MLS Round-up: NYCFC struggle, Castillo’s call-up and Klopas departs Montreal.

Montreal lose more than the match in Toronto.
The days after Rivalry week can prove a difficult seven days for fans of teams that lose. For Montreal Impact they not only lost their match against Toronto 2-1 and their best centre-back - Laurent Ciman - to a red card, but also their manager Frank Klopas.

“It’s a results business, and 11 points in the last 11 games is not good enough,” said Montreal Impact Vice President Richard Legendre on Sunday.

It was a fair assessment. Montreal have not made for the most scintillating of viewing this season in MLS and although there is significant hype still emanating from the signing of Didier Drogba all is not well.

An early start to the season due to CONCACAF Champions League commitments did not help Klopas, however that does not mean there is surprise that Klopas is the first coach to be dismissed this season.

His inability to work with young players - most notable Jack McInerney - coupled with poor results justifies his departure. In his place arrives Mauro Biello as interim head coach. Biello played for the club prior their time in NASL and although lacking in managerial experience he knows the club well.

“We trust Mauro Biello for the rest of the season,” Legendre added. While on the surface that may not seem much in a league that does not have relegation, it is worth noting that Montreal have four games in hand on Orlando City in sixth position. Sitting just one point behind the expansion side there is still a very realistic chance they could make the play-offs, with Legendre hoping that a change is indeed as good as a rest for his team.

Castillo celebrates call-up with a goal in FC Dallas victory.
It has been quite the week in the life of Fabián Castillo. The Colombian winger not only surpassed his combined goals & assists tally for last year but also celebrated a call-up to his country’s senior national team.

A proud moment for the 23-year-old it has been a long road to this point for Castillo, who admitted in an interview with the Guardian he did not initially want to move to MLS. However after striking up a close bond with head coach
Óscar Pareja, the player has thrived and now looks a bargain buy for Dallas.

"We’ve been following him for a long time in the MLS, which has a lot of Colombian players. He’s been improving a lot,” Colombia’s head coach José Pékerman said when asked about Castillo’s inclusion.

Describing him as ‘quick’ and having 'a lot of skills’, Castillo reaffirmed Pékerman’s evaluation against Real Salt Lake on Saturday when he drove inside from the right and powered a shot past Nick Rimando. Another highlight reel moment for the youngster, his call-up arrives in the same week Sebastian Giovinco was recalled by Italy and validates the idea that younger players can earn international recognition while in MLS.

The difficult for Dallas now may be keeping a hold of him. Interesting European clubs, the question being asked is not if he will leave Europe but when.

Kreis calls out the players as New York City suffer another defeat.
As the old song goes; if you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere.

For Jason Kreis it is certainly proving to be a 'concrete jungle’ and now it seems the New York City FC manager is biting back. Just a week after David Villa said he could not earn the team success on his own, Kreis went public in questioning the commitment of certain players after their 2-1 defeat to the Columbus Crew SC.

“The players need to show if they want to be here and they want to be a part of this, because I know the coaching staff does,” Kreis said. “I know the coaching staff cares an awful lot about this club and the job that we’re attempting to do, but I’m not so sure that all the players do.”

While Frank Lampard commended Kreis, Andrea Pirlo admitted that if Kreis’ claims were true it would be sad. The Italian was found wanting defensively at the weekend as he failed to track Federico Higuain on a corner only for the Argentinian to head home and give the Crew SC the lead.

Far from his or NYCFC’s finest hour the defeats are piling up for Kreis as his squad continues to look lopsided. For a team with such grand ambitions failure to make the play-offs is a sizeable blot in their copy book. However one would imagine that with a steady off-season and the opportunity to refine the squad further they will look considerably better next year.

Unfortunately for Kreis time is the one commodity the City Football Group do not seem to have a seemingly infinite supply of.

D.C. blown away during their Atlantic Cup match with New York Red Bulls.
If the scoreline did not highlight how dominant the New York Red Bulls were on Sunday night, their nigh 60% possession and 24 attempts should have hinted at it subtly enough. A comfortable 3-0 victory for the home side shortened the gap at the top of the Eastern Conference as the two sides played out an almost carbon copy of the previous meeting at Red Bull Arena in March.

In an eerie turn of events Bradley Wright-Phillips and Lloyd Sam also got the goals that evening too as the home side won by one goal less. The truth is the Red Bulls are an incredibly difficult team to beat; emphasis on team. Even D.C. United who are strong defensively could not hold them back as they let in three goals for only the third time this season.

A team operating harmoniously, that understanding was never more evident than with their second goal. The star names may have left Red Bull Arena but in ‘Magic’ Mike Grella the Red Bulls have someone with a knack for creating something from nothing. His cheeky cross was volleyed home by Wright-Phillips as the former Charlton Athletic striker continues his march towards repeating his 27 goal tally of last season.

Credit to both BWP and the Red Bulls they have defied the critics this season. Unwilling to become complacent they will know the true test comes in the play-offs, an obstacle that has often tripped them up in recent seasons.

Seattle earn a win, bragging rights and a boost to their play-off hopes.
For Seattle Sounders fans, the Western Conference table has made for a nerve inducing picture at times this weekend. Another win for the in-form San Jose Earthquakes temporarily shoved Seattle out of the play-offs and added another dimension to their grudge match with the Portland Timbers.

They needed the perfect start and they got it when Obafemi Martins netted inside six minutes. The first half was well truly the home sides as new signing Roman Torres came up big for the Sounders at the back - just as teammate Tyrone Mears predicted.

Adding a second before half-time through Brad Evans’ penalty, the Timbers fans have every right to feel hard done by considering they finished the game with nineteen attempts and just one goal to show for it (compared to Seattle’s six_.

A gritty performance from the home side it contrasted some of the slick play we have seen from the Sounders earlier in the season. That versatility could prove very helpful in the post-season if they make it.

Meanwhile for Portland, with no Cascadia Cup to play for all attention must now turn to making the play-offs. The team has the pieces to make a solid run and now it is time to deliver on that potential.

Results Week 26

Friday

San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 LA Galaxy

Saturday

New York City FC 1-2 Columbus Crew SC

Toronto FC 2-1 Montreal Impact

Philadelphia Union 0-1 New England

Orlando City 1-1 Chicago Fire

Houston Dynamo 2-0 Vancouver Whitecaps

FC Dallas 2-0 Real Salt Lake

Colorado Rapids 2-1 Sporting KC

Sunday

Seattle Sounders 2-1 Portland Timbers

New York Red Bulls 3-0 D.C. United