LAFC showing flair for dramatic - MLS Week 5 News & Notes

LOS ANGELES FOOTBALL CLUB SHOWING FLAIR FOR DRAMATIC ON MLS STAGE
In just their second season in Major League Soccer, the Los Angeles Football Club are already showing they are masters of the dramatic victory.
Last weekend, Walker Zimmerman scored the winning goal in the second minute of stoppage time, capping LAFC’s comeback from a goal down for a 2-1 win against Real Salt Lake at Banc of California Stadium.
It was already the second time this season LAFC has won a match with the winning goal coming in added time, after Adama Diomande netted the game-winner in the 94th minute of the season-opening 2-1 victory against Sporting Kansas City.
Since coming into the league last year, LAFC has scored six goals after the 90th minute, tied for second-most in that time in MLS. But four of those have been game-winners – the most of any club – accounting for nearly a quarter of the club’s 19 wins in its history.
STOPPAGE-TIME GOALS AND GAME WINNERS (SINCE 2018)

FC CINCINNATI WITH SIGHTS SET ON BEST START FROM EXPANSION TEAM
FC Cincinnati are on the verge of getting off to the best start of any MLS expansion team through their opening five matches, as the club plays host to the Philadelphia Union at Nippert Stadium on Saturday evening.
FCC has two wins, a draw and a loss through its opening four matches, having now won two in a row following a 2-0 win against the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium last Sunday.
The seven points thus far are the second-most for an MLS expansion club through its first four games (Seattle Sounders FC had nine points in their first four games in 2009) – and would already rank as tied for fifth-most after five games.
Three teams have recorded nine points through their opening five games in MLS play, including Los Angeles FC last year (along with Seattle Sounders FC in 2009 and Miami Fusion in 1998).
BEST RECORDS THROUGH FIVE GAMES (EXPANSION TEAMS)

QUAKES’ CADE COWELL MAKES STATEMENT FOR YOUTH
While he is still looking for his full MLS debut, 15-year-old Cade Cowell of the San Jose Earthquakes still made a splash on a big stage last weekend.
Cowell scored the Quakes’ lone goal in their 2-1 loss to CF Monterrey of Liga MX in a friendly at Avaya Stadium. While the goal does not count toward the record books, Cowell would have been the second-youngest player to score in an MLS match had it come in a league contest.
In all, 20 players in MLS history have scored before they were old enough to vote at age 18, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the youngest still Freddy Adu, who was aged 14 years, 320 days when he netted his first MLS goal in 2004. There have been 89 different players to score at least one goal as a teenager, with 305 total goals scored by teenagers.
Cowell became the fourth-youngest player to sign an MLS contract when he signed in January, now one of 17 players in league history who became professionals before their 16th birthday.
YOUNGEST GOALSCORERS IN MLS HISTORY

Credit: Elias Sports Bureau
YOUNGEST PLAYERS TO SIGN MLS CONTRACTS

UNITED’S OLSEN BECOMES YOUNGEST COACH TO REACH CENTURY MARK
With his club’s 5-0 win against Real Salt Lake at Audi Field on March 16, D.C. United’s Ben Olsen became the 10th head coach to reach 100 career league victories.
The win came with Olsen aged 41 years, 317 days – the youngest coach in MLS history to reach 100 victories. Olsen was the youngest head coach in MLS history when he became United’s bench boss in August 2010. His first win came Aug. 22, 2010, in a 2-0 victory against Philadelphia.
YOUNGEST HEAD COACHES TO REACH 100 WINS

Credit: Elias Sports Bureau
MLS WEEK 5 – LOOK AHEAD
TORONTO FC vs. NEW YORK CITY FC
Friday, March 29, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #41)
BMO Field, Toronto, Ont.
8 p.m. ET (TSN; YES)
REFEREE: Chris Penso. AR1 (bench): Corey Rockwell; AR2 (opposite): Chris Wattam; 4th: Ismail Elfath; VAR: Kevin Terry Jr; AVAR: Robert Schaap
MLS Career: 144 games; FC/gm: 24.0; Y/gm: 3.8; R: 44; pens: 53
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Toronto FC 1 win, 16 goals … NYCFC 4 wins, 18 goals … Ties 4
AT TORONTO: Toronto FC 1 win, 7 goals … NYCFC 2 wins, 6 goals … Ties 1

• TFC made it two wins from two starts in league play in their last match, a 3-2 win against the New England Revolution at BMO Field on March 17. Ayo Akinola became the fifth-youngest player in TFC club history to net a goal (also adding an assist), while Jozy Altidore netted his first goal of the season.
  
• NYCFC reached a draw for the third time in three league matches to open the season in their last contest, a 2-2 result with Los Angeles FC at Yankee Stadium on March 17. Alexander Ring scored his second goal of the season, while Alexandru Mitrita scored his first MLS goal.
  
• The teams met twice a season ago, and NYCFC won both, the first time either team has won the season series. NYCFC won 2-1 on June 24 at Yankee Stadium; they have won two of the five regular-season meetings in the Bronx, with three draws. NYCFC then won 3-2 on Aug. 12 at BMO Field, their second win in Toronto (also in 2015).
  
• TFC has won just once in nine regular-season meetings with NYCFC, that a 4-0 win at BMO Field in 2017. NYCFC had won two of the first six meetings all-time, with four draws.
  
• The teams did also meet in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2016 – and Toronto FC won 7-0 on aggregate, winning 2-0 at BMO Field, then 5-0 at Yankee Stadium.
  

TFC:
Jay Chapman
collected two assists, the first multiple-assist game of his MLS career. Chapman had three assists in 63 appearances for his MLS league career entering the match. …
Jordan Hamilton
scored his first goal of the season, his first since July 7 of last year. …
Michael Bradley
recorded an assist, his first of the season. He has two goals and one assist from the two games this year.
NYCFC:
Maxi Moralez
recorded his first assist of the season, the first goal he’s been involved with this year. Moralez last year had eight goals and 16 assists, finishing tied for third in assists in MLS. …
Valentin Castellanos
collected his first career assist in MLS, in his 10th appearance. …
Ben Sweat
collected his first assist since last March 4, the season-opening game. …
Alexandru Mitrita
has taken 19 attempts at goal, tied for the MLS league lead.
CHICAGO FIRE vs. NEW YORK RED BULLS
Saturday, March 30, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #42)
SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, Ill.
12 noon CT (ESPN+; MSG)
REFEREE: Alex Chilowicz. AR1 (bench): Jeff Hosking; AR2 (opposite): Brian Dunn; 4th: Farhad Dadkho; VAR: Fotis Bazakos; AVAR: Peter Balciunas
MLS Career: 5 games; FC/gm: 23.8; Y/gm: 3.2; R: 1; pens: 1
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Fire 27 wins, 92 goals … Red Bulls 18 wins, 74 goals … Ties 12
AT CHICAGO: Fire 15 wins, 49 goals … Red Bulls 5 wins, 29 goals … Ties 9

• The Fire suffered their second loss in three matches in their last league game, falling 4-2 to Seattle Sounders FC at SeatGeek Stadium on March 16. CJ Sapong collected his first assist of the season; he has a goal or an assist in each of the Fire’s three games, with two goals and one assist.
  
• The Red Bulls suffered their first league loss of the season, falling 1-0 to Orlando City SC at Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening.
  
• The teams met twice a year ago, each winning on the other’s home ground. The Fire took a 2-1 win on April 21 at Red Bull Arena, then the Red Bulls claimed a 1-0 win on Aug. 11 in Bridgeview.
  
• The Fire win in the first meeting ended a six-game undefeated streak for the Red Bulls in the series. It also ended a three-game winning streak in the series for the Red Bulls in Harrison.
  
