With MLS First Kick a month away, it was a busy midweek for several Major League Soccer clubs. The Chicago Fire and Chivas USA have taken their training to Mexico. Both squads had positive results, with Chicago tying Queretaro FC, and Chivas defeating Irapuato.
In another international friendly, the Houston Dynamo played Swedish side Hammarby IF to a scoreless draw at a Home Depot Center practice field Wednesday.
The defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew were victorious in a pair of 60-minute scrimmages against the University of Tampa and Central Florida on Wednesday at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., while FC Dallas defeated the Colorado Rapids, 1-0.
Chicago Fire 1, Queretaro FC 1: Justin Mapp gave the Chicago Fire the lead on 34 minutes, but Queretaro equalized in the 90th minute on a goal by Edwin Castro Leo in a preseason exhibition match at "La Corregidora" stadium in Queretaro, Mexico on Wednesday.
Mapp received a pass from Chris Rolfe, took a touch with his left foot, stopped and then fired a right-footed shot from 25 yards out past Queretaro goalkeeper Jose Guadalupe Martinez to give the Fire the 1-0 lead. Leo tied the match when he slipped a low shot inside the right post from six yards out after an indirect free kick in the area.
Chivas USA 1, Irapuato 0: Chivas first-round draft pick Michael Lahoud scored the lone goal of the match as Chivas USA defeated Mexican Primera 'A' club Irapuato on Tuesday morning in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The match, which took place on Field 2 at Chivas de Guadalajara's Verde Valle training complex, was scoreless until the 65th minute, when Lahoud took a long pass from defender Ante Jazic off his chest and volleyed home a shot from 20 yards. Trialists Romбn Cuello, Eduardo Lillingston, and Diego Scotti all started the match for the Red-and-White.
Houston Dynamo 0, Hammarby IF 0: In the last match of their nine-day preseason trip to California, the Dynamo played Swedish club Hammarby IF to a scoreless draw at a practice field at The Home Depot Center Wednesday morning.
The Dynamo's best chance came in the 45th minute, when a Brad Davis cross found Brian Ching for a header, but his shot was saved. The game marked the first preseason appearances for Brian Ching and Ricardo Clark, who were with the U.S. national team, as well as third-round pick Danny Cruz, who was with the U.S. under-20s.
Ching and Clark started, while Cruz came on in the last 10 minutes and set up Chris Wondolowski for the game's final chance in the 90th minute, but the shot was saved and the match finished 0-0.
Columbus Crew 2, University of Tampa 0: Emmanuel Ekpo and Brian Carroll scored for the split-squad Crew in a 60-minute exhibition victory against the University of Tampa at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., Wednesday.
Ekpo tallied his first goal of the preseason, as Robbie Rogers sprung him loose for the match's opening goal in the 11th minute. Carroll notched the Crew's second goal on an unassisted score in the 46th minute as new coach Robert Warzycha fielded the same lineup that played against the U.S. under-20 national team.
Columbus Crew 6, Central Florida 0: Six different players scored and Steven Lenhart had a pair of assists to lead the Crew to a 6-0 victory over Central Florida in a 60-minute exhibition match at the IMG Academy Wednesday.
Pat Noonan started things off in the 8th minute with Steven Lenhart picking up his first assist. Kevin Burns, who made his return to the pitch after sitting out all of last season with an ankle injury, tallied for the Black & Gold in the 20th minute, and was followed by a goal from veteran midfielder Duncan Oughton in the 44th minute, thanks to another assist from Lenhart.
The Crew next got goals from two of its trialists, Ty Shipalane in the 52nd minute and Jordan Seabrook in the 57th minute, before fourth-year forward Jason Garey capped things off just moments before the final whistle by capitalizing on an Alex Grendi corner kick for the Crew's sixth and final goal of the match.
FC Dallas 1, Colorado Rapids 0: Kenny Cooper converted a second-half free kick to lift FC Dallas to a 1-0 victory against Western Conference foe Colorado in a preseason game Tuesday at the Central Broward Regional Park Cricket Stadium in Sunrise, Fla.
Cooper broke the scoreless tie in the 57th minute when his right-footed strike from 20 yards out curled over the Colorado defense and inside the left post past a diving Matt Pickens. Jeff Cunningham earned the set piece when he was fouled by Colorado's Stephen Keel on the edge of the penalty area.
The game opened up after the Dallas goal and Colorado nearly leveled five minutes later. Greg Dalby took Kwame Sarkodie's pass inside the 18-yard box, but FCD goalkeeper Ray Burse denied his lunging attempt from point blank range.
Pushing forward for the late equalizer, the Rapids had two more solid goal-scoring chances in the 85th minute. Sarkodie fired a shot from 18 yards out, forcing Burse to make a diving save. The deflection bounced to Jordan Harvey, but he was also denied by Burse.
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