Jermain Defoe faces a major challenge in his quest to become the first Englishman to win the MLS golden boot this term, with two compatriots ahead of him in the shake-up.
The 31-year-old issued a reminder of his potency in front of goal by notching twice for Toronto in their 4-2 win over Houston Dynamo.
Defoe, who has 55 caps for England, scored both his goals in the second half and moved to fourth in the MLS scoring charts this term, with 10 goals.
But leading the charts on 15 is New York Red Bulls’s Bradley Wright-Phillips, formerly of Manchester City, Southampton, Plymouth Argyle and Charlton Athletic.
Jermain Defoe last played for England in the defeat by Chile last year
Wright-Phillips and his one-time England Under-20 team-mate, Lloyd Sam, scored as the boys from the Big Apple defeated Columbus Crew 4-1. Thierry Henry also found the net.
And Sporting Kansas City’s Dom Dwyer – a former Norwich City trainee who progressed through the US college system – bagged a brace in a 2-1 win over Montreal Impact to take his season’s tally to 14.
Back home, several England players were in pre-season action for their clubs this weekend.
England Under-21s striker Saido Berahino was on target as West Bromwich Albion beat Bury 2-0. Joleon Lescott, who won the most recent of his 26 England caps in March 2013, made his first non-competitive appearance for the Baggies.
Middlesbrough gave some game-time to handful of Young Lions as they ran out 4-1 winners over Romanian side ASA Tirgu Mures.
Luke Williams, who has represented England at U17, U19 and U20 level, scored a brace in a first-half side also featuring Jonathan Woodgate and U21s regular Ben Gibson.
England U18s pair Bryn Morris and Bradley Fewster, and U20s cap Adam Reach ran out for Boro in the second half, with Fewster netting the fourth.
Patrick Roberts, a European champion this summer with England U17, started for Fulham as they won 2-0 at Motherwell.
The 17-year-old, who broke into Fulham’s first team at the end of last season, was a constant threat on the left of midfield alongside England veteran Scott Parker.