• The Red Bulls have come away with a result on their past four trips to Bridgeview (two wins, two draws). When the Red Bulls started the streak with a win Oct. 25, 2015 at Toyota Park, it was their first win ever in Bridgeview. The Red Bulls’ last away win against Chicago had come May 14, 2005, a 3-0 win at Soldier Field; in between, the Fire were unbeaten in 14 home games in the league series (9-0-5).
  

FIRE:
Raheem Edwards
scored his first goal of the season, his second since coming to the Fire at midseason last year, his fifth in 50 career league appearances. …
Przemyslaw Frankowski
collected his second assist in MLS, both coming in the last two matches. …
Fabian Herbers
scored his first goal of the season, his last in MLS coming May 13, 2017 while with the Philadelphia Union.
RED BULLS:
Bradley Wright-Phillips
has scored 10 goals vs. Chicago in his league career, tied for his second-most vs. a single club (along with D.C. United, behind New York City FC, 12).
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION vs. MINNESOTA UNITED FC
Saturday, March 30, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #43)
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
2 p.m. ET (NBCS-Bos; FS-North)
REFEREE: Allen Chapman. AR1 (bench): Brian Poeschel; AR2 (opposite): Eric Boria; 4th: Guido Gonzales Jr.; VAR: Alan Kelly; AVAR: Thomas Supple
MLS Career: 138 games; FC/gm: 22.5; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 32; pens: 62
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Revolution 1 win, 6 goals … MNUFC 1 win, 4 goals … Ties 0
AT GILLETTE STADIUM: Revolution 1 win, 5 goals … MNUFC 0 wins, 2 goals … Ties 0

• The Revolution fell to their third consecutive defeat, falling 2-0 to FC Cincinnati at Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
  
• MNUFC went down to defeat for the first time in 2019 following two wins to open the campaign last time out, dropping a 3-2 decision to the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park on March 16.
  
• MNUFC won the lone meeting between the teams last year, a 2-1 victory July 18 at TCF Bank Stadium, the first matchup in Minnesota.
  
• The Revolution won the lone meeting in Minnesota United’s expansion campaign, a 5-2 win March 25, 2017 at Gillette Stadium.
  

REVOLUTION:
The Revolution have yet to score a goal on their home ground this year, their Gillette Stadium shutout streak now at 196 minutes. All three of the club’s goals have come on their travels. …
Carles Gil
has put six shots on target this season. The rest of his teammates have combined to put five shots on target.
MNUFC:
Angelo Rodríguez
scored his first goal of the season, his fifth in his two MLS seasons. …
Jan Gregus
scored his first MLS goal, and
Romain Metanire
collected his first MLS assist. … According to Opta,
Darwin Quintero
is averaging 1.7 goals plus assists per 90 minutes this season, the most of any player with 260+ minutes played.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY vs. MONTREAL IMPACT
Saturday, March 30, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #44)
Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kan.
2 p.m. CT (CTV / TSN; TVA Sports; FS-KC)
REFEREE: Nima Saghafi. AR1 (bench): Matthew Nelson; AR2 (opposite): Jeremy Kieso; 4th: TBA; VAR: Christina Unkel; AVAR: Cory Richardson
MLS Career: 39 games; FC/gm: 27.0; Y/gm: 4.4; R: 6; pens: 16
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Sporting 6 wins, 20 goals … Impact 4 wins, 13 goals … Ties 3
AT KC: Sporting 3 wins, 10 goals … Impact 2 wins, 6 goals … Ties 1

• Sporting gained a result for a second successive match last time out, reaching a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on March 17. Johnny Russell scored the lone SKC goal directly from a free kick – the first by a Sporting player since 2015 (when Benny Feilhaber scored vs. FC Dallas).
  
• The Impact won for a second time in three matches, defeating Orlando City SC 3-2 at Orlando City Stadium on March 16. Ignacio Piatti netted a pair of goals, now with three for the season, giving him 100 combined goals and assists for his MLS league career (66 goals, 34 assists).
  
