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Unlike the East, the West has felt wide open from the knockout rounds. No upsets in the early round, but some surprises on Sunday. Here's a look at the results from each match, TV schedule information for leg two games and updated predictions.
Knock-Out Results
LA Galaxy 3 - Real Salt Lake 1: I’m not sure anyone outside of Salt Lake City believed RSL could beat the Galaxy in LA. Even with several stars out due to injury or being rested LA still easily rolled past RSL.
Seattle Sounders 1 - Sporting Kansas City 0: Even with only one goal, this was exactly what everyone wants from a playoff game. Nighttime under the lights, packed stadium of nearly 50,000, two teams attacking and aggressive from the start. Like a TV script, it was the DP Nelson Valdez getting his first MLS goal of the entire season to send Seattle through.
Quarter-finals: Leg 1 Results
LA Galaxy 1 - Colorado Rapids 0: Giovanni Dos Santos gave the five-time champions the victory, who will be happy to have also not given up an away goal. But scoring in the altitude of Denver is not as easy, and they may miss they had a larger buffer. The Rapids defense, led by Tim Howard, are not likely to be accommodating at home.
Seattle Sounders 3 - FC Dallas 0: All of Dallas’ hard work during the regular season may have just come undone in 90 minutes. Seattle came out strong in front of another packed crowd at CenturyLink field and dominated the Supporters Shield winners. Nico Lodiero, Jordan Morris and Nelson Valdez were all in top form and proved too much for a Dallas team greatly missing their star man Diaz.
TV Info
It has been an action-packed few weeks for MLS fans, between Decision Day and eight playoff matches already in the books. This Sunday wraps up with conference semifinals across ESPN and FS1 for another full day of MLS action. TV Info for the Western Conference games:
Sunday (11/6) - LA Galaxy at Colorado Rapids - 2 pm (EST) - ESPN
Sunday (11/6) - Seattle Sounders at FC Dallas - 9 pm (EST) - FOX Sports 1
Note: The following weekend of November 12/13, the MLS will be on a break for World Cup Qualifiers.
Predictions
Last week I predicted both of the knockout round matches correctly, and 50% on the weekend. Even with the LA victory, I am sticking strong to my original Western Conference predictions.
Colorado defeat LA at home 2-0 behind an amazing Tim Howard performance. The Rapids advance as the new top seed from the West, because...
Down three goals is just too much for Dallas, even at home. Seattle earn a 1-1 draw on the road, advancing 4-1 on aggregate.
The real question is can the Galaxy attack perform as well on the road. Tune in this Sunday to find out who makes the final four teams left hunting the MLS Cup.
