By AVI CREDITOR
Fans of the Seattle Sounders can turn their worries from an anemic preseason offense to injuries to two starters.
Fredy Montero scored two goals and assisted on Jhon Kennedy Hurtado's 60th-minute opening goal, as the Sounders topped the Colorado Rapids, 3-1, in Wednesday night's Community Shield match at Qwest Field.
While the three-goal haul was a sight for sore Seattle eyes, the match wasn't a complete success. Brad Evans and Steve Zakuani exited with injuries, with Evans telling the Seattle Times that he'll miss 1-3 weeks with a hamstring issue. There was no word on the severity of Zakuani's hip injury.
Jeff Larentowicz scored the Rapids' lone goal on a penalty kick after Hurtado fouled Omar Cummings in the box just minutes after he opened the scoring.
Here are a few more MLS items from Wednesday night:
Aron Winter's continued effort to bring his influence and flavor to Toronto has resulted in three Dutch players being signed by the team.
Toronto FC agreed to deals with Javier Martina, Nick Soolsma and Elbekay Bouchiba, three trialists who had been with the team during its preseason trip to Turkey.
Martina, a 24-year-old forward, figures to be the prize out of the bunch. The Ajax youth product had a brief run with the Dutch power's first team and knows both Winter and Toronto assistant Bob de Klerk from his time in the Ajax academy.
Soolsma, a 23-year-old midfielder, and Bouchiba, a 32-year-old forward will also be counted on to help execute Winter's system north of the border.
RED BULLS ADD TWO
The New York Red Bulls officially signed Teemu Tainio and Stephen Keel, giving the team more cover in the midfield and along the back line.
Manager Hans Backe revealed that the signings were essentially done deals on Monday. Tainio projects to start the season at right back while Chris Albright recovers from knee surgery.
TFC FALLS TO CHARLESTON
Despite the optimism of the team's new signings, Toronto FC fell to USL-PRO's Charleston Battery in the Carolina Challenge Cup, 2-1, for its second consecutive defeat at the tournament.
TFC's Nathan Sturgis opened the scoring with a 14th-minute penalty kick, but Charleston's Dane Kelly answered just before halftime with the equalizer. The Battery went ahead in the 57th minute, as Stefan Frei stuffed Mike Zaher's penalty but yielded a rebound that Zaher put into the back of the net for the match-winner.
D.C. TOPS 10-MAN CHICAGO
Rookie Blake Brettschneider scored his fourth goal of the preseason, and D.C. United fended off the Chicago Fire, 1-0, in the Carolina Challenge Cup to improve to 2-0 at the tournament.
United played with a man advantage for the final 53 minutes of the match, after Chicago's new signing Diego Chaves was sent off with a straight red for a harsh challenge on Fred.
Charlie Davies started and went the full 90 minutes for D.C., which will face Toronto FC in its final preseason match on Saturday.
COLUMBUS DOWNS NEW ENGLAND IN ATLANTA
Tom Heinemann notched a brace and rookie Bernardo Anor got on the scoresheet as well, as the Columbus Crew toppled the New England Revolution, 3-1, in the opening match of the Atlanta Pro Soccer Challenge.
Ilija Stolica scored a consolation goal for the Revolution in the 62nd minute after Columbus tallied the match's first three goals.
The Crew face the Houston Dynamo in the second match of the tournament, and the Revolution will face the Dynamo on Sunday in the finale.
----------------------------
What do you think of all of Wednesday night's results? Think Montero is in for another big season? Do you see Toronto's new signings making an impact? Think Tainio is the season-long answer at right back in New York? Ready for these matches to actually start counting?
Share your thoughts below.