• The Impact won the lone meeting between the teams last season, a 2-0 win on June 30 at Stade Saputo. The victory ended a six-game undefeated streak for Sporting in the series, the Impact winning vs. KC for the first time since 2013.
  
• The last SKC win in the series came July 18, 2015, a 2-1 triumph at Children’s Mercy Park, which came at the end of a four-game winning streak vs. Montréal. The teams played to back-to-back draws in 2016 and 2017.
  

SPORTING:
Sporting return home riding a seven-home undefeated streak at Children’s Mercy Park, dating back to last Aug. 18.
IMPACT:
Maximiliano Urruti
collected his first assist of the season, his first since last Oct. 16 (when he was with FC Dallas). …
Orji Okwonkwo
scored his first career goal in MLS. …
Harry Novillo
collected his first MLS assist. … According to Opta,
Victor Cabrera
has 39 combined tackles won, clearances and interceptions this season, four more than any other player.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES vs. LOS ANGELES FOOTBALL CLUB
Saturday, March 30, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #45)
Avaya Stadium, San Jose, Calif.
12:30 p.m. PT (Univision)
REFEREE: David Gantar. AR1 (bench): Philippe Briere; AR2 (opposite): Gjovalin Bori; 4th: Alejandro Mariscal; VAR: Daniel Radford; AVAR: Fabio Tovar
MLS Career: 71 games; FC/gm: 24.5; Y/gm: 2.8; R: 26; pens: 14
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Earthquakes 0 wins, 3 goals … LAFC 2 wins, 6 goals … Ties 0
AT SAN JOSE: Earthquakes 0 wins, 3 goals … LAFC 1 win, 4 goals … Ties 0

• The Quakes lost for the third time in three outings in their last league match, falling 4-1 to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on March 16. Cristian Espinoza scored his first MLS goal in the contest.
  
• LAFC remained undefeated on the season, winning for a third time in four matches, defeating Real Salt Lake 2-1 at Banc of California Stadium on Saturday evening. Diego Rossi scored his second goal of the season, while Walker Zimmerman scored the match-winner in the 92nd minute – LAFC’s second game-winner in stoppage time this season.
  
• LAFC won both meetings between the teams in their expansion campaign, taking a 4-3 win on June 9 at Avaya Stadium, then a 3-0 victory Sept. 22 at Banc of California Stadium.
  

QUAKES:
The Quakes had their winless streak extended to 11 games, dating back to last Sept. 1, now the fourth-longest stretch without a victory in club history. … The Quakes have dropped their last six away matches, two short of the club record road losing run (set in 1998). … Both of the Quakes’ goals this season have come in the opening 15 minutes. They scored seven goals (from 49) in the opening quarter-hour in 2018.
LAFC:
LAFC’s four-game undefeated run to open the season is two games shy of their club-record undefeated streak, set three times during their inaugural season. …
Walker Zimmerman
has scored 10 of his 12 career goals in MLS over the last four seasons. …
Niko Hamalainen
collected his first career MLS assist.
COLUMBUS CREW SC vs. ATLANTA UNITED
Saturday, March 30, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #46)
Mapfre Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
7:30 p.m. ET (ST Ohio; FS-South)
REFEREE: Joseph Dickerson. AR1 (bench): Nick Uranga; AR2 (opposite): TJ Zablocki; 4th: Malik Badawi; VAR: Jorge Gonzalez; AVAR: Eric Weisbrod
MLS Career: 12 games; FC/gm: 27.1; Y/gm: 4.1; R: 3; pens: 4
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Crew SC 0 wins, 2 goals … ATLUTD 4 wins, 10 goals … Ties 0
AT COLUMBUS: Crew SC 0 wins, 0 goals … ATLUTD 2 wins, 4 goals … Ties 0

• Crew SC went down to defeat for the first time this season, falling 3-0 to the Philadelphia Union at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• ATLUTD reached a draw for a second consecutive match in their last outing, a 1-1 draw with the Philadelphia Union at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 17. Ezequiel Barco netted his first goal of the season.
  
