The Columbus Crew and Seattle Sounders put on an absolute show this weekend as the two sides combined for five goals in the highest scoring game of the week. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, there was the Vancouver Whitecaps, who produced the lone clean sheet from the weekend’s action with a 3-0 win over the lowly Philadelphia Union. Those two games are well represented in this week’s MLS fantasy recap as we break down the best performers from this past weekend’s action.
GK: David Ousted, Vancouver
Ousted was the only goalkeeper on the board to secure a clean sheet as he needed to make only two saves in a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Union. The Union did threaten at times, compiling nine shots in total, but they obviously didn’t hit the target enough to make him work. Ousted was good when he had to be. The victory and clean sheet bonus were good enough to put him over the top as the best goalkeeper this past weekend.
Honorable Mention: Jaime Penedo, LA Galaxy; David Bingham, San Jose
D: Nat Borchers, Portland
Borchers was all over the field for Portland in a 2-1 win over the Montreal Impact and while he is known for his defensive abilities more than anything else, he stepped up with the opening goal of the game to break a deadlock in the 64th minute. That was his second goal of the season and just his 12th since 2008. Borchers has consistently been among the best defenders in all of MLS and we saw another example of that this past weekend.
Honorable Mention: Tony Beltran, Real Salt Lake; DeMar Phillips, Real Salt Lake
M: Clint Dempsey, Seattle
Dempsey and Obafemi Martins were quiet early on for the Sounders but they really stepped up as the game progressed. It was only a matter of time before they broke through as Dempsey scored both goals for Seattle in their 3-2 loss to the Columbus Crew. Dempsey netted one in each half and was also the man in the middle that created a couple of opportunities for his teammates. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough as they simply failed to contain the Columbus offense, which now has the most goals among any Eastern Conference teams (15).
M: Pedro Morales, Vancouver
It took a while for Vancouver to wake up but when they did, the Whitecaps attacked in full force with three goals – including Morales’ winner against Philadelphia. Morales beat the offside trap and then put home the perfect bending shot past the keeper for the goal. That was his 12th goal as a member of the Whitecaps and served as another reminder of how dangerous he can be in the middle of the field.
Honorable Mention: Gil Barnes, Houston; Diego Valeri, Portland
F: Bradley Wright-Phillips, New York
The brace from Wright-Phillips was the difference in a 2-1 win for the Red Bulls over the rival New York City FC. He was a force throughout the game with four shots on target and was constantly in a threatening position. The Red Bulls will need Wright-Phillips to continue to be a force up front as they square off with the Union and he very well should be. The Union have given up a whopping 21 goals this season, which is by far the most in the MLS. No other team has given up more than 14.
F: Kei Kamara, Columbus
Kamara led the way for Columbus in its 3-2 win over Vancouver with a pair of goals – including the eventual game winner. This turned out to be a shootout and without question was one of the higher scoring matches of the season. Kamara has emerged as a very consistent threat up front for the Crew and it was no surprise to see him come through with a big performance over the weekend.
Honorable Mention: Federico Higuain, Columbus; Alvaro Saborio, Real Salt Lake
