MLS / Liga MX Report: Miguel Layún Makes it Rain Goals for America, Toronto FC Puts Pressure on Red Bulls in Playoff Race
Liga MX News
Miguel Layún's four-goal weekend shot the Club America defender near the top of the league in scoring, guiding his team past Santos Laguna over the weekend to maintain their lead in Liga MX.
Layún scored all the goals for America in their 4-1 victory over Santos Laguna, doubling up on teammate striker Oribe Peralta, with six goals for the year, leaving him third in the league in scoring. Layún, who struggled during the 2014 World Cup for "El Tri," missed three of the first six matches of the Apertura season but has regained his scoring touch for America since returning from Brazil, helping his team keep a four point lead, with 23 points, over Monterrey (19 points) and a five-point lead over Atlas and Toluca (both teams tied with 18 points).
Queretaro forward Camilo Sanvezzo still leads Liga MX with seven goals, tied with Monterrey's Dorlan Pabon, atop the league's goals leaderboard. Sanvezzo scored this weekend after being on the receiving end of a beautiful through-ball pass by Ronaldinho that forced the Toluca defender to hack Sanvezzo in the box, leading to a penalty kick converted by Sanvezzo.
In other Liga MX news, Guadalajara seems like they are on the verge of replacing head coach Carlos Bustos. Las Chivas are currently in 16th place, out of 18 teams, in the Liga MX standings. In their last three games, Guadalajara has lost two games and eked out a lackluster 0-0 draw this weekend against Puebla FC, having scored only one goal during that stretch. Pepe Mel, formerly of La Liga's Real Betis of Spain, and former Honduran national team coach Luis Fernando Suarez -- who guided the team into the 2014 World Cup, are rumored to be the next coaches in line to take over Las Chivas with Bustos currently on the hot seat.
Major League Soccer News
The Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy keep jostling for position in their quest to win the Supporters Shield, with both teams coming away with victories this weekends.
The Sounders defeated Chivas USA Saturday afternoon on the strength of Obafemi Martins' two goals, numbers 14 and 15 for the year, breaking the previous club record held by Eddie Johnson (14 goals). Martins, who is fifth in the league in goals, also assisted Clint Dempsey on his 13th goal of the year for the 4-2 victory over Chivas USA. Chivas USA's Erick Torres managed to score his 15th goal of the year, tying him with Martins on the league leaders list, but could not prevent Chivas USA from losing their seventh game in a row.
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The Sounders' win keeps them tied in the Western Conference with the Galaxy with 57 points for the season. The Galaxy thrashed the New York Red Bulls Sunday night, shutting them out 4-0. Landon Donovan had a goal and two assists -- tying former New England Revolution midfielder Steve Ralston with 135 career assist for the MLS record. Galaxy striker Robbie Keane scored a pair of goals, ending the game with 17 goals for the year (third-most in the league) while Gyasi Zardes notched his 16th goal of the season (fourth most in MLS).
The loss drops the Red Bulls to fifth place in the Eastern Conference, with Toronto FC nipping on their heels for the last wildcard spot in the East, after a huge road win over the Portland Timbers, winning 3-2 after being down two goals at the half. Nick Hagglund's two goals in the second half tied the game with Michael Bradley saving the day with a goal in the 89th minute to put Toronto FC just one point away (40 points) behind the Red Bulls for the last spot in the postseason.
Portland's defeat at the hands of Toronto FC puts them in a precarious position, failing to gain points as the Timbers, with 39 points, are chasing the Vancouver Whitecaps -- who beat Real Salt Lake over the weekend to stay ahead with 40 points -- for the last spot in the Western Conference playoff race.
In CONCACAF Champions League news, DC United qualified into the quarterfinals of the tournament last Wednesday with a win over Panama's Tauro FC after beating them 2-0 at RFK Stadium. DC United's Chris Pontius put a header in the back of the net early in the second half in the 48th minute, while Eddie Johnson, who came in as substitution in the 53rd minute, sealed the deal with an assist from forward David Estrada in the 56th minute of the game to send the MLS team into the next round of the tournament.
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