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MLS Is Back And Already Getting Buck Wild

Over in Europe today, PSG strolled to victory, Juventus again won it at the death, and Tottenham and Liverpool flexed their collective muscle against relegation candidates. While it was all too predictable in the world’s premier competitions, Major League Soccer kicked off its 23rd season with the #SaveTheCrew taking it to the reigning Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup champions, Toronto FC. 

26,633 were on hand at a blustery BMO Field to celebrate the successes of 2017 and to watch on in horror as Gyasi Zardes scored a goal. The Crew fully earned their 2-0 victory with goals either side of halftime. Federico Higuain scored the first goal of the 2018 season in the 44’, and a wonderful pass from Pedro Santos set up Zardes for Columbus’s second in the 46’. 

After scoring only two goals in 24 games for the LA Galaxy last season, Zardes is now halfway towards matching that total after his competitive Crew debut. 

Toronto, meanwhile, saw the MLS debuts of Dutch international Gregory Van der Wiel, Spanish midfielder Ager Aketxe and Brazilian defender Auro, but Toronto’s vaunted attack was shutout while landing only two shots on target (they did strike the post twice).

MLS is back

The Crew kept Giovinco off the scoresheet. Photo: @MLS | Twitter

Toronto can claim that they had one eye on Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions League showdown with Mexican champions Tigres, but nobody really could’ve expected this result. Last season, Toronto lost only one regular season match at home, and that result didn’t occur until September 20.  

MLS is back

The highlight of the day for TFC. Photo: @MLS | Twitter

The offseason departures of Ola Kamara, Justin Meram and Kekuta Manneh all added to the unpleasantness currently surrounding Columbus, but the spectacular togetherness displayed by the squad in their 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs run continued here. 

We’re glad MLS is back. 

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