• Atlanta United have won all four league meetings between the clubs, over their two years in the league. ATLUTD won both meetings a year ago, a 2-0 win on June 13 at Mapfre Stadium, and a 3-1 triumph Aug. 19 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
  
• The teams met twice in league play in Atlanta United’s inaugural season, the games coming two weeks apart, and the expansion side won both, taking a 3-1 win on June 17 at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, and a 2-0 victory July 1 at Mapfre Stadium.
  
• The teams met in the Knockout Round of the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2017, Crew SC advancing via a dramatic penalty kick shootout after the teams played to a scoreless draw over 120 minutes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
  

CREW SC:
Three of Crew SC’s four goals this season have come on headers; they had eight on headers last season (from 43 total league goals).
ATLUTD:
Julian Gressel
collected his second assist of the season, both in the last two games, now with 25 assists for his MLS league career (in 68 appearances). …
Jeff Larentowicz
collected his first assist of the season, his last coming last Aug. 19. … According to Opta, Atlanta United are holding a league-best 64.2 percent of possession. However, they are averaging 10.3 shots (2.7 on target) per game after averaging 15.0 shots (6.0 on target) last season.
FC CINCINNATI vs. PHILADELPHIA UNION
Saturday, March 30, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #47)
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
7:30 p.m. ET (WSTR – Star 64; PHL 17)
REFEREE: Rubiel Vazquez. AR1 (bench): Logan Brown; AR2 (opposite): Mike Kampmeinert; 4th: Matthew Franz; VAR: Ricardo Salazar; AVAR: Craig Lowry
MLS Career: 10 games; FC/gm: 20.7; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 4; pens: 3
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: First meeting

• FC Cincinnati won for a second consecutive match, extending their undefeated streak to three games, defeating the New England Revolution 2-0 at Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Kekuta Manneh scored his first FCC goal and also added an assist, on the first MLS goal by Kenny Saief.
  
• The Union won for the first time this season, defeating Columbus Crew SC 3-0 at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday evening. David Accam scored a pair of goals, his first multiple-goal game since moving to Philadelphia.
  
• The teams are meeting for the first time in FC Cincinnati’s inaugural MLS season.
  

FCC:
Kekuta Manneh
had a goal and an assist in the same game for the sixth time in his MLS career. …
Kenny Saief
collected his second assist, to go with his goal. …
Emmanuel Ledesma
recorded his first MLS assist. … FC Cincinnati has had seven different goalscorers this season, the most in MLS. Only two other clubs have had more than five different goalscorers.
UNION:
Ilsinho
scored his first goal of the season, his last coming last Oct. 6. …
Haris Medunjanin
and
Fafa Picault
each collected their first assist of the year, the last for both coming last Oct. 6. …
Carlos Miguel Coronel
was credited with one save in recording the shutout in his MLS debut.
COLORADO RAPIDS vs. HOUSTON DYNAMO
Saturday, March 30, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #48)
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colo.
7 p.m. MT (Altitude; KUBE 57)
REFEREE: Marcos de Oliveira. AR1 (bench): Jose da Silva; AR2 (opposite): Eduardo Mariscal; 4th: Timothy Ford; VAR: Luis Guardia; AVAR: Jozef Batko
MLS Career: 18 games; FC/gm: 24.6; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 2; pens: 5
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Rapids 11 wins, 37 goals … Dynamo 9 wins, 34 goals … Ties 8
AT COLORADO: Rapids 8 wins, 19 goals … Dynamo 3 wins, 10 goals … Ties 4

• The Rapids remained winless on the season, suffering a second loss in four outings, falling 2-1 to FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
  
• The Dynamo remained undefeated for the season with a second consecutive win in their last match, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3-2 at BBVA Compass Stadium on March 16. Memo Rodríguez scored a pair of goals, while Alberth Elis played a part in all three goals (one goal, two assists).
  
• The teams met twice a season ago, the Dynamo claiming a 2-0 win on June 9 at BBVA Compass Stadium, and also reaching a goalless draw July 14 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
  
• The Dynamo win was their first in the series since 2015, ending a four-game Rapids undefeated streak in the series, and just their second vs. Colorado since 2009, the Rapids going 8-1-6 in the series since a 1-0 Dynamo win at Robertson Stadium on April 19 of that year.
  
• The Dynamo haven’t won at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park since 2008, the Rapids now undefeated in their last eight home meetings with Houston (5-0-3). The Dynamo win in the first meeting last year ended a two-game Rapids winning streak at BBVA Compass Stadium.
  

RAPIDS:
Tommy Smith
scored the Rapids goal, his last coming on Decision Day (Oct. 28) last year, his fourth goal in his first MLS season.
DYNAMO:
Mauro Manotas
collected his first assist of the season, now with a goal or an assist in all three league matches this year, with two goals and one assist.
REAL SALT LAKE vs. FC DALLAS
Saturday, March 30, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #49)
Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah
7 p.m. MT (KMYU-12; FCDTV Network)
REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. AR1 (bench): Corey Parker; AR2 (opposite): Chris Elliott; 4th: Mark Allatin; VAR: Geoff Gamble; AVAR: Sean Hurd
MLS Career: 270 games; FC/gm: 25.2; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 96; pens: 102
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Real 12 wins, 44 goals … FC Dallas 19 wins, 56 goals … Ties 7
AT SALT LAKE: Real 11 wins, 31 goals … FC Dallas 6 wins, 22 goals … Ties 4

• Real Salt Lake suffered a second consecutive defeat, falling 2-1 to Los Angeles FC at Banc of California Stadium on Saturday evening. RSL started six Homegrown Players in the match, the most to start in an MLS match in league history.
  
• FC Dallas won for a second time in three matches, defeating the Colorado Rapids 2-1 at Toyota Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Michael Barrios scored his second goal of the season as FCD started five Homegrown Players, tying the MLS record (until it was passed by Real Salt Lake later in the evening).
  
• Real Salt Lake won the last meeting between the teams, a 2-0 victory last July 7 at Rio Tinto Stadium, snapping a four-game winless streak in the series.
  
• The teams also met last March 3 at Toyota Stadium, playing to a 1-1 draw. RSL is 1-13-3 at FC Dallas all-time in league games between the clubs, FCD undefeated in the last five meetings there. FC Dallas has also won a home game in the MLS Cup Playoffs (in 2010) and a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal (in 2011). The lone RSL win in Frisco came July 13, 2013, a 3-0 victory.
  

REAL:
Damir Kreilach
converted a penalty kick for his first goal of the season; he had 12 goals last year in his first MLS campaign. … Real saw their road winless streak extended to six matches. … In all, seven Homegrown Players saw the field for RSL (
Aaron Herrera, Erik Holt, Brooks Lennon, Sebastian Saucedo, Tate Schmitt, Donny Toia
started;
Luis Arriaga
came on as a substitute). … According to Opta, more than half of Real Salt Lake’s shots this season have come from outside the box (56.4 percent). Only Atlanta has taken a higher percentage of shots from outside the box.
FCD:
Ryan Hollingshead
scored his first goal of the year, his last coming last May 30, his lone goal of the 2018 league season. … FC Dallas started five Homegrown Players for the fourth time in club history (
Reggie Cannon, Edwin Cerrillo, Jesus Ferreira, Jesse Gonzalez, Paxton Pomykal
), and a sixth came on as a substitute (17-year-old
Thomas Roberts
, making his MLS debut).
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC vs. SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
Saturday, March 30, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #50)
BC Place, Vancouver, B.C.
7 p.m. PT (TSN; JOEtv)
REFEREE: Robert Sibiga. AR1 (bench): Kyle Atkins; AR2 (opposite): Michael Barwegen; 4th: Ramy Touchan; VAR: Edvin Jurisevic; AVAR: Rene Parra
MLS Career: 76 games; FC/gm: 22.3; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 17; pens: 20
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Whitecaps FC 7 wins, 27 goals … Sounders FC 10 wins, 33 goals … Ties 5
AT VANCOUVER: Whitecaps FC 3 wins, 13 goals … Sounders FC 5 wins, 18 goals … Ties 4

• Whitecaps FC suffered their third loss in three outings in their last match, falling 3-2 to the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium. Fredy Montero scored his first goal in his return to the club.
  
