Sounders edge Toronto 2-1 in rematch of last 2 MLS Cups
Sporting KC down short-handed Atlanta United 2-0
TORONTO, May 10, (AP): Handwalla Bwana scored early in the second half and the Seattle Sounders beat Toronto FC 2-1 on Wednesday night in a rematch of the previous two MLS Cup finals.
Seattle won the championship in a shootout in 2016, and Toronto won 2-0 in December.
Will Bruin also scored for Seattle (24-2), and Stefan Frei made five saves. Jonathan Osorio scored for Toronto (25-1).
Tosaint Ricketts had a chance to tie it in stoppage time off Jordan Hamilton’s header, but Frei was able to re-direct the shot wide. Bwana scored his first career MLS goal, taking a through ball from Bruin and beating Bono between the legs in the 54th minute.
Seattle opened the scoring in the 25th minute when Bruin picked up a through ball from Magnus Wolff Eikrem, outran Gregory van der Wiel and beat Bono for his third of the season. Osorio tied it for Toronto in the 40th minute on a header off Sebastian Giovinco’s feed.
Sporting 2, Atlanta Utd 0
In Atlanta, Daniel Salloi and Gerso Fernandes scored second-half goals and Tim Melia came up with several huge saves, helping Sporting Kansas City snap Atlanta’s eight-game unbeaten streak in a showdown between the two conference leaders.
United played the last 56 minutes a man down after goalkeeper Brad Guzan was given a red card for taking out Kansas City’s Khiry Sjelton just outside the penalty area as be broke in alone. Rookie Paul Christensen, an emergency signee filling in for injured backup Alec Kann, made a big save shortly after entering but couldn’t hold off a Sporting team with an extra player. In the 67th minute, Salloi beat a diving Christensen just inside the right post. In the closing minutes, Fernandes took a long pass and went in all alone on Christensen.
LAFC 2, Minnesota Utd 0
In Los Angeles, Eduard Atuesta and Mark-Anthony Kaye each scored their first MLS goal – six minutes apart – and Los Angeles FC beat Minnesota United.
LAFC (6-2-1) extended its undefeated streak to five matches since a 5-0 loss to Atlanta United on April 7. Minnesota (4-6-0) had its two-game winning streak snapped.
Atuesta, a 20-year-old Colombian making his second MLS start, settled Diego Rossi’s pass at the penalty spot and slotted it home through traffic in the 31st minute to open the scoring. Minutes later, Kaye volleyed home Latif Blessing’s leaping header in the box. Tyler Miller had his fourth shutout of the season to help LAFC remain undefeated at home.
Crew 1, Union 0
In Columbus, Ohio, Gyasi Zardes scored his sixth goal of the season and Columbus kept Philadelphia winless on the road. Columbus (5-3-3) extended its unbeaten streak to four matches. Philadelphia (2-5-2), which has lost four of its last five, hasn’t won on the road in 16 matches.
Zardes’ 40th career goal came in the 53rd minute on an easy tap-in. Cristian Martinez ran to a loose ball along the end line and his cross got past goalkeeper Andre Blake to the open Zardes at the far post.
Fire 1, Impact 0
In Bridgeview, Ill, Chicago defender Kevin Ellis scored in the 89th minute and the Fire beat Montreal.
Chicago (3-4-2) has won three of the last five games in the series despite outscoring the Impact by just two goals, 7-5. Montreal (3-7-0) has lost five of its last six games. Chicago goalkeeper Richard Sanchez had his second clean sheet of the season.