Gashi's first MLS goal gives Rapids 2-1 win over Sporting KC
KANSAS CITY, Kansas (AP) — Shkelzen Gashi scored his first MLS goal in the 82nd minute to lift the Colorado Rapids to a 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night.
Gashi followed as Dillon Serna's 35-yard shot crashed off the crossbar and finished the rebound with a left-footed kick.
Luis Solignac gave Colorado the early lead, shooting past goalkeeper Tim Melia inside the near post in the 41st minute. Sporting KC equalized in the 77th when Dom Dwyer slipped away from defender Bobby Burling in the middle of the area for an open header off Connor Hallisey's cross.
FC Dallas had a 3-1 win at Portland to move to top spot in the Western Conference, with Michael Barrios, Fabian Castillo and Tesho Akindele scoring in the first half hour.
The dominant victory gave Dallas a measure of revenge after the loss to Portland in the Western Conference finals last season.
"Obviously very happy and pleased with the result," Dallas coach Oscar Pareja said. "But more than that, with the discipline and the work we put together here in a place that is difficult, that has been a challenge for us."
In the fourth minute, Jack Jewsbury's turnover allowed Akindele to charge into the Portland penalty area and lay off a pass to Barrios, who calmly slid a shot past Portland goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey for his third goal of the season. Another turnover by Jewsbury in the 26th allowed Castillo to race to the top of the area, where he chipped a shot over an onrushing Kwarasey for his second goal.
Three minutes later, a miscued shot attempt by Castillo went right to Akindele, whose shot deflected off defender Jermain Taylor and between Kwarasey's legs for his third goal.
Portland coach Caleb Porter was not happy with the mistakes.
"The first half was unacceptable. So I'll start off by apologizing to the supporters," he said. "It's a pattern. It's the fourth time now we've given up the first goal from mistakes. Mistakes on the ball and mistakes defensively."
Portland scored a consolation goal in the 67th minute when Dallas defender Walker Zimmerman's attempted clearance bounced directly to Darren Mattocks, who scored his first goal for the Timbers.
At San Jose, Fatai Alashe and Chris Wondolowski scored in the Earthquakes' 2-1 win over the New York Red Bull to end a three-match winless streak.
Wondolowski made it 2-0 in the 55th with his fifth goal in the season. He headed down Shea Salinas' cross from the top of the 6-yard box and joined Ante Razov in fourth place on the MLS career goals list with 114.
The Red Bulls, next to last in the Eastern Conference with three points from six games, have gone scoreless in all five of their losses.