubHub centre on Sunday afternoon and not all of them were on the field. Former LA Galaxy man David Beckham took in the game with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey as Bruce Arena named a mouth-watering starting XI.

Giovanni Dos Santos - the newest star in Arena’s galaxy took to the field in MLS for the first time and nabbed himself a goal during the 3-1 victory. Linking well with veterans Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane, the strength of this team is represented in the likes of Juninho and Sebastian Lletget. A shrewd pick-up from West Ham United during the off season, the American is the kind of move that has been a hallmark of Arena’s title winning sides.

Although they didn’t have it all their own way. Seattle Sounders fans can be forgiven for thinking Chad Barrett’s performance was a microcosm for their season. With the ticker tape still drifting through the warm Californian air, former Galaxy man Barrett silenced the crowd with a 1st minute strike - only to pull his hamstring during his celebration.

Depleting a Clint Dempsey-less Seattle starting XI even further, Seattle fans will comfort themselves with two very important facts - they have signed two experienced players this week in Nelson Valdez and Andreas Ivanchitz, and they are still likely to make the play-offs.

In the short-term that may not dull all the pain of watching LA Galaxy run rampant at the StubHub centre and hand them their seventh defeat in eight, but if Seattle manage to have the last laugh in the play-offs, few in rave green will care about the day Dos Santos dropped into MLS and made them pay.

El gusto de @OficialGio por los Minions llegó a las tribunas. pic.twitter.com/yLb6ceD4Jo

https://twitter.com/RodolfoLanderos/status/630482027247091712

Talent beats teamwork as Red Bulls make it three in a row against NYCFC.

The numbers do not make good reading for New York City FC fans; three games, three defeats, seven conceded, two scored against fierce rivals New York Red Bulls.

The third instalment of the emerging rivalry known as the ‘Hudson River Derby’ took place on Sunday evening and even the introduction of Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard could not earn NYCFC a win.

That is because the teamwork of New York Red Bulls has proven too much for their rivals in blue this season. Jesse Marsch has forged a clear and simple tactic amongst his squad and their direct, fast play overcame a central midfield that contained a veteran Italian midfielder still adjusting to the pace of MLS and lack of time he is afforded on the ball.

In the wider context, the result reaffirms the lack of cohesion and forethought that has gone into NYCFC’s business. Signing Lampard and Pirlo to play in the same midfield negates the fact neither is known for defensive contributions. As mentioned last week, Pirlo also had enforcers alongside him at Juventus.

Pirlo “defending”. #NYvNYC pic.twitter.com/dFqIDm2jYY

https://twitter.com/Ben_Jata/status/630542753978519552

Some fans have clamoured for Kwadwo Poku to play that role, but the Ghanian lacks the stamina to perform such a role for 90 minutes.

Meanwhile, Marsch deserves immense credit for his work with the Red Bulls. Enduring a tough introduction to the club - largely due to fans anger at Mike Petke being fired - he has lost star names and yet improved the side from last year.

Derby wins aside, they sit second in the Eastern Conference and look a sure bet for the play-offs, with a run to the final not looking out of the question for this industrious side.

Tifo from #NYRB fans. #NYvNYC #MLS #NYisRED #NYisBlue #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/ljjziPVF5I

Week 25 Results
Portland Timbers 1-0 Chicago Fire; Toronto 1-3 Sporting KC; Orlando 0-0 Philadelphia Union; Montreal Impact 0-1 D.C. United; Houston Dynamo 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes; Colorado Rapids 1-2 Columbus Crew; Vancouver Whitecaps 4-0 Real Salt Lake; LA Galaxy 3-1; Seattle Sounders; New York Red Bulls 2-0 New York City FC