So that's how you beat them...

So the streak is over - Sporting Kansas City's seven game winning start to the season finally came unstuck at Portland, where the Timbers also arrested their own record-breaking slide with the victory.

Sporting's early season performances have been straight out of the 2011 Galaxy playbook of defensive solidity allied with an ability to take their chances when they arise and a tendency to squeeze the life out of their opponents. In midweek they faced a lively Vancouver side and swept them aside 3-1, despite having only 2 shots on target. Martin Bonjour's unfortunate own goal in that game was sandwiched by Aurelien Collin's scrambled finish and Kamara's deft flick home from Chance Myer's cross. Collin and Myers were to be key figures again in the Timbers game, but for very different reasons.

Collin came into the Portland fixture having been an unlikely goalscorer in his previous two games, having shown a real willingness to get forward from the heart of defense. But his defensive duties dominated in this game, as his personal battle with Kris Boyd set the tone for the match, as the two skinheads harried, clashed, harangued and generally bullied their way through the game (both Boyd and Collin picked up bookings for their troubles). Boyd didn't score (again), so a minor victory of sorts for Collin, but nor did Portland back down from a KC side they clearly felt were there for the taking, after their tough week on the road.

Myers meanwhile is a more traditional non-scoring defender (he's never scored in MLS), though you wouldn't have known it on Saturday night, when he executed a beautiful diving header, despite the close attention of Julio Cesar, to send the ball crashing past the keeper. Unfortunately the keeper was Jimmy Nielsen and for the second game running an own goal proved decisive for Sporting KC - this time not in their favour.

It might not give too much heart to Sporting's pursuers, that the only defeat on their record was self-inflicted, but Portland's decision to put Palmer and Chara in positions to physically compete with Sporting's midfield paid dividends and may offer some further clues for those willing to risk going toe to toe with them. Despite their midweek exertions, Sporting had not showed up cautiously here (a mark of the confidence brought on by their start to the season), but watching Portland refuse to be bullied was a reminder of how important a physical dominance, alongside their more vaunted patient build up play, has been for SKC this year - and what can happen when it's challenged.

For their part, Portland fans must have tensed slightly as the clock ticked past the 75 minute mark, after their propensity to give up late goals this season - but they held out to give some cheer to the Timbers Army - and the rest of MLS. GP

Toronto's recovery thwarted in just 30 seconds (twice)

Aron Winter is not a man given to excess emotion. So the sight of him turning away in disgust at the sight of Chicago's first goal yesterday was positively operatic in scale. It was understandable - he has pinned so much defensive hope on the returning Torsten Frings, so to see the German dispossessed on the edge of the box with 20 seconds gone, and then to see Oduro calmly knocking in the first goal 5 seconds later, must have been particularly galling for a coach who can't catch a break right now.

Now Toronto's task began to look really daunting. As the half hour came up, it marked the 300th minute without a home goal this season and despite some lively approach play, it just wasn't looking like that was about to change. So when Reggie Lambe stepped up to score a magnificent goal from the edge of the box (one that was still rising as it hit the top corner), then followed it up four minutes later with an opportunistic shot home from a deflected cross, it must have seemed like a rare gift from the gods for Winter - not that his impassive face betrayed it.

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He was right not to show relief. Toronto had experienced the unprecedented giddy heights of holding an MLS lead for just 30 seconds in 2012, when Lambe turned villain - allowing Segares in to equalize at the back post. From there Nyarko's second half winner for Chicago was almost expected and despite a late rally when Frings was pushed into a more advanced position, Toronto ended up with another defeat in the books.

Will Winter persist with a back 3 built round Frings? Or will he accept the speed and stamina trade offs of trying to use him in a more advanced position, whilst understanding he'll get less minutes out of him that way in a more physically demanding area of the field? It's a particular MLS DP problem also known as the "Marquez Dilemma" - do you ask a player to function at a shadow of his former best in a familiar position, or do you try to build the team round his limitations to try and get a different kind of sustained value from him? Winter has gone for the latter and at the moment it's not working.

Toronto would probably love the spotlight to be shifted off them by a rest week right now, but a trip to Salt Lake awaits next week. Meanwhile Chicago will be relieved to have played a full 90 minutes for the first time in weeks after their return from their own rest week was stymied by thunderstorms in last Sunday's game v Houston (with the game delayed and ultimately abandoned just after the hour mark). On a side note, there was some relief from the frustration as the Section 8 fans turned out, despite the lashing rain, to launch a new tifo whose inclusive message was perhaps all the more pertinent given the day's opponents, who were playing without the still-suspended Colin Clark. GP

San Jose Reach The Summit

Injuries, suspensions and fixtures were piling up for San Jose and into town came Western Conference leaders Real Salt Lake. But it is now the Earthquakes who lead the West. SJ had a little help from reckless RSL challenges — which saw the Utah side reduced to 9-men as Fabian Espindola and Jamison Olave were given their marching orders — but the 'Quakes were good value for the three points.

