Wilfried Zaha made an electrifying start with Charlotte FC by netting a goal in his debut, while Israeli Tai Baribo delivered a stunning hat-trick for the Philadelphia Union in the latest round of Major League Soccer matches on Saturday.
The former Crystal Palace winger, who was brought in on loan by Charlotte manager Dean Smith from Turkish side Galatasaray, made his first appearance in front of a lively crowd of 51,002 against rivals Atlanta United.
Zaha was instrumental in the opening goal, pressuring the edge of the box before perfectly setting up Pep Biel, who dispatched the shot with accuracy.
Just four minutes later, after Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan parried a shot from Israeli Liel Abada, Zaha showcased his exceptional technique by converting the rebound with finesse.
Having previously earned two caps for England before choosing to represent the Ivory Coast, Zaha quickly proved to be a valuable asset for the North Carolina side, exhibiting his flair and directness on the pitch.
“I think it’s a statement,” Zaha remarked in an interview with MLS Season Pass. “My arrival here to score goals reflects the hard work of the entire team, and we’re seizing our chances, sending a clear message to every other team in the league that we mean business this season.“
Zaha was unable to take part in the previous week’s 2-2 draw against Seattle as he was in London for the birth of his daughter, returning to Charlotte just days before the match.
Smith expressed confidence in Zaha’s potential impact on the team.
“He’s exactly the type of player we needed last season. Today’s performance showcased his ability to create magical moments,” said the former Aston Villa manager.
“We recognise his skill with the ball, his goal-scoring ability, and the clever runs he made for the first goal. His defensive contributions were impressive too,” he added.
Baribo shines in Philadelphia’s resounding victory
The Philadelphia Union, eager to redeem themselves after a lacklustre previous season that saw them miss the playoffs, have kicked off the new campaign in spectacular fashion under new head coach Bradley Carnell from South Africa.
After a 4-2 triumph at Orlando last week, the Union surged ahead with a total of eight goals in just two outings, hammering Cincinnati 4-1, largely thanks to their Israeli striker.
Baribo set the tone early, scoring in the sixth minute with a precise finish at the near post, and extended the lead to 2-0 in the 30th minute, tapping in following an impressive assist from Hungarian playmaker Daniel Gazdag.
The duo struck again as Baribo completed his hat-trick with another close-range finish in the 52nd minute. Although Cincinnati’s Brazilian Evander managed to claw one back with a well-placed left-footed shot, Philadelphia sealed the victory with a stoppage-time goal from Bruno Damiani.
Matchday highlights
The New York Red Bulls, last year’s MLS Cup finalists, secured a solid 2-0 victory over Nashville, featuring a goal from Mohammed Safo and a stunning curled shot from Swedish international Emil Forsberg.
Belgian striker Hugo Cuypers netted both goals for Chicago Fire in their thrilling 2-2 draw against DC United.
DC took an early lead in the fourth minute with a neatly executed side-footed effort from their Belgian forward Christian Benteke before finding the net twice again from close range.
Benteke missed a penalty in stoppage time, but a sensational bicycle kick from Jacob Murrell earned DC a valuable point.
Ryan Hollingshead scored in the 86th minute to propel Los Angeles FC to a narrow 1-0 victory over New York City FC in California.
In their home opener, MLS’s newest franchise, San Diego FC, celebrated a stunning win against reigning champions Los Angeles Galaxy in week one. However, they faced a stalemate, drawing 0-0 with St. Louis City in front of a sell-out crowd of 34,506.
A last-minute free-kick from David Da Costa secured a 1-0 win for Phil Neville’s Portland Timbers over Austin.
On Sunday, Inter Miami will face off against the Houston Dynamo in Texas, although they will be without Lionel Messi, who is being rested for the match.
The reigning champions, LA Galaxy, will visit the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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