With the quarters out of the way, the MLS playoffs advanced to the semifinals. With some absolute shocking results in one of the best rounds in MLS playoff history. In the west, the LA Galaxy will face the Seattle Sounders. In the East, the Houston Dynamo will take on DC United. In an odd turn of events the quarterfinals saw both 1 seeds get eliminated on their home turf.
The Galaxy were down 1 to nil and battled back to beat the first placed San Jose Earthquakes. San Jose were the top ranked team in the playoffs and won the supporters shield but the Galaxy had the talent and the poise. Robbie Keane put in a seller performance and netted two goals. The other one seed Sporting Kansas City went out the most painful way a soccer team can go out. They were down 2-nill on aggregate going into the final leg and won the last game 1 to nil. It is an unfortunate turn of events to be eliminated with a victory.
Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake went into their final leg with the score leveled. Rio Tinto has been a fortress for RSL. Everything was going Salt Lake’s way; they just could not crack the Sounders defense. The game became a free flowing affair with both teams putting pressure and both goalies making big saves. In the 81st minute Mario Martinez netted a big goal to sink RSL.
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New York Red Bulls v DC United is hands down the craziest fixture in MLS history. The first leg was moved because of a hurricane and featured two own goals and one crazy red card. The second leg was then moved because of a blizzard. The craziness can not even be described, the game saw DC all but eliminated but with some horrible mistakes by NY, United battled back and stole it in the death. Just watch the highlights.
LA Galaxy V Seattle Sounders: Galaxy return home to face the boys in rave green. This is traditionally a great fixture and Seattle has a good success rate of stealing points in LA. With Eddie Johnson coming back this game will be a star studded affair.
The keys to the game for both teams is positive possession. LA will need to get Landon and Robbie Keane involved early and often. Seattle will need to have Alanso be the orchestrator in the midfield and force the tempo forward. Both goalies are in good form. But this game could be decided by the two overlooked forwards. Edson Buddle and Freddy Montero are both dangerous but not the main focus. If LA can get a goal out of Edson or if Sounders can get Montero to net one then that could be huge.
Prediction: LA 2- Seattle 1.
DC United v Houston Dynamo: DC will have to play the first leg with out their starting goalie but they get winger Andy Najar back. Houston will be at full force to take on United. This game should be a bit boring. On paper it looks like it will be methodical and bogged down in the midfield. Both teams trying to find the forwards in dangerous positions. Set pieces are going to be huge in this fixture.
But DC United has been unpredictable and at times self destructive this playoffs. Ben Olson will most likely have all the nuts and bolts tightened to make sure nothing happens but sometimes you can not control the unexpected. That makes this tie interesting.
Prediction: Houston 1- DC 1
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