• Sounders FC won their third game on the trot, rolling to a 4-2 win against the Chicago Fire at SeatGeek Stadium on March 16. Jordan Morris and Raúl Ruídiaz each scored their league-leading third goals of the season while Nicolas Lodeiro scored his first to go with a league-leading three assists; Sounders FC have started a season 3-0-0 for the first time since their inaugural MLS season of 2009.
  
• Sounders FC won both meetings between the clubs a season ago, taking a 2-0 win on July 21 at CenturyLink Field, then a 2-1 triumph Sept. 15 at BC Place. Sounders FC have won the past three meetings in Seattle, over the last three seasons. Sounders FC have come away with points on five of their last six visits to BC Place, over the last four seasons.
  
• The teams have met the most times of any rivalry in soccer history in the USA and Canada. Since the clubs first met at Empire Stadium on June 9, 1974, in the old North American Soccer League, they have played 135 times over all competitions. The Sounders have won 65, the Whitecaps 49, and there have been 21 draws.
  

WHITECAPS FC:
The last MLS goal for
Fredy Montero
came Sept. 23, 2017, his last of 13 goals that season. Montero scored in double digits in each of his first five MLS seasons. …
Lass Bangoura
scored his first MLS goal.
SOUNDERS FC:
Raúl Ruídiaz
scored in a sixth consecutive league match, dating back to last Sept. 29, with eight goals over that span, tied for the sixth-longest goalscoring streak in MLS history. Ruídiaz has scored in each of his last eight matches in MLS competition (league and playoffs). …
Jordan Morris
collected his first assist of the season, his last coming Aug. 12, 2017. …
Nicolas Lodeiro
has at least one goal and one assist in the same game for the sixth time in his MLS career. Lodeiro has 10 assists over his last seven league matches. …
Victor Rodríguez
scored his first goal of the season; he had two assists in the season opener. …
Brad Smith
collected his second MLS assist, in his ninth career appearance.
ORLANDO CITY SC vs. D.C. UNITED
Sunday, March 31, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #51)
Orlando City Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
6:30 p.m. ET (FS1 / FOX Deportes)
REFEREE: Armando Villarreal. AR1 (bench): Jeffrey Greeson; AR2 (opposite): Andrew Bigelow; 4th: Chris Penso; VAR: Hilario Grajeda; AVAR: Kevin Klinger
MLS Career: 117 games; FC/gm: 22.4; Y/gm: 3.1; R: 26; pens: 28
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Orlando City 4 wins, 14 goals … D.C. United 4 wins, 14 goals … Ties 1
AT ORLANDO: Orlando City 3 wins, 8 goals … D.C. United 1 win, 4 goals … Ties 1

• Orlando City SC won their first game of the season, getting the game’s only goal from Sacha Kljestan for a victory against the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening. The victory ended a 15-game road winless streak for OCSC, their first on the road since last April 29 at Colorado.
  
• D.C. United remained undefeated and unscored upon this season in their last match, a 5-0 win against Real Salt Lake at Audi Field on March 16. United have not lost a league game since last August, now 13 games without a defeat, one short of the club record (set in 2006).
  
• Wayne Rooney scored his first hat trick in MLS for D.C.; he had seven while playing in the English Premier League, seventh-most all-time in that league. Bill Hamid extended his personal shutout streak to 372 minutes in recording his third shutout of the season, the streak 39 minutes shy of his personal record shutout streak in MLS.
  
