MLS wrap: Fortunes differ for new clubs on debut

The Vancouver Whitecaps and the Portland Timbers made contrasting starts to life in the MLS as the league swung into full gear on Saturday.

The Los Angeles Galaxy’s 1-0 win over Seattle opened the campaign on Wednesday, but all eyes were on Saturday’s packed schedule as Vancouver and Portland made their MLS debuts.

A crowd of 22,592 crammed into Vancouver’s Empire Field to see the Whitecaps face Toronto FC in the competition’s first-ever all-Canadian encounter, and the home fans did not leave disappointed when their side ran out 4-2 winners.

French striker Eric Hassli scored the Whitecaps’ first MLS goal, getting on the end of a cross from Swiss midfielder Davide Chiumiento to stroke past Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the 15th minute.

The lead lasted just five minutes before veteran Canada midfielder Dwayne De Rosario capped a Toronto counter-attack with a composed finish, but Vancouver took a 2-1 advantage into the half-time break when midfielder Terry Dunfield struck in the 26th minute.

Atiba Harris made it 3-2 in the 63rd minute before designated player Hassli scored his brace to all-but wrap the game up, with Brazilian striker Maicon Santos scoring a consolation goal for Toronto, who are coached by former Ajax star Aron Winter.

It was no fairytale start for the Portland Timbers, however, who faced the heady prospect of travelling to reigning title-holders Colorado Rapids in their debut.

First-half strikes from midfielder Jeff Larentowicz, Jamaica forward Omar Cummings and former Celtic schemer Jamie Smith had Colorado well in control for much of the game, with target man Kenny Cooper claiming a late strike for the Timbers to ensure they did not go home completely empty handed.

Real Salt Lake showed why they conceded just 20 goals last season – breaking an MLS record in the process – in their 1-0 edging of San Jose.

San Jose had eight shots on target compared to the visitors’ two, but could not find a way past Nick Rimando in the Real goal.

Salt Lake captain Kyle Beckerman got the only goal of the game with his right-foot drive from outside the area on 64 minutes, with his side able to survive some unsure handling by Rimando as the rain tumbled down in the second half to claim all three points.

It was hard not to miss the irony in Omar Bravo’s two-goal debut in Sporting Kansas City’s 3-2 win over Chivas USA at the Home Depot Centre in California.

After fellow debutant CJ Sapong scored for Sporting in the first minute, Mexican international striker Bravo struck either side of half-time and was a nuisance to the Chivas defence for much of the match.

Midfielder Ben Zemanski added to veteran defender Jimmy Conrad’s goal in the 81st minute to ensure a nervy finish to the encounter. But the real story was Bravo’s double on debut against the sister club of Chivas Guadalaraja – the Mexican side where he made his name, scoring over 100 goals.

In his first competitive match in more than a year, Charlie Davies’ second-half brace spurred DC United to a 3-1 win over Columbus Crew at home.

Davies had been a passenger in a fatal car accident in October 2009 while on international duty with the US, and has joined United on-loan from French Ligue 1 club Sochaux as he bids to return to full fitness.

Thierry Henry’s missed penalty mattered little as 18-year-old striker Juan Agudelo celebrated his call-up to the US team with the New York Red Bulls’ winner in their 1-0 triumph over Seattle, while the Philadelphia Union claimed the same result at Houston Dynamo.

Dallas and Chicago shared the points in a 1-1 stalemate at the former’s Pizza Hut Park, with Brek Shea dismissed for the home side in the 55th minute for bringing down Uruguayan striker Gaston Puerari as the last man.