Perhaps the offenses are a little bit ahead of the defenses at this time of year. Because there were a total of 36 goals scored over nine MLS preseason games on Saturday, or an average of four goals per game.
While not all of them were highlight worthy, there were more than few moments when the finishing boots seemed like they were in mid-season form. Here are five of our favorites:
5) Josef Martinez, ATL
Sure, terrible field conditions turned an innocent looking backpass into an uncontested chance for last season's most efficient striker in MLS. Even so, Martinez curls a heck of a right-footed finish.
4) Tomas Hilliard-Arce, LA
The book on the rookie is that he can be an absolute force in the air, and his goal against the Cityzens showcased that ability, combining power and placement off a set piece.
3) Gyasi Zardes, CLB
G⚽️AL!@Pedro32santos ➡️ @gyasinho! That's a combo we're hoping to hear over and over this year 🔂!#CrewSCpic.twitter.com/hM8FFfDoaC
— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) February 11, 2018
Zardes continued showing signs of a bounceback season with a smashing finish of a well worked opening goal in Columbus' final match at the Pacific Rim Cup.
2) Ryan Hollingshead, DAL
Hollingshead isn't known as a finisher, but he was the final link in an impressive passing sequence for a Dallas team eager to regain its mojo from the first half of last season.
1) Ola Kamara, LA
The Norwegian international capped off an impressive shift with a thunderous strike that showed he can turn the most innocent-looking miss into a dangerous rebound chance.
UPDATE: The New York Red Bulls broke out some of their patented set piece wizardry to offer up a late entry to this list, as Fidel Escobar bagged a nifty set piece winner in the CCL-bound side's dramatic 3-2 win over Phoenix Rising FC:
