The first weekend in MLS provided a lot of excitement and a great deal of surprises. Teams that I thought were going to triumph failed, and players who I had my doubts about proved to be here to play. Although it was only the first weekend, there are still plenty of headlines that have caught my attention.
Problems in ATL?
I'm sure many people had picked Atlanta United as a clear favorite to win MLS cup this season. With their high powered offense led by Miguel Almiron, Josef Martinez, and Hector Villaba, it's not difficult to see why this team would be one of the favorites to win it all. However, their 2018 campaign got off to a rocky start when they were utterly dismantled by the Houston Dynamo 4-0 in Houston. The Houston Dynamo looked sharp from the opening whistle, and found themselves in behind the defense of Atlanta on more than a few occasions. Even with the most high-powered offense, if the defense is un-organized then it will prove difficult to win matches. Not to mention Miguel Almiron, who is supposed to be the leader of this Atlanta team was unable to finish many chances. Which included a penalty kick in the opening minutes of the second half which would've instilled some more confidence in his team, and could've ultimately got them back in the game. Although this result is shocking, there is still some good news for the Atlanta United faithful. Their record signing in Ezequiel Barco is still out due to injury and can prove to be a critical element once he returns, and their next game is at home against a less than thrilling DC United side. So it is still too early to panic if you're an Atlanta fan. It was only the first game and I have a feeling they'll regain their form very soon.
LAFC Came to Play
"You always remember your first." That was the phrase uttered by the commentators as Diego Rossi weaned off in celebration after scoring a beauty of a goal in the 10th minute, to put LAFC 1-0 up against the Seattle Sounders. I was a little skeptical at first about whether LAFC would be able to calm their nerves and go out and execute, but early on it seemed like they were the better side. Their movement in the box was incredible, and they definitely kept the Sounders on their heels for the first 20 minutes. However, after their first goal in club history, the Sounders had a greater amount of possession, and led by Nicholas Lodeiro, and they were keeping the LAFC backline on their toes. However, their defense held firm and led by Laurent Ciman and former Sounder goalkeeper Tyler Miller, they were able to come out with the first win in club history. It's still a long season, but this squad has something to be proud of going into the fortress that is Century Link Field and coming out with all 3 points. But they need to start adding some more pieces if they want to continue on this path of success, because I feel that as the season progresses depth will become a huge issue.
Columbus Crew Make a Statement
Did anyone think the Crew would waltz into Toronto and shut out the reigning MLS champs at home? Yeah me neither. But it was clear from the start that this squad had something to prove. With all of the things going on off the field about the potential move of the Crew to Austin Texas, this team was able to put it all behind them and go out and perform. Frederico Higuain got involved all over the field and it culminated in scoring the first goal of the 2018 season for the Crew. All possession through the midfield seemed to begin with him and they were able to transition from defense to offense seamlessly. Not to mention Gyasi Zardes in his Columbus debut was able to score off of a lazer pass from Pedro Santos putting Columbus up 2-0. Everything seemed to click for them against one of the best teams the MLS has to offer. and although it was only the first game, I have a feeling this team is going to be a joy to watch this season.
David Villa is no Longer Alone
Up to this point in NYCFC's short history, they have relied on David Villa to provide the bulk of the goals scored. But with the editions of their young signings in Jesus Medina and Anton Tinnerholm, I feel they have finally produced a complete squad. Jesus Medina scored the second goal on his debut and Anton Tinnerholm was composed on the ball spraying the ball down the wing. This might be the team that can finally have some success in the playoffs And honestly their my pick to win the MLS championship. But they will need to be consistent as they navigate through the MLS season.