• D.C. United won the second meeting between the teams last year, a 3-2 victory Aug. 12 in the first matchup at Audi Field, ending a four-game undefeated streak for Orlando City SC in the series.
  
• OCSC have a four-game home undefeated streak alive in the series, D.C. United winning for the only time in Orlando in the first meeting ever between the clubs in 2015. Orlando City have won once in D.C., ended their RFK Stadium history with a 2-1 win on Sept. 9, 2017.
  

OCSC:
Sacha Kljestan
last scored last Oct. 21, now with 38 goals for his MLS league career (to go with 90 assists). …
Dom Dwyer
collected his second assist of the season, now with two for the year; he has a goal or an assist in each of the four league matches this year (two goals, two assists). …
Joao Moutinho
collected his first career MLS assist, in his Orlando City debut (his 15th league appearance). Moutinho was the No. 1 overall selection by Los Angeles FC in the 2018 SuperDraft.
UNITED:
Wayne Rooney
added his second assist of the season; he has been involved in five of United’s seven goals this season. …
Junior Moreno
collected two assists, his first multiple-assist game in MLS. Moreno now has three assists this season; he had two in 20 appearances in his first MLS season last year. …
Luciano Acosta
collected his second assist of the season. …
Ulises Segura
scored his first goal of the season, his third in his two MLS seasons. …
Lucas
Rodríguez
scored his first MLS goal.
LA GALAXY vs. PORTLAND TIMBERS
Sunday, March 31, 2019 (Week 5, MLS Game #52)
Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, Calif.
6 p.m. PT (ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes)
REFEREE: Ted Unkel. AR1 (bench): Frank Anderson; AR2 (opposite): Mike Rottersman; 4th: Alejandro Mariscal; VAR: Kevin Stott; AVAR: Cameron Blanchard
MLS Career: 80 games; FC/gm: 23.6; Y/gm: 4.0; R: 28; pens: 46
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: Galaxy 8 wins, 35 goals … Timbers 6 wins, 29 goals … Ties 6
AT GALAXY: Galaxy 6 wins, 22 goals … Timbers 2 wins, 12 goals … Ties 3

• The Galaxy won for the second time in three games in their last match, a 3-2 victory against Minnesota United FC at Dignity Health Sports Park on March 16. Sebastian Lletget scored the eventual game-winner in the 81st minute, while Jonathan dos Santos and Chris Pontius also scored.
  
• The Timbers went a third consecutive match without a victory, falling 3-0 to FC Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium on March 16. The Timbers became the first team in MLS history to concede three goals or more in their opening three games of a season.
  
• The teams met twice a year ago. The Galaxy took a 2-1 win on March 4 in Carson; the clubs then reached a 1-1 draw June 2 at Providence Park.
  
• The Timbers have won just twice all-time at StubHub Center, last in a 1-0 victory March 12, 2017. The Timbers have won once in the last five home games in the series, a 3-1 win on Aug. 6, 2017, their first vs. the Galaxy in Portland since 2013.
  

GALAXY:
Jonathan dos Santos
converted a penalty kick for his fourth MLS goal, his last coming last Sept. 1. …
Chris Pontius
now has 51 goals for his MLS league career, one of 65 players to have reached the half-century mark and 16th-most among active players. …
Sebastian Lletget
scored his first goal since netting in back-to-back games last Aug. 11-14. …
Uriel Antuna
had his first career MLS assist. … According to Opta, the Galaxy completed 500 of their 577 passes against Minnesota United, the fifth time since 2010 they've completed 500+ in a league game, and first time since 2016.
TIMBERS:
The Timbers are the third team to begin a long season-opening road spell without a win in their first three games. The LA Galaxy went winless in all eight games while awaiting the opening of the The Home Depot Center in 2003, while the Chicago Fire went 0-1-2 before a first away win while Toyota Park was being completed in 2006. The Timbers will play their first 12 games away from Providence Park this season.