After securing a 2-2 draw at Red Bull Arena against New York last weekend, (leading Thierry Henry to say San Jose as giving them a footballing lesson) the Earthquakes did not look jaded or leggy as they hosted Jason Kreis' side. SJ had chances early and hit the woodwork, and in the 30th minute RSL's top scorer Espindola was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Sam Cronin. On the stroke of half time Khari Stephenson hammered home to put San Jose 1-0 up. Yet after the break, they were pegged back, as Kyle Beckerman sauntered through their defense, slalom style, then slotted home to make it 1-1. The game changing moment came in the 70th minute, as the controversial figure of Steven Lenhart went clean through but seemed to be hauled down by Olave. The center back was sent off, under much protest, as Lenhart looked to have gone down easily but there was definite contact.

The two-man advantage looked to have gone to waste, but Simon Dawkins and Chris Wondolowski, struck with headers in the 92nd and 93rd minutes. Wondo's was his eight of the season, making him the league's joint-top scorer. He has now scored in twelve of his last 13 appearances, scoring 14 goals.

So after taking four points from New York and RSL in their last two games, SJ have proved they can step up week in, week out and mix it with the so called "star players" and teams in MLS. They looked solid defensively (currently boasting the third best defense in MLS with just five goals conceded) and ground out the win against an extremely stubborn Salt Like side. Would SJ have won in a similar scenario last year?

San Jose returned to the top of the West for the first time since being refounded as an expansion team in 2008. It was also their first win against RSL since July 3, 2009. The result gave head coach Yallop his 100th MLS win. JPW

Bruin brings it

Will Bruin is not a name that pops up when you discuss the leagues top

strikers but he might soon be. The Houston forward, in his second season as a pro, finally looks to be building on the huge potential he showed at the beginning of his rookie season and throughout his college career with the Indiana Hoosiers.

On Saturday Bruin scored the opener and set up a late equalizer for strike-partner Brian Ching, in Dynamo's 2-2 draw with Columbus. That partnership with Ching has been a major plus points for Houston - although it is still early days, as Dynamo have played just five games thus far.

The Ching soap opera over the offseason was unsavory for everyone concerned, as he was acquired by Montreal and then eventually traded back to the Dynamo. Last season Ching and Bruin showed in flashes what they were capable of. However due to injuries and form, the strikers only started up front four times together in their 38 combined total starts in 2011.

Bruin also draws attention with his "dancing bear" goal celebration, which originates from a joke from head coach Kinnear on how Bruin looks when controlling a ball played into his chest. Bruin is the Dynamo's top scorer with two goals in his first five games, but it's his inventive running and work off the ball which has fans

and teammates heaping praise on his broad shoulders. Brad Davis on the partnership:

"Seeing those guys play well and combine together is good. The biggest thing is seeing Will get the opportunity, and then score, because forwards gain confidence when they score goals and get on a streak. One of the things that people don't recognize is their work off the ball in a big way. Ching's been doing that ever since he came to this club. He gets lumps kicked out of him every single game and maybe he doesn't score, but people don't recognize those little things. Will does it as well and they don't say anything."

With Ching by his side, Bruin seems to have found the perfect mentor. Ching is one of the deadliest marksmen in MLS history, the former US national team star has scored 78 MLS goals over his 11-year career. And Bruin looks to be Ching, Mark II. Their onfield stature is very similar, although Buin is much more mobile than veteran Ching is today. Bruin was at times too eager to impress during his rookie season. Now he makes intelligent runs, puts his considerable frame to good use when holding play up and looks composed when in possession.

His MLS start wasn't exactly prolific - five goals in his debut season, four of them in his first seven games. He scored a hat trick against DC United

on April 29, but failed to find the net again until September 17. With Calen Carr and Carlo Costly waiting in the wings, Bruin knows he

has to maintain this season's form.

Special mention must also go to Crew midfielder Eddie Gaven, who scored twice in the 2-2 tie with Houston, his second goal a piledriver. JPW

Fighting Philly

The Philadelphia Union have gone back to basics. The result? Back-to-back 1-0 wins. Peter Nowak's team have shown fight, spirit, determination and above all defensive guile after being written off by almost everyone. Sure they had an awful start to the season, but now Philly are channeling their inner Rocky. After losing three of their first four games, Philadelphia visited a resurgent Chivas USA side aiming to prove last week's narrow victory over Columbus wasn't a fluke. Their fighting spirit was on show from the start as tackles flew in. But it was against the run of play when Philadelphia landed the sucker punch: Freddy Adu latched onto a loose ball in the box and sent his delicate back heel into the net via the far post. Michael Farfan's supreme dribbling ability in the lead up to the goal bamboozled Chivas defenders as he drifted past three with a shake of the hips. His twin brother, Gabriel, also made a name for himself later in the game but for entirely different reasons.

In a weekend strewn with red cards (see San Jose v RSL) the Union added two of their own. First, on 75 minutes Keon Daniels was shown a straight red for a studs up challenge on Chivas winger Ryan Smith. Ten minutes later Gabriel Farfan lunged into a full-blooded tackle right in front of the benches. Cue the ensuing melee which seemed to end with Nowak being sent to the stands, as he raced onto the pitch to appeal to the referee. Both tackles warranted dismissals but with nine men for the last 5 minutes the Union held on. It may not be pretty but it got them a result.

Chivas have now lost all four of their home games, all 1-0. Robin Fraser's men have the skill and technique to succeed, as they've shown during tough road trips in recent weeks. However their ability to dig in, roll their sleeves up and battle for points can sometimes be questioned. Union weren't more skillful, intelligent or well-organized, but Philadelphia did look like they wanted it more. That may be the most pressing issue for Fraser to address. JPW

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