With no teams holding more than a single goal advantage in their respective ties, all four MLS Conference Semifinals are set for tense finishes heading into Sunday.
For fans of MLS, it promises to be 360 minutes (likely more) of continuous drama and thrills.
MLS Conference Semifinals
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New York Red Bulls vs D.C. United
1-0 Aggregate
Red Bull Arena, N.J. | 3 p.m. EST on ESPN
The Red Bulls return to Harrison, N.J., as the only team to emerge victorious on the road in their first leg matchup. Dax McCarty, the fulcrum of the Red Bulls’ team throughout the regular season, scored the lone goal in the nation’s capital.
Having scored an invaluable away goal, New York will look to MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finalist Luis Robles to make this as straightforward as possible for the Supporters’ Shield winners.
The task facing D.C. United is anything but straightforward. Give up another goal, particularly the first goal of the match, and this tie would appear to be beyond United’s reach. Fortunately for D.C., they have fellow MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finalist Bill Hamid to keep that from happening.
Going forward, Chris Rolfe (10 goals) and Fabián Espíndola (7 assists) will need to find the goal that will ignite this second leg.
Columbus Crew SC vs Montreal Impact
1-2 Aggregate
MAPFRE Stadium, Ohio | 5 p.m. EST on ESPN
The Montreal Impact are the hottest team in the playoff field. For those who haveve followed the MLS Playoffs over the years, this kind form can see an unfancied team roll straight into the MLS Cup final while knocking off teams that dominated throughout the regular season.
With Didier Drogba (12 goals in 13 games) and Ignacio Patti, the Impact will fancy their chances of getting an away goal or two in Columbus. They’ll most likely need at least one because the Crew typically play without attacking restraint at MAPFRE Stadium.
Kei Kamara (22 goals), who's up for the MLS MVP award and was announced as the MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, is the most likely candidate to turn the tide for the Crew. This should be a classic in Columbus.
FC Dallas vs Seattle Sounders
1-2 Aggregate
Toyota Stadium, Texas | 7 p.m. EST on FS1
This, ladies and gentlemen, is what separates the sides:
Accordingly, this is exactly what Seattle is hoping will see them through this conference semifinal. Perhaps it won’t be as spectacular, but experience and individual brilliance can go a longways in knockout games.
For FC Dallas, they’ll be hoping to avoid an instance of lightening striking twice and for more of what made them Western Conference Champions in the first place. Namely, the league’s best home record and some of the best young talent in MLS.
The emergence of 20-year-old shot stopper Jesse Gonzalez has Dallas fans, as well as supporters of the Mexico National Team, dreaming of a bright future.
If they’re able to stop Seattle’s main weapons, they should be able to emerge from this Western Conference Final tilt.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Portland Timbers
0-0 Aggregate
BC Place, British Columbia | 10 p.m. EST on FS1
With no goals having been scored in the first leg, this is the most difficult match to call in the Conference Semifinals. While the advantage should belong to Vancouver at BC Place, Portland’s away record is only marginally worse than Vancouver’s at home.
This will most likely be a game decided by the finest of margins. Vancouver are looking a little banged up, while key attacker Octavio Rivero hasn’t found the back of the net since September 9, a run of one goal from open play in his last 24 matches.
Meanwhile, Portland has a couple game changers who seem to be peaking at the right time, none more so than Darlington Nagbe. Key to Portland’s resurgence has been Nagbe’s deployment in the midfield for the Timbers.
The former 2nd overall draft pick has carried his good form into the playoffs and looks set to make a massive difference in this game.
If Vancouver hope to avoid an upset on Sunday, they'll need to shutdown a surging Timber's attack while rediscovering their